Wondai
Postcode: 4606
Wondai is a town and Local Government Area in the South Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the Bunya Highway, 241 kilometres north west of the state capital, Brisbane. At the 2001 census, Wondai had a population of 1,267. Wondai is named for the local aboriginal word for dingo, or native dog.
Wondai was first settled in the 1850s and closer settlement took place in the early 1900s.
Important industries include beef, dairy, grains and duboisia, used in the production of the antispasmodic drug butylscopolamine. Growing in importance is the wine industry.
Attractions in Wondai include Lake Boondooma, an artificial lake formed by the damming of the Boyne River. Wondai was also home to the legendary pacer Wondai’s Mate.
Boondoona Dam is a popular picnicking and water sports spot to the north-west of Wondai, while the Bjelke-Petersen Dam lies just to the east of town. The Gumnut Place at Murgon, just a few minutes drive to the north, features craft work and collectibles.
The district also claims the dubious title of ‘Baked Bean Capital of Australia’ and delights in its most famous living citizen – that most colourful former Queensland Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.