ROSEWOOD

Rosewood is located about 20km from Ipswich, 62km from Brisbane and 88km from Toowoomba.  Although it may be easy to pass through Rosewood without much thought, anyone who takes the time to explore the town will realise there are many historical gems to be found.

Once Moreton Bay became a free settlement in 1842, squatters arrived in the area.  Farmers came later and cleared the land so they could grow cotton, maize and sugarcane.  Dairy herds were also able to be supported due to the river flats while a thriving industry was able to be built out of the timber provided from large forests in the area.  These forests provided timbers such as rosewood (where the name of the town originated), hoop pine, brigalow, crows ash and cedar.  Coal mining began in the Ipswich region in the 1850s which led to several mines being developed in the Rosewood-Walloon area.  This was supported by the railway line.  By the 1860s the Moreton Shire map showed the village of Rosewood as a settlement on Queensland's first railway line from Ipswich to Grandchester.  The only remaining coal mine in the Rosewood area is the New Oakleigh Mine which is located on the northern edge of Rosewood.

By 1875 Rosewood had a school and Congregational church.  Mixed farming and sawmilling were the main industries of the community by the 1880s.  A courthouse and police station were built in 1892 which are both listed on the Queensland heritage register.  Many of the town's fine buildings were built in the first decade of the 1900s which led to it becoming the administrative centre of the Rosewood Shire in 1905.  Some of the buildings built in this decade include St. Brigid's church, The Rising Sun Hotel and Thomas Bulcock's "Glendalough" residence which is located just north of town. 

1911 brought about the opening of a branch railway which led northwards past a number of coalmines to Marburg.  However passengers declined in the next ten years.  One main reason for the decline was the frequent stops for freight such as calves, pigs, dairy produce and coal.  Therefore between 1964 and 1979 the line was closed in stages.  Another reason is a loss of population in the 1960s to 1970s due to a decline in the dairy and mining industries of the area.  Rosewood's population later recovered due to it being in close proximity to Ipswich and even Brisbane.  Therefore an electric train service was opened in 1993 where Rosewood is the last station on the Ipswich line.

Below are some of the services and businesses in Rosewood:

- State primary school
- State high school
- Catholic primary school
- Three hotels (Rising Sun Hotel, Rosewood Hotel and Royal George Hotel)
- Aged person's home
- Numerous churches
- Community centre, farmer's hall and a CWA hall
- Supermarket and other various shops

Rosewood lays claim to a couple of architecturally famous buildings:

St. Brigid's Catholic Church
This is the largest wooden church in Queensland.  The church was constructed in 1909/1910.  As well as being the largest wooden church in the land it also has gable decoration, pressed metal ceilings, painted wall murals and stained glass windows.  William BUstard, an important Queensland artists, contributed an ecclesiastical mural that is quite significant.

Rising Sun Hotel
This is the closest pub to the railway station and is one of three pubs in town (used to be four).  It was built in 1908 and is famous for its corner roof turret and beautiful verandah with awnings.  Part of the hotel was destroyed by fire in its early days.  The hotels was designed by Will Haenke, an Ipwich architect.  It was built by C. Risdale.