Timeline – Central Queensland

1901-1950 | 1951-2001

1901 Australia becomes a nation and Qld, previously a colony, is now a state.

Buderim coffee wins gold medal at exhibition of empire produce in London.

1902 A small group of Finnish people settle near Nambour and grow sugar cane.

1903 Maleny Co-operative Dairy Association starts operation.

Weekly half-day holiday introduced for Sunshine Coast workers.

Montville School of Arts building opens.

1904 Richmond settlers arrive in Kin Kin and start the dairying industry.

1905 Gold discovered in Conondale Range by an indigenous person, Andrew Ball.

1906 Laguna House Noosa changes owners and becomes the region's most fashionable guesthouse.

1907 Lighthouse brand fish cannery opens on the northern tip of Bribie Island.

1908 Maroochy River waterfront allotment sales start.

1909 Oyster worm infestation almost destroys the oyster industry in Pumicestone Passage.

1910 The watercraft Sis begins mail deliveries from Yandina via Coolum Creek to Bli Bli.

1912 The shires of Landsborough, Kilcoy and Caboolture form.

1914 Maroochy Shire Council begins construction of Buderim to Palmwoods tramway.

The first picture show is screened in the Montville School of Arts hall.

1917 Model T Ford becomes the first motor car in Eumundi.

1918 Sheep farming experiment starts at Beerburrum Soldier Settlement – it fails due to dingoes.

1919 Schools close because of influenza and diphtheria; children's throats are swabbed with kerosene.

1921 First sale of allotments at Coolum.

1923 Picture Palace movie theatre opens in Maroochydore.

1924 Fire destroys 17 businesses in Currie St, Nambour.

1926 Noosa Heads development begins.

1928 Bert Hinkler passes Caloundra on his England to Australia flight.

1929 Landsborough Shire bans bullock teams on council roads.

1930 First aircraft to land in Maleny is a Gypsy Moth.

1933 Maleny Show postponed until 1935 because of the Great Depression.

1936 Currimundi House is built for Sir Leslie Wilson, Queensland Governor, at Caloundra.

1937 A fashionable Spanish-style bathing pavilion is built at Kings Beach.

1938 English replaces German in Lutheran church services at Witta.

1939 Fire destroys Pomona's main street.

1941 A street parade is held in Caloundra for sailors of the US fleet.

1942 Caloundra lighthouse, right, is connected to electricity.

1943 Women's Land Army base is established at Buderim.

1944 Nambour becomes central control for prisoner of war groups, providing labourers for farms.

1945 Mechanical sugar cane harvesting starts.

1947 Caloundra Topic, first Caloundra Newspaper, is published.

1949 Noosa National Park opens.

1950 Prawning industry starts with six vessels operating out of Mooloolaba.

1901-1950 | 1951-2001

• Compiled by Lesley Jenkins with assistance from Gille Warren, the Montville Historical Group and the Shire of Landsborough Historical Society Inc.