Valentine Plains

Coordinates: 24°24′27″S 150°45′22″E / 24.4075°S 150.7561°E / -24.4075; 150.7561 (Valentine Plains (centre of locality))
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Valentine Plains
Queensland
Wreck site of B-24D Liberator "Beautiful_Betsy", 2011
Valentine Plains is located in Queensland
Valentine Plains
Valentine Plains
Coordinates24°24′27″S 150°45′22″E / 24.4075°S 150.7561°E / -24.4075; 150.7561 (Valentine Plains (centre of locality))
Population373 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)4715
Area458.5 km2 (177.0 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Banana
State electorate(s)Callide
Federal division(s)Flynn
Suburbs around Valentine Plains:
Dakenba
Mount Murchison		 Dumgree Tablelands
Biloela
Prospect		 Valentine Plains Tablelands
Thangool Lawgi Dawes Cania

Valentine Plains is a rural locality in the Shire of Banana, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Valentine Plains had a population of 373 people.[3]

Geography[edit]

The locality is immediately west of Biloela. The locality is bounded to the north by Callide Creek and Lake Callide, the empoundment of Callide Creek by the Callide Dam. It is bounded to the south-west by Kroombit Creek.[4]

While the name Valentine Plains might suggest relatively flat land, the terrain is mountainous ranging from 180 to 860 metres (590 to 2,820 ft) above sea level with a number of named peaks:[4]

The lower elevations are to be found near Biloela and along Callide Creek and Kroombit Creek with elevations generally increasing further to the east.[4]

The south-east of the locality is within Kroombit Tops National Park, which extends into neighbouring Tablelands and Cania and beyond to Boyne Valley.[8] Apart from this protected area, the predominant land use is grazing on native vegetation with some crop growing on the lower elevations in the west of the locality.[8]

History[edit]

Valentine Plains Provisional School opened on 8 October 1928. In 1932, it became Valentine Plains State School. It closed on 21 July 1967.[9] It was on Valentine Plains Road (24°25′10″S 150°34′46″E / 24.4195°S 150.5795°E / -24.4195; 150.5795 (Valentine Plains State School (former))).[10]

Calvale Provisional School opened on 26 April 1940. In 1947, it became Calvale State School. It closed in December 1956.[11] It was on Calvale Road (approx 24°22′30″S 150°37′42″E / 24.3749°S 150.6284°E / -24.3749; 150.6284 (Calvale State School (former))).[12]

Wreckage of the B-24D Liberator Bomber - Beautiful Betsy

On 2 August 1994, the wreckage of a United States Army Air Forces Consolidated B-24D Liberator, Beautiful Betsy, was discovered in the Valentine Plains section of Kroombit Tops National Park. The aircraft had gone missing in stormy weather on 26 February 1945 while on a "Fat Cat" run from Darwin to Brisbane - transporting men and supplies as part of a regular flight.[13] Eight servicemen lost their lives; six of the men were American aviators and two were British Royal Air Force Spitfire pilots. The crash site is well-presented, with a plaque erected by National Parks (approx 24°27′52″S 150°54′51″E / 24.46441°S 150.91426°E / -24.46441; 150.91426 (Wreck site of Beautiful Betsy)).[14][15][16][17][18]

Demographics[edit]

In the 2016 census, Valentine Plains had a population of 394 people.[19]

In the 2021 census, Valentine Plains had a population of 373 people.[3]

Education[edit]

There are no schools in Valentine Plains. The nearest government primary schools are Biloela State School in neighbouring Biloela to the west, Thangool State School in neighbouring Thangool in the south-west, and Mount Murchison State School in the neighbouring Mount Murchison to the north-west. The nearest government secondary school is Biloela State High School in Biloela.[20]

The Biloela Study Centre of CQ University is at 64 Valentine Plains Road (24°24′41″S 150°31′17″E / 24.4113°S 150.5213°E / -24.4113; 150.5213 (university)).[21]

Amenities[edit]

The Valentine Plains branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the CWA Hall at 271 Valentines Plains Road.[22]

Biloela Golf Club is at 451 Valentine Plains Road (24°25′16″S 150°33′20″E / 24.4210°S 150.5555°E / -24.4210; 150.5555 (BILOELA GOLF COURSE)).[23] It has a 14-hole golf course.[24]

Facilities[edit]

Biloela Lawn Cemetery is at 216 Valentine Plains Road (24°24′59″S 150°32′01″E / 24.4165°S 150.5336°E / -24.4165; 150.5336 (Biloela Lawn Cemetery)).[25] It is operated by the Banana Shire Council.[26]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Valentine Plains (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "Valentine Plains – locality in Shire of Banana (entry 49577)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  3. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Valentine Plains (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  4. ^ a b c "Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourses". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Cave Mountain – mountain in Banana Shire (entry 6680)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Mount Kroombit – mountain in Banana Shire (entry 18551)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Agency ID 6401, Valentine Plains State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  10. ^ "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m163" (Map). Queensland Government. 1950. Archived from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Agency ID 8527, Calvale State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m163" (Map). Queensland Government. 1950. Archived from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  13. ^ Michael V. Nelmes Tocumwal to Tarakan : Australians and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator Belconnen. Banner Books, 1994.
  14. ^ Fraser, Norman (18 March 2015). "Sad ending to Beautiful Betsy wartime mystery". The Courier-Mail. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  15. ^ Dunn, Peter. "26 February 1945 - Crash of a B-24D Liberator, "Beautiful Betsy", in Kroombit Tops Forest near Biloela". Australia @ War. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Kroombit Tops National Park map" (PDF). Parks and forests. Queensland Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Beautiful Betsy no longer lost". The Canberra Times. Vol. 69, no. 21, 686. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 31 August 1994. p. 9. Archived from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Bush gives up wartime secret". Army. No. 867. Australia, Australia. 20 October 1994. p. 14. Archived from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Valentine Plains (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  20. ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Landmark Areas - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  22. ^ "Branch Locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  23. ^ "Building areas - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  24. ^ "Biloela Golf Club". Golf Australia. Archived from the original on 29 November 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Cemetery Areas - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  26. ^ "Cemeteries". Banana Shire Council. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.

Further reading[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Valentine Plains, Queensland.
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