Note: approximate position
Ever wanted to circumnavigate Australia? We still have a way to go...we'll be going on quite a journey, at least virtually, and clockwise. So as to make sure all states and territories are covered, we started in Western Australia and explored a little of the early history of a small part of this massive state via TROVE...
We've had to travel back to Darwin, before leaving the Northern Territory, then across to Cairns, in North Queensland... but we didn't stop there, instead headed to the tropical north, to one of the most beautiful areas you can imagine... isolated yes, but perfect for that great getaway... to Cape Tribulation. It seems you loved that area so well, that Cairns was the obvious place to travel to next... not too far south. That was another very popular place...as was our visit last week to Fraser Island...
This week we are heading inland, on an approximately 6 hours flight to a place steeped in history.. what a contrast to the sub tropical island of Fraser ...no waterfalls or clear lakes or rainforest, but Longreach has so much to offer.
Wikipedia has many entries, such as these...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longreach,_Queensland
"Longreach is a town in Central West Queensland, Australia, approximately 700 km (430 mi) from the coast, west of Rockhampton. The town is named after the "long reach" of the Thomson River on which it is situated. The town was gazetted in 1887, and the railway reached the town in 1892, causing the population to grow. It is the administrative centre of the Longreach Regional Council, which was established in 2008 as a merger of the former Longreach, Ilfracombe, and Isisford shires.
The town is on the Tropic of Capricorn. The main industries of the area are cattle, sheep, and, more recently, tourism.
A number of Queensland towns have their streets named to a theme. In Longreach, the streets are named after species of birds, with the streets running east-west named after water birds and those running north-south after land birds.[2] The main business street is called Eagle Street. Other streets honour Hudson Fysh, an Australian aviation pioneer, and Sir James Walker, a farmer and long-serving mayor of the former Longreach Shire Council.
Notable Australians to have been born or lived in Longreach include former Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce, iconic Purple Hearts and Coloured Balls guitarist Lobby Loyde, comedian Carl Barron and rugby league footballer Matthew Scott."
"History..
Longreach lay on the traditional tribal lands of the Iningai. Longreach Post Office opened on 1 October 1891. A Longreach Rail Post Office opened by April 1940 and closed in 1962.[3]
In early April 2010, Longreach experienced a significant locust plague described by local residents as the worst in three decades.[4][5]
Longreach State School opened on 22 May 1893 with an enrolment of 102 students.[6] Longreach State High School opened on 24 January 1966.[7] Longreach School of Distance Education opened on 27 January 1987.[8][9]
At the 2011 Australian Census Longreach recorded a population of 3,137.[10]"
When many of us think of Longreach, we think of the Stockman's Hall of Fame and the founding of QANTAS... both of which I will come to shortly.
However, there is more to offer... such as the historical railway station...back to Wikipedia...
"Longreach Station opened in February 1892 as the interim terminus of the Central Western line when it was extended from Barcaldine. The line was later extended to Winton.[3]
The present station building was completed in 1916.
The plan to build a railway in southern Queensland in 1863 prompted the residents of central Queensland to demand their own railway. The discovery of rich copper deposits at Peak Downs west of Rockhampton strengthened their case and in January 1864, Engineer for Roads, Northern Division, Henry Plews was ordered to survey a line to the copper field. Plews was made Chief Engineer of the northern railway in October 1864. The line opened as far as Westwood in September 1867.[1]
This line was too short to be profitable and approval for an extension was granted in late 1872. Robert Ballard was appointed Chief Engineer and was given authority to let contracts for each section. The aim was to produce an affordable line.[1
As work progressed, towns developed at each temporary terminus. Some such as Pine Hill declined after the railway passed while others such as Alpha and Emerald continued to grow. Many buildings and businesses were shifted westwards from one terminus town to the next.[1]
The line reached Duaringa in 1876, Blackwater in 1877 and Emerald in 1879. After Bogantungan (1881), the most difficult section was encountered – the crossing of the Drummond Range. The decision to extend the railway from Barcaldine (1886) to Longreach was the result of pressure being brought to bear by parliamentary representatives from Central Division and the fear that the northern Separation Movement could succeed. The final section was completed to Longreach in February 1892.[1]
The Longreach site was selected by railways surveyors due to the presence of a large waterhole on the Thomson River. It was a popular stop for teamsters but it had never developed into a hotel or small community. Longreach was gazetted as a township in November 1887, and the first land sales occurred soon after that.[1]
At the time the extension was completed, the bitterness of the Shearers' Strike was affecting the town and Premier Sir Samuel Griffith was rebuffed when he arrived to try to officially open the line.[1]
When the line was completed, there were no railway buildings at the terminus, although a small post and telegraph office had been built to service the telegraph line which had advanced beside the railway. The first station building was a small timber shelter shed and office, 60 by 14 feet (18.3 m × 4.3 m).[1]
The opening of the railway from Barcaldine to Longreach caused a building and population boom in the area. By 1914, Longreach had 14 hotels.[1] "
This was to be a lifeline for the growing town of Longreach...
Longreach Railway Station (2013)
Vic Bushing, Heritage branch staff - State of Queensland: Queensland Heritage Register: Longreach Railway Station (2013)
Longreach Railway Station (2013)
Vic Bushing, Heritage branch staff -
Front of station, 1938
Queensland State Archives, Digital Image ID 476 ID label: 1019081
Longreach Railway Station, Capricorn Highway, Longreach. [This is now the Landsborough Highway, route A2] Copyright expired
Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton) Fri 15 Jul 1887…THE BARCOO excerpt from the year that Longreach was gaztted as a town...
“Mr. Desgrand has completed the survey of the road from Longreach to Winton, and is now about to survey a road from the head of the line (the 12-mile) to Longreach. From this place the divergence will be made, one route going to Winton direct, and the other to Windorah and the South Australian border. The Lagoon Creek bridge will be finished in the course of a few weeks, and we shall then see what we shall see.”
Though Longreach is only 4.5kms from the Thompson River, it has often suffered from great droughts...making the erection of a water tower essential to the town...Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 25 February 1893, page 342
River Water Tower
Camerong photographer CC BY-SA 3.0
Longreach-Watertower.jpg Created: 20 April 2008
Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 25 February 1893, page 342
Thomson River, Longreach, Qld -
1911 Public Domain
Approximately 1921
There was always something to do in Longreach.. including goat races...below
Goat race, Longreach [PRG 1123/39/33] • Photograph approx. 1914 Part of Bishop Family Collection State Library South Australia
Cobb and Co provided a great service through the outback towns...carrying passengers, mail and supplies...
Passengers on the Jundah Mail Transport by Cobb & Co., Longreach, Queensland, ca. 1920 State Library Qld
Post Office in Longreach, ca. 1908 State Library Qld
Two horsedrawn coaches in the process of being loaded or unloaded in front of the Post Office in Longreach.
In 1915, Longreach hit the headlines due to a 'big fire'...Sir Hudson Fysh KBE DFC (1895-1974)
Paul McGinness DFC DCM (1896-1952)
Sir Fergus McMaster (1879-1950)
and then the one they couldn’t do without…
W Arthur Baird MSM (1889-1954) who had great engineering skills.
Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Monday 8 February 1915, page 4
National Library of Australia
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10402865
By 1920, the headlines were regarding a far more positive event... the founding of the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd, better known to the world as QANTAS.
Here are the details... the three men first involved were
Sir Hudson Fysh KBE DFC (1895-1974)
Paul McGinness DFC DCM (1896-1952)
Sir Fergus McMaster (1879-1950)
and then the one they couldn’t do without…
W Arthur Baird MSM (1889-1954) who had great engineering skills.
From the Sydney Morning Herald Sat 16 Oct 1920...
First Qantas aircraft [PRG 1123/39/3] • Photograph
The first Qantas aircraft, an Avro 504K biplane. Two of the men standing by the aeroplane are Hudson Fysh and Paul J. McGuinness, pilots and co-founders of Qantas. State Library South Australia
Qantas office, Longreach [PRG 1123/39/1] • Photograph
Collection
- Part of Bishop Family State Library South Australia
Bauple58 - Own work
DH.61 Giant Moth (G-AUJB), in original Qantas hangar at Longreach, Queensland, Australia.
Created: 14 May 2011
Stockman's Hall of Fame in Longreach, en:Queensland, en:Australia Photo by Michael Rogers, who retains copyright and releases the image under the GFDL. CC BY-SA 3.0 Created: 28 August 2004
Photos sourced via TROVE.. and Wikipedia
This site will give you all the information you require re the Stockman's Hall of Fame.. there are various galleries... to quote.."There are five themed galleries at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre, each one depicting an important aspect of our pioneering history."
There is also an Outback Stockman's Show and various other events. You can get to Longreach by road, train or plane...
I hope you've enjoyed your trip to the outback, just one of the many places in our vast country to explore.
For further reading...
Stockman’s Hall of Fame … our story
Longreach Powerhouse Museum
QANTAS Founders Museum
17 things you didn’t know about Longreach
Wool industry
Longreach plus more
Longreach Events and Festivals
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