Logan Village is a semi-rural town and locality in the City of Logan, Queensland, Australia. Logan Village was once known as the head of the navigable Logan River. Its importance as a town grew again when the railway arrived.
In the 2021 census, the locality of Logan Village had a population of 5,316 people.
In 1827, Captain Patrick Logan, commandant of the Moreton Bay penal colony, made an expedition to Mount Barney. The expedition is believed to have camped beside the Logan River near present-day Logan Village; Logan notes in his journal, "June 19th.—…at two o’clock arrived at the Logan, not fordable; stopped for the night;".
On the first accurate map of the region compiled by the surveyor Robert Dixon and published in 1842, the Logan River is shown with a navigation limit marked near the locality of Logan Village. The label "Boats to here" is placed at 4 miles (6.4 km) up river from the site now occupied by the township.
The area was initially subject to settlement restrictions. Until 1842 a 50-mile (80 km) exclusion radius for the penal colony prohibited free settlers. Apart from escaped convicts it was timber, especially cedar, that brought the first European activity to the Albert and Logan catchments. After 1842, with closure of the penal colony, land north of Beaudesert towards Brisbane was opened for leasehold only, to facilitate planning and cropping; unlike further south in the Upper Logan where squatters occupied large runs or stations.
European settlement at Logan Village itself originated in its location as the head of navigation on the Logan River, and with the Logan Agricultural Reserve being proclaimed in 1862 for freehold selection. The first constructions were a wharf and store for the cotton plantation at ‘Townsvale’ (Veresdale) owned by Robert Towns.
The locality became part of the Agricultural Reserve when it was extended the following year in 1863 by a further 25,000 acres (10,000 ha). The 1863 plan of extension for the Reserve shows the proposed township as portion no. 184, designated RES (reserve), along the east side of the Logan River with an area of 47 acres (19 ha).
The township was surveyed in 1865, with town lots of around 1 acre (0.40 ha).
The first recorded burial in the Logan Village cemetery occurred on 30 October 1878. However, it was not until 1 February 1879 that the reserve for the cemetery was gazetted and the trustees were appointed on 14 March 1879. On 2 September 1976, the Beaudesert Shire Council took over control of the cemetery. A lawn graves section was established on 15 April 1981.
In January 1981, a meeting was held which concluded with the decision to build a Congregational church. Logan Village Congregational Church was officially opened in the village on 24 December 1871 by Reverend Edward Griffiths. It was at 33-35 River Street (27°45′58″S 153°06′20″E / 27.7660°S 153.1055°E). There is no longer a church at that site.
The Village of Logan Provisional School opened on 1 February 1872, later being renamed Logan Village Provisional School. In February 1901, it become Logan Village State School. The school relocated in 1981 to its current location with the original school being heritage-listed and turned into community facilities.
The Beaudesert railway line opened from Bethania to Logan Village on 21 September 1885. Its extension to Beaudesert was completed on 16 May 1888. The town was served by Logan Village railway station (27°46′07″S 153°06′29″E / 27.7686°S 153.1081°E).
The first bridge built at Logan Village over the Logan River opened in 1897. Swept away by flood in 1903, it was 93 years before it was replaced with a new bridge in 1996 which was named after the Beaudesert Shire Engineer, Geoff Philp.
A railway from Logan Village to Canungra was first proposed in 1900 with a survey commissioned in 1908. In 1911 the Queensland Government decided to construct the Canungra railway line from Logan Village railway station on the Beaudesert railway line to Canungra. Construction began in 1913 and the line opened to Canungra on 2 July 1915. The line closed after 30 June 1955.
In June 1905, a dead crocodile was found in the Logan River near the Logan Village ferry. There had been occasional sightings of a crocodile in the river, but these had been disbelieved as crocodiles had never been seen south of the Mary River. However, it was seen and shot at by Charlie Gottch at his property (now at Waterford West), but it disappeared, being found dead a few days later at Logan Village. It was 12 feet 7 inches (3.84 m) long. It was suspected to be the crocodile that was brought to Brisbane nine years earlier from North Queensland, which had escaped. The crocodile was skinned and the skin was hung on the walls of the Logan Village State School for many years.
In the 1920s, Rifle Range no. 98 was located along Miller Road for the Logan Village Rifle Club.
During the Second World War Camp Cable, an army training base, extended from Logan Village in the north to the Albert River in the south-east. Memorials relating to the camp were relocated from its former entrance to the grounds of the Logan Village RSL in 2012.
Formerly in the Shire of Beaudesert, Logan Village became part of Logan City following the local government amalgamations in March 2008.
In 2011, the Logan City Council endorsed the Logan Village Local Plan to develop the town centre and surrounds.
In 2013, Logan Village celebrated Settlers Day, 150 years since freehold titles were first taken up in September 1863. Events included a street parade, re-enactment of Captain Patrick Logan's 1826 landing, and other commemorative activities. The Forest of Memories, described as an "outdoor museum", was erected at Logan Village in 2013 as part of the 150 year celebrations. It is situated on Albert Sreett and consists of a row of plaques leading to 15 three-sided totems displaying historic images and stories from the district. The Forest features special lighting for display at night.
In the 2011 census, the locality of Logan Village had a population of 3,586 people, 48.6% female and 51.4% male. The median age of the Logan Village population was 38 years, 1 year above the national median of 37. 75% of people living in Logan Village were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were England 6.2%, New Zealand 5%, Scotland 0.7%, Germany 0.7%, South Africa 0.6%. 91% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 0.3% Finnish, 0.3% German, 0.3% French, 0.2% Khmer, 0.1% Spanish.
In the 2016 census, the locality of Logan Village had a population of 4,417 people.
In the 2021 census, the locality of Logan Village had a population of 5,316 people.
History info courtesy of Wikipedia
