Hughenden

Hughenden is a town and locality in the Shire of Flinders, Queensland, Australia. At the 2011 census, Hughenden had a population of 1,151.GeographyHughenden is situated on the banks of the Flinders River.HistoryHughenden was named after Hughenden Manor in Buckinghamshire, England, the home of former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. The name came from a pastoral run name used in 1862 by Robert Gray and Ernest Henry, both of whom had a family connection with Hughenden Manor, Buckinghamshire, England. Mary Francis Norris, the daughter of John Norris of Hughenden Manor was Henry's mother and Robert's aunt.Hughenden Post Office opened on 1 July 1878 (a receiving office had been open from 1874).Hughenden Provisional School opened on 22 April 1880, becoming Hughenden State School in 1884. On 30 January 1968, it was expanded to have a secondary department.Hughenden North Provisional School opened, becoming Hughenden North State School on 1 January 1909. Due to low attendances, it closed in 1926.St Francis' Catholic School was opened on 1 October 1900 by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan.Torrens Creek near Hughenden is where the Americans stored explosives in World War II. The Americans didn't know of the dangerous bush fires out there. After they put out a fire they went back to camp thinking that the fire was out. However, the fire took hold again without them knowing. They then heard about twelve major explosions in succession; the explosions left craters twenty feet deep. Hot shrapnel covered a wide area and started more fires. In the townships, people said that buildings shook and windows broke, and some people were convinced that an air raid had occurred. Thousands of soldiers and civilians attacked the blaze in an attempt to stop it spreading to fuel dumps, but were unable to control it. When the fire got to the explosives it was so powerful it blew the Americans out of their trucks. Many buildings and shops got burnt down from the spreading fires. However the locals were able to save the post office. A police Constable from Torrens Creek Police was awarded the King’s Medal of Bravery.