About Proston

A big celebration is coming up in Proston:

We will be celebrating our 100 year centenary during the weekend of 30 September and 1 October 2023.

Proston was originally part of the historic grazing station Wigton one of Queenslands earliest squattages. Settlement of the Proston area followed the 1901 Wondai Land Court Ballot, primarily by English and German migrants. 

Life was extremely hard for these inexperienced people, relying on their neighbours and their own resourcefulness to deal with the on-going hardships and tragedies. The Proston Progress Association made representations to the Minister for Railways during 1922 for the rail to be extended to Proston. The township of Proston commenced in 1922, when Mr GTM Boynton (who had selected a farm at Speedwell) built Proston's first commercial building, a café opposite the proposed railway station, in anticipation of the arrival of the first train in February 1923. Next came French the Butcher and Boyntons Garage in Blake Street, a Drapery Messrs Thorne and Walker General Store, the erection of a Public Hall in Rodney Street and the very grand Terminus Hotel. GTM Boynton, indubitably the town's founding father, went on to construct a movie theatre hall, plus other central commercial buildings. He then installed two Lister generators to supply Proston's first electicity. Soon the tiny community was growing. By the late 1930s Proston boasted two stores, two garages, two bakeries, two butcher shops, ta butter facory, school, blacksmith, picture theater, public hall, hairdresser, chemist, two banks, hotel, doctor, clinic and hospital and rail services. 

Various books about the history of Proston can be viewed at the Proston Public Library. If you are visiting Proston you may like to take a walk along our Heritage Trail.

The Proston Online website is a project of the Proston Community Development Management Advisory Committee (PCDMAC) and the South Burnett Regional Council.