| Blackall Queensland |
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Memorial to Sir Thomas Mitchell |
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Blackall
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| Population: | 1,160[1] | ||||||
| Established: | 1868 | ||||||
| Postcode: | 4472 | ||||||
| Elevation: | 284 m (932 ft) [2] | ||||||
| Location: |
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| LGA: | Blackall-Tambo Region | ||||||
| State District: | Electoral district of Gregory | ||||||
| Federal Division: | Flynn | ||||||
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Blackall is a small town located in central-western Queensland, Australia, approximately 960 kilometres by road from the state capital, Brisbane. The town is situated on the Barcoo River and Landsborough Highway (Matilda Highway). At the 2006 census had a population of 1,160.[1] It is the service centre for the Blackall-Tambo district. The dominant industry in the area is grazing.
Blackall is also 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'.
Blackall has many attractions for public use and entertainment, including the Blackall showground, the local pool and the historic Blackall Woolscour.
Sunstate Airlines, operating as QantasLink, has services connecting the town to Brisbane.
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The region was explored in 1846 by explorer Sir Thomas Mitchell and his party.[3] 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.[4] Blackall was named by Surveyor Abraham H. May after Sir Samuel Blackall, the second Governor of Queensland.[5] During the 1860s the town developed as a service centre for the surrounding pastoral properties. A survey of town allotments was conducted in 1868.[4]
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.[6]
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 shearer Jack Howe. In 1892, he shore a total of 321 sheep 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.[6] A branch line from the Queensland Central railway reached Blackall in 1908.
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.[4]
Blackall has a public library, showground, racecourse, golf course, bowling club and aquatic centre, cultural centre and an historical association.[7]
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