Beaudesert is a town of approximately 4000 persons and a Local Government Area in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. It is on the Mount Lindesay Highway and is 68 km south of Brisbane. It was named after the Beaudesert Estate of Charles Henry Alexander Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey in Staffordshire, England.

Beaudesert is a regional hub serving communities such as Rathdowney, Boonah, and Jimboomba and is the seat of its own shire. It is also in the valley of the Logan River.

Like many towns in the region, it is close by to many National Parks, most notable being Lamington National Park and Tamborine National Park.

A branch railway line runs from the outer Brisbane suburb of Bethania to Beaudesert. It was in regular service from 1886 to 1996. A petition from railway enthusiasts resulted in its re-opening in 1997. It has been bankrupt since August 2004 after a grass and scrub fire seriously damaged a bridge over a dry creek. It does not appear that the line will re-open in the near future unless someone can find another million dollars funding.

There is also a railway siding a few kilometres west of Beaudesert that lies on the main, standard gauge, Brisbane-Sydney line that serves mainly freight trains.

External links

• Beaudesert Railway
• Beaudesert Shire Council