Location

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council area is located in south-east Queensland, about 90 kilometres west of the Brisbane CBD. The Lockyer Valley Regional Council is bounded by the Somerset Regional Council area in the north and north-east, the City of Ipswich in the east, the Scenic Rim Regional Council area in the south-east, the Southern Downs Regional Council area in the south, and the Toowoomba Regional Council area in the west.

Included Areas

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council area includes the townships and localities of Adare, Ballard, Black Duck Creek, Blanchview, Blenheim, Brightview, Buaraba South, Caffey, Carpendale, Churchable, College View, Crowley Vale, Derrymore, East Haldon, Egypt, Fifteen Mile, Flagstone Creek, Fordsdale, Forest Hill, Gatton, Glen Cairn, Glenore Grove, Grantham, Hatton Vale, Helidon, Helidon Spa, Ingoldsby, Iredale, Junction View, Kensington Grove, Kentville, Laidley, Laidley Creek West, Laidley Heights, Laidley North, Laidley South, Lake Clarendon, Lawes, Lefthand Branch, Lilydale, Lockrose, Lockyer, Lockyer Waters, Lower Tenthill, Lynford, Ma Ma Creek, Morton Vale, Mount Berryman, Mount Sylvia, Mount Whitestone, Mulgowie, Murphys Creek, Placid Hills, Plainland, Postmans Ridge, Preston (part), Regency Downs, Ringwood, Rockmount, Rockside, Ropeley, Seventeen Mile, Silver Ridge, Spring Creek, Stockyard, Summerholm, Thornton, Townson, Upper Flagstone, Upper Lockyer, Upper Tenthill, Veradilla, Vinegar Hill, West Haldon, White Mountain, Winwill, Withcott, Woodbine and Woodlands.

Land Use

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council area is predominantly rural, with major town centres at Gatton and Laidley, and a number of smaller townships including Forest Hill, Grantham, Helidon, Murphys Creek, Plainland and Withcott. Rural land is used largely for farming and agriculture, particularly vegetable and grain growing, and sheep and cattle grazing. The Lockyer Valley Regional Council area encompasses a total land area of nearly 2,300 square kilometres.

Name Origin

The Lockyer Valley is named after Major Edmund Lockyer, a British soldier and explorer.

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of the Lockyer Valley area were the Ugarapul and Kitabul Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement dates from 1829, although population was minimal until the 1840s. The main industries were dairy farming and sheep grazing. The township of Gatton was established in 1855, developing as the largest town in the Council area. The population grew during the late 1800s and early 1900s, aided by the opening of the railway line from Ipswich to Toowoomba, and the establishment of numerous small townships. Dairying declined in the 1960s, when horticulture and market gardening became important industries, aided by irrigation. Significant residential development occurred from the post-war years, particularly from the 1960s. The population of the Council area increased from about 13,000 in 1971 to about 18,000 in 1986, and then to over 22,000 in 1991. Growth continued from the 1990s, with the population rising to over 27,000 in 2001, and then to over 34,000 in 2011. Population growth is expected to continue.

Major Features

Major features of the Lockyer Valley Regional Council area include The University of Queensland (Gatton Campus), Lockyer National Park, Main Range National Park, Dwyers Scrub Conservation Park, Flagstone Creek Conservation Park, Tenthill Conservation Park, Lake Apex, Lake Clarendon Dam, Lake Dyer (Bill Gunn Dam), Narda Lagoon, Seven Mile Lagoon, Lilydale State Forest, Lockyer Valley Cultural Centre (including Lockyer Valley Art Gallery and Queensland Transport Museum), Laidley Cultural Centre, Murphys Creek Arts Centre, Laidley Pioneer Village and Museum, Gatton Historical Village, Fairways Tavern & Golf, Gatton Jubilee Golf Club, Laidley Golf Club, The Spa Golf Course, Helidon Mineral Spa, Seatonfire Chili Chocolate, Gatton Hospital, Laidley Hospital, Helidon Explosives Magazine, Southern Queensland Correctional Centre, Edmund Park Adventure Education, Emu Gully Adventure Education Group and the Lockyer Creek.

Transport

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council area is served by the Warrego Highway.