Lawes is a rural locality in the Lockyer Valley Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Lawes had a population of 105 people.

Geography

Lawes is located on the eastern outskirts of the town of Gatton. The Warrego Highway passes from east to west through the northern part of the locality. The Main Line railway passes through the locality from east to west. Lawes railway station served the locality (27°34′12″S 152°19′38″E / 27.5699°S 152.3271°E / -27.5699; 152.3271 (Lawes railway station)) but is now abandoned.

History

Lawes takes its name from the Lawes railway station, which in turn was named in 1936 (previously known as College Siding because of the adjacent Queensland Agricultural College). The Lawes name was proposed by the college principal, John K. Murray, in honour of Sir John Bennett Lawes, who was a scientist and founder of Rothamsted Experimental Station in Hertfordshire, England and promoted the use of artificial fertilizers and particularly superphosphate.

Demographics

In the {{CensusAU|2011},} Lawes had a population of 304 people.

In the 2016 census, Lawes had a population of 328 people.

In the 2021 census, Lawes had a population of 105 people.

Facilities

The heritage-listed University of Queensland Gatton Campus is located at Lawes.