The town is located centrally within the locality. The Bruce Highway passes through the location from south to north, bypassing the town to the east. The town is now accessed Bauple Drive, the former route of the Bruce Highway before the town was bypassed.
Sugarcane is the major crop in the area.
History
The town was originally called Raby but the name was changed to Bauple on 20 November 1896, named after Mount Bauple. Bauple is believed to be derived from an Aboriginal word baupval in the Kabi language referring to a frilled lizard. In the Dreamtime, the spirit of the lizard guarded the sacred place on the mountain where stone axes were obtained.
In 1858, bauple nuts were discovered in Bauple; they are known locally as Bauple nuts or Queensland nuts ,but internationally as macadamia nuts.
Mount Bauple Provisional School opened on 7 February 1887. In 1888, it renamed Mount Bopple Provisional School. On 1 January 1909, it became Mount Bopple State School. It closed in September 1928 due to low student numbers. It reopened in March 1931, but and closed permanently on 10 February 1933.
The Bauple Brass Band opened the Bauple Band Hall on Saturday 7 November 1925.
St Mark's Anglican Church was dedicated on 5 March 1926 by Archdeacon Glover. It closed circa 1979.
On Sunday 11 March 1928, ArchbishopJames Duhig officially opened and dedicated a Catholic church in Bauple. The timber church was built in the pointed Gothic style. It was 50 by 26 feet (15.2 by 7.9 m) and could seat 100 people. The architect was P.O.E. Hawkes of Maryborough and the contractors were Walter Oscar Nielsen and Mr Jorgensen. The church subsequently closed and was privately owned. Later it was purchased for use as the Lighthouse Christian Church.
Ironbark Ridge State School opened on 31 January 1939 with 20 students under teacher Mr Achillies. The school building was the relocated former Boonooroo State School building. In December 1940, a measles outbreak in the area reduced the student attendance to 3 students. It had a period of closure before reopening on 20 August 1951 under teacher Miss Frances Clare Albrey. The school closed permanently on 31 December 1960. It was on the western side of the Bruce Highway (25°46′39″S152°36′15″E / 25.7774°S 152.6042°E / -25.7774; 152.6042 (Ironbark Ridge State School (former))). When the Bruce Highway was realigned to bypass Bauple to the west in the 1970s, the current street address of the former school site is 947 Bauple Drive.
Bauple Uniting Church was dedicated and opened on 27 August 1996.
Demographics
In the 2011 census, the locality of Bauple had a population of 732 people.
In the 2016 census, the locality of Bauple had a population of 644 people.
In the 2021 census, the locality of Bauple had a population of 745 people.
Education
Bauple State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 44 Forestry Road (25°48′44″S152°37′22″E / 25.8121°S 152.6228°E / -25.8121; 152.6228 (Bauple State School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 47 students with 3 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 7 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 36 students with 3 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).
Bauple Recreation Reserve is on the corner of Mackellar Street and Forestry Road. It has sports fields, a playground and an undercover stage for performances.
The Mount Bauple Museum is operated by the Mount Bauple and District Historical Society. One exhibit is a crocodile skin from a crocodile found in the Mary River near Owanyilla in 1964. The society have also restored a 1907 Fowler-built locomotive used at the Isis Sugar Mill, similar to one used at the Mount Bauple mill.
There is a self-guided heritage trail through the town passing 24 historic sites.
Events
The Bauple Nut Bash is held annually in the Bauple Recreation Grounds.
The Bauple Band Hall Markets are on the 4th Saturday of the month at the Band Hall and on the Band Hall Green corner of Band Hall Road and Main Street Bauple.
Notable people
Notable people who come from or have resided in Bauple include:
^Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN978-1-921171-26-0