Haden is a small rural town approximately north of Toowoomba and north west from Brisbane. The town is set high on the Great Dividing Range, resulting in a high number of windy days. There is a picturesque lookout on the Haden-Maclagan Road to the west of the town.
History
The district was originally known as Wahoon, from an Aboriginal word meaning scrub turkey. When the railway station was established, it was named Haden railway station on 8 June 1912, after Alice Elizabeth Ruth Paget, the second wife of Walter Trueman Paget who was Secretary for Railways in 1980. The town takes its name from the railway station. Wahoon State School opened on 20 May 1912. In February 1913 it was renamed Haden State School. St John the EvangelistAnglican Church was dedicated in 1924 by The Venerable Edward Castell Osborn. Its closure circa 2013 was approved by ArchbishopPhillip Aspinall. Haden had been a thriving town with numerous pubs and stores at the turn of the 20th century. With the arrival of rail and Haden State School which was opened in 1912 the town prospered. It became an established place to live, as the surrounding land was ideal for cattle and dairy farming. With the rapid increase in technology and the decline of the dairy industry in Queensland due to deregulation, the population began to decline. Only a handful of farms continue to operate in the area, with the majority of farmers turning to cattle and crop production.
Education
Haden State School is a government primary school for boys and girls at 1520 Haden-Crow's Nest Road. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 22 students with 3 teachers and 6 non-teaching staff. There are no secondary schools in Haden. The nearest secondary schools are in Crows Nest and Quinalow but these schools only offer secondary education to Year 10. For Years 11 and 12 the nearest secondary school is in Highfields.
Amenities
The village continues to be serviced by "The Haden Stores." Haden State School continues providing education for students from the village and predominantly the farms to the north-west. The school opened on 20 May 1912. Three churches and the Haden Hall also continue to operate. Library services in Haden are provided by the Toowoomba Regional Council's mobile library service. The van visits Haden State School on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month.
