The locality's name originates from Harlaxton House, probably named for Harlaxton in Lincolnshire, England, and built in 1869 in what is now Munro Street as the residence of Francis Thomas Gregory. Gregory was an explorer in Western Australia, before moving to Queensland in 1862, serving as Commissioner of Crown Lands and an appointed Member of the Queensland Legislative Council from 1874 until his death in 1888. The home was later used as the summer residence for Lord Lamington who served as Governor of Queensland from 1896 until 1901. A Harlaxton railway station was built for his use at the site. The house is in a deteriorating condition, partly due to blasts from the neighbouring quarries. Harlaxton State School opened on 2 September 1901. Downlands Sacred Heart College was established on 1 March 1931 by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart as a boarding school for boys. The school had an initial enrolment of 68 students. In 1971 the school accepted day students, both boys and girls. From 1993 girls were also accepted as boarders, enabling siblings to attend the same school. In the, Harlaxton had a population of 2,547 people.
Harlaxton State School is a government primary school for boys and girls at 110 Ruthven Street. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 130 students with 13 teachers and 19 non-teaching staff. Downlands College is a Catholic primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys and girls at 72 Ruthven Street. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 770 students with 70 teachers and 49 non-teaching staff.
Features and facilities
Harlaxton has a history as an industrial centre. Apart from the quarries, the suburb is home to the Willowburn railway marshalling yard and the original Darling Downs Bacon Company established as a co-operative in 1911. Harlaxton is also home to the Toowoomba Cricket Club and the Toowoomba Bears rugby union club, as well as the Willowburn Sports Club.
Demographics
According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 2,547 people in Harlaxton.
The most common responses for religion were No Religion 24.9%, Catholic 21.3% and Anglican 15.6%.
Harlaxton is the most socio-economically disadvantaged suburb in Toowoomba; at the 2006 census, residents had a median individual income of $366, compared with $448 for the Toowoomba statistical district, and a median family income of $881 compared to $1,116. The suburb had a SEIFA score of 903, placing it below all other suburbs in the district.
