Gin Gin

History

Gureng Gureng (also known as Gooreng Gooreng, Goreng Goreng, Goeng, Gurang, Goorang Goorang, Korenggoreng) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Gureng Gureng people. The Gooreng Gooreng language region includes the towns of Bundaberg, Gin Gin and Miriam Vale extending south towards Childers, inland to Monto and Mt Perry. The town name Gin Gin may have derived from a local Aboriginal word, possibly from the Kabi "kwin kwin", or "chin chin" (a scrub), or "gwin gwin" (red soil). The local Aboriginal people murdered Blaxland in August 1850 and two shepherd boys the year previously. Two large massacres of Aboriginal people were conducted by local squatters and their stockmen as punitive measures for these deaths. About 1851, Arthur and Alfred Henry Brown bought Tirroan from William Forster and renamed the run Gin Gin. The Brown Brothers previously owned a pastoral property called Gin Gin in Western Australia. The run was later purchased by Sir Thomas McIlwraith, who was Premier of Queensland three times between 1879 and 1893. Gin Gin Post Office opened on 15 March 1875. The town was first surveyed in 1880. In 1887, 8,900 ha of land were resumed from the Gin Gin pastoral run. The land was offered for selection for the establishment of small farms on 17 April 1887. The Gin Gin Library opened in 1992.

Geography

Gin Gin is located on the Bruce Highway, approximately 51 km west of Bundaberg and 370 km north-west of Brisbane, the state capital. Bundaberg–Gin Gin Road (State Route 3) runs east from the Bruce Highway, and Gin Gin–Mount Perry–Monto Road runs west from the highway.

Most-observed species

• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  165
• Laughing Kookaburra

  Dacelo novaeguineae (Hermann, 1783) · Aves
  116
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  116
• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  111
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  109
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  101
• Striated Pardalote

  Pardalotus striatus (Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  97
• Black-faced Cuckooshrike

  Coracina novaehollandiae (Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  95

Most recent

• M 4.9 — 2015-02-15
  42 km N of Mundubbera, Australia
• M 4.4 — 2004-01-16
  27 km SE of Monto, Australia