Blackall, Queensland


Blackall is a small town and rural locality in the Blackall-Tambo Region in Central West Queensland, Australia. At the 2016 census Blackall had a population of 1,416. It is the service centre for the Blackall-Tambo Region. The dominant industry in the area is grazing.

Geography

Blackall is approximately by road from the state capital, Brisbane. The town is situated on the Barcoo River and Landsborough Highway.
Blackall claims to be the home of the original Black Stump, which marks the original Astro Station established in 1887. Places west of this point are said to be 'beyond the black stump'. The Black Stump was moved from its original location to make it more accessible to tourists, and can now be found on the boundary of the Blackall State School grounds, Thistle Street, Blackall. Blackall has many attractions for public use and entertainment, including the Blackall showground, the local pool and the historic Blackall Woolscour.

History

is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Bidjara people. The Bidjara language region includes the local government area of the Shire of Murweh, particularly the towns of Charleville, Augathella and Blackall as well as the properties of Nive Downs and Mount Tabor.
Kuungkari is a language of Western Queensland. The Kuungkari language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of Longreach Region and Blackall-Tambo Region.
Gungabula is an Australian Aboriginal language of the headwaters of the Dawson River in Central Queensland. The language region includes areas within the local government area of Maranoa Region, particularly the towns of Charleville, Augathella and Blackall and as well as the Carnarvon Range.
The region was explored in 1846 by explorer Sir Thomas Mitchell and his party. In 1856, Augustus Gregory passed through the area noting that the landscape was a vast plain lacking vegetation in contrast to Mitchell's description of good country. Blackall was named by Surveyor Abraham H. May after Sir Samuel Blackall, the second Governor of Queensland. During the 1860s the town developed as a service centre for the surrounding pastoral properties. A survey of town allotments was conducted in 1868.
Barcoo Post Office opened on 1 April 1864. It was renamed Blackall in 1868.
Blackall State School opened on 10 September 1877. On 5 October 1964, the school was destroyed by fire, but was subsequently rebuilt.
On Tuesday 29 March 1881, following seven inches of rain, the river burst through the town embankment, completely washing away the stonework of the dam. On Wednesday 30 March, the still-rising river flooded the town's main street and many people in the town's lower-lying areas were forced to evacuate as their homes became fully submerged.
Blackall was one of the first Queensland towns to sink an artesian bore in 1885, which now supplies the town with water from the Great Artesian Basin. The water temperature is 58 degrees Celsius. There is an artesian spa bath at the aquatic centre and locally produced soft drinks are made from the artesian water.
In December 1890 the Australian Labor Party constitution and rules were drawn up at Blackall, during the founding of this party.
In Australian folklore, the best known citizen of the town was the sheep shearer Jack Howe. In 1892, he shore a total of 321 sheep at Alice Downs station in 7 hours and 40 minutes, a record for hand shearing that still stands, and was only broken by a shearer using a machine driven handpiece in 1950.
A branch line from the Central Western railway reached Blackall in 1908.
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School was established in 1917 by the Sisters of St Joseph. The opening ceremonies were conducted on Saturday 21 July 1917 by Archbishop James Duhig.
The Blackall War Memorial commemorates those soldiers who died in World War I. The memorial was dedicated on the 25 April 1927 by James Charles Minnis. The honour roll of those who died in World War II was added later.
According to information published by the Blackall Shire Council the Cominos opened a café in the 1920s in Shamrock Street, Blackall which they called the Central.
A few years later it was taken over by the Logos Brothers who installed a news agency at one side. The Queensland Country Women's Association met at the cafe to farewell their secretary Mrs R.A.G. Malcolm in September 1929.
Blackall's population was more than 3,000 in 1965. A declining population has coincided with the decline in the wool industry in the district. At the 2011 census Blackall had a population of 1,588.

Heritage listings

Blackall has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
QantasLink has services connecting the town to Brisbane.

Facilities

Blackall has a showground, racecourse, golf course, bowling club and aquatic centre, cultural centre and an historical association.
The Blackall-Tambo Regional Council operates a public library at 14 Clematis Street.
The Blackall branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms at 47 William Street.
The Blackall Golf Club has an 18-hole golf course at Shamrock Street.

Education

Blackall State School is a government primary and secondary school located at the corner of Hawthorne and Shamrock Streets. In 2012, there were 152 students enrolled with 14.5 teachers.
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a Roman Catholic primary school located at 109 Thistle Street.

Climate

The town has a semi-arid climate according to Köppen.


Notable people