Imbil, Queensland

Imbil is a town in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. The town is located in the Gympie Region local government area and in the Mary River valley, 160km north of the state capital, Brisbane. At the 2011 census, Imbil had a population of 942.HistoryThe town was established in 1868 at the start of the gold rush in the area. The opening of the Mary Valley branch railway line (now the Mary Valley Rattler) in 1914 brought a second surge of development to the town.The first Imbil Post Office opened on 9 July 1870 and closed in 1872. The second office opened in 1877 and closed in 1907. The third office opened by 1919. An Imbil Railway Station Post Office opened in 1917 (a receiving office had been open from 1915) and closed in 1920.The Imbil War Memorial is dedicated to those who served in World War II. It was dedicated on 11 November 1997 by the president of the Mary Valley Returned and Services League of Australia, Clive Colburn.EventsImbil is home to the annual Mary Valley Art Festival. The festival began in 2000. Viewing of entrants artwork is conducted at the Imbil public hall.The town is also home to the motor rally event, the International Rally of Queensland, a long running event on the Queensland and Australian Rally Championships. It was recently promoted to international standing as a round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship. Stages are held in surrounding forests and the show grounds are converted into the garage facilities for approximately 70 race cars over the course of the three-day event. It is now the longest running national level rally event in the country.