Isisford, Queensland


Isisford is a small town and locality in the Longreach Region in Central West Queensland, Australia.

Geography

Isisford is located on the Barcoo River, and is approximately south east of the town of Longreach.
Small sections of both Idalia National Park and Welford National Park are located within the boundary of the town.

History

The first European in the area was the explorer Thomas Mitchell, who travelled through the area in 1846. Settlers followed with James Whitman opening a hotel, store and blacksmith by May 1875. The town was surveyed as the Town of Wittown in April 1878; it is said that Whitman named it after himself. However, in May 1878, the name Isisford was proposed and by August 1878 it had been renamed Isisford, because it was near the Isis Downs pastoral run and a ford on the Barcoo River.
A post office and telegraph line were operating by 1881. Isis Downs Post Office opened on 1 June 1868, was replaced by the Wittown office in 1876 which was renamed Isisford in 1878. In the following years the town progressed with the growth of the pastoral industry.
Isisford State School opened on 19 October 1881.
The Queensland Government called for tenders to build a court house in Isisford in August 1883 with the contract awarded to William McLaughlin in November 1883. The court house was completed in November 1885.
In April 1910, Isisford became the first town in Australia to be serviced by a motorised mail delivery. A plaque on the post office commemores the centenary of the commencement of the service.
In September 1956, a deliberately lit fire at the Isisford Hotel resulted in the deaths of a mother and her child.
In the mid-1990s, the first fossils of Isisfordia, an extinct genus of crocodile-like animals, was discovered in a dry creek close to the town. The discovery was made by the town's former Deputy Mayor, Ian Duncan, after which the new species was named.
At the 2011 census, Isisford and the surrounding area had a population of 262. This figure has never surpassed 300.

Heritage listings

Isisford has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Isisford has a public library at 20 St Mary Street operated by the Longreach Regional Council. It also has a swimming pool and visitor information centre.