Grandchester

The Ugarapul name for the area was Googabilla (also spelt Gujabila, Goojabilla), meaning 'having honey'.

Grandchester is an historic township, noted for its steam driven sawmill and the first railway line in Queensland. The Grandchester area was visited by European explorer Allan Cunningham, who came through the area in May 1829. Cunningham’s party camped beside what is now known as the Railway Lagoon while searching for the source of the Brisbane River. Brothers, Frederick and Francis Bigge, travelled to Moreton Bay and by 1842 had "squatted" in the Mount Brisbane district, where their headquarters was known as "Bigge's Camp."

The first section of railway between Ipswich and Grandchester was officially opened on 31st July 1865. The station building is the oldest in Queensland. To celebrate the opening of the line, an excursion was held for dignitaries including Governor Bowen and Lady Bowen. The name wasn't considered elegant enough and Governor Bowen suggested that it should be translated into Latin. “Big” became Grand and “Camp” became chester, producing Grandchester.

Andrea Lindo carried out a survey for a town in August 1865 and half acre blocks were advertised for sale the following year.

The school was opened by the first Head Teacher James MacDonald in 1878. It burned down in 1916 and classes were held in a vacant hall owned by John Pender for a year until the new school was built in 1917. The teacher’s residence was added in 1932. Charles Mort of Franklyn Vale opened a creamery and butter factory at Grandchester in 1893. Grandchester General Store was originally owned by Reg Hennings. It sold groceries and had a hand operated petrol pump at the front. Dairy farmers in the district would phone grocery orders through and Mr Hennings would send them out in the cream truck. Mr Desjardins later owned the shop and was also the stationmaster at Grandchester. In 1913 Pugh’s Almanac described Grandchester as having a state school, station master, post office, savings bank, auctioneer, butcher, two hotels and a storekeeper.