Grandchester
Historic railway town notable for its steam-driven sawmill.
Located 76 km west of Brisbane and 38 km from Ipswich, Grandchester (named after the beautiful village outside Cambridge, England) is a tiny settlement whose main claims to fame are the Grandchester Railway Station which was constructed when the railway from Ipswich terminated at Grandchester and the marvellous Grandchester Steam Timber Mill.

The owner of the Steam Saw Mill in Grandchester

The Grandchester area was first explored by 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 Brisbane River.

Originally known as Bigges Camp, after the pioneering pastoralist Frederick Bigges, it was little more than a watering hole for transients until the arrival of the railway from Ipswich in 1865. This short section of railway line was the first railway built in Queensland and Governor Bowen, feeling that the railway terminus deserved something better than Bigges Camp, renamed the site Grandchester.

Things to see:  

Grandchester Railway Station
The Grandchester Railway Station probably dates from 1865 although, as a single storey timber construction, it has undoubtedly been modified significantly over the years.

Grandchester Sawmill
For all the interest that the local history has - and the railway station is listed by the National Trust - it is the Grandchester Sawmill which is the town's treasure. The sawmill began production in 1945 and today it uses a steam engine which was manufactured in 1911. In an age of environmental awareness the Grandchester Steam Sawmill is a reminder of the extraordinary economies which can be had from the use of steam. The owner actually fires the steam engine with the sawdust produced by the mill. This is a wonderfully rational and efficient use of resources. The sawdust heats the water which drives the engine which cuts the timber producing sawdust which heats the water and so on.

Grandchester Hotel
A rather dubious addition to the attractions of this tiny township is the Grandchester Hotel (on the road leading down to the Railway Station) which may reasonably lay claim to being one of the most unattractive hotels in Australia. It is a characterless fibro building which looks more like a house than a hotel.

	Motels
	Old Hidden Vale Resort Mt Mort Rd 6km S of Grandchester Grandchester QLD 4390 Telephone: (07) 5465 5256 Facsimile: (07) 5465 5266 Rating: ****