Gayndah

Gayndah is a town located on the Burnett River in Queensland, Australia. It is 366 km north of the state capital, Brisbane, and 145 km west of the regional city of Maryborough. The Burnett Highway passes through the town. At the 2006 census, Gayndah had a population of 1,745.

History
Exploration of the Gayndah area began in 1843. The first European settlers arrived in 1848, and the town was established in the following year. A post office was established at Gayndah in 1850. Agriculture and grazing have been the dominant industries of the area. The town is the centre of Queensland's largest citrus-growing area. The Gayndah Orange Festival is held every two years to celebrate this industry.

Gayndah was considered for the capital of Queensland, but lost to Brisbane because the river was not deep enough, making it impossible for large cargo ships to unload near the town. Gayndah is the oldest official town in Queensland. The explorers Archer and James Charles Burnett established it in 1847.

The name Gayndah is of Aboriginal origin and comes either from Gu-in-dah (or Gi-un-dah), meaning 'thunder', or from Ngainta, meaning 'place of scrub'.

Trivia
The town clock was donated by Mr Richard Apel, a local pastoralist.

In 1872, the town was the location where the hoax fish Ompax spatuloides was supposedly procured.

Notable residents
Jessica Anderson, who won the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 1978 and 1980, was born in Gayndah.

Rachel Koster, an independent Australian singer/songwriter, is from Gayndah.


 * also the home of Burnett River Community Radio 91.5fm ,country and 50's and 60's music operating 24 hrs a day 7 days a week

Sister City
Gayndah has one sister city, according to the Australian Sister Cities Association.


 * 🇧🇪 Zonhoven, Belgium