The name Milbong is a combination of two Aboriginal words in Ugarapul dialect, in which mil means eye and bong means dead. An Aboriginal with only one eye is supposed to have camped by a waterhole in the vicinity.[2]
In the late 1870s, the choice of name for the district was contentious with three names in popular use: One Eye Waterhole (from the natural feature), Blantyre (the name of a local farm), Waterview (the name of the Congregational Church) and Milbong. The establishment of a post office and school created a need to resolve the issue of naming, resulting in Milbong being eventually chosen.[6][7][8][9]
Milbong Lutheran Church (also known as St Luke's Lutheran Church) opened on 23 September 1885. A new church (built on the site of the original church) was opened on 10 April 1906, while the old church was removed to be use as a barn but was later burned down.[20] The church closed in 1974 and the church building removed, but the cemetery remains.[21] The church site and cemetery was on the Ispwich Boonah Road, but is now within the suburb of Roadvale.[22]
Demographics
In the 2016 census, Milbong had a population of 161 people. The locality contains 66 households, in which 50.6% of the population are males and 49.4% of the population are females with a median age of 45, 7 years above the national average. The average weekly household income is $1,140, $298 below the national average. 0.0% of Milbong's population is either of Aborigional or Torres Strait Islander descent. 68.5% of the population aged 15 or over is either registered or de facto married, while 31.5% of the population is not married. 29.1% of the population is currently attending some form of a compulsory education. The most common nominated ancestries were Australian (37.1%), English (27.2%) and German (9.4%), while the most common country of birth was Australia (86.9%), and the most commonly spoken language at home was English (93.2%). The most common nominated religions were Catholic (27.5%), the Uniting Church (19.7%) and No religion (19.7%). The most common occupation was a cleric/administration worker (24.6%) and the majority/plurality of residents worked 40 or more hours per week (43.1%).[23]
In the 2021 census, Milbong had a population of 190 people.[1]
Education
There are no schools in Milbong. The nearest government primary schools are Roadvale State School in neighbouring Roadvale to the south and Peak Crossing State School in Peak Crossing to the north. The nearest government secondary school is Boonah State High School in Boonah to the south.[24]
^Milbong, Queensland (Map). Google Maps. Archived from the original on 31 December 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
^"MELBOURNE". The Telegraph. No. 993. Queensland, Australia. 7 December 1875. p. 2. Archived from the original on 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^Blake, Thom. "Milbong Congregational Church". Queensland religious places database. Archived from the original on 31 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
^"GOLDEN JUBILEE". Queensland Times. Vol. LXXVI, no. 15, 239. Queensland, Australia. 17 September 1935. p. 4. Archived from the original on 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Flashback Friday". Fassifern Guardian. 18 July 2014. Archived from the original on 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
Pohlner, Howard J (1980), St. John's Lutheran Church Engelsburg-Kalbar centenary book, including history of Mutdapilly Reserve, Teviotville, Aratula, Milbong, Centenary Committee, St. Johns Lutheran Church, ISBN978-0-9598469-1-1