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Blackall - Queensland
Blackall is a great outback town on the banks of the Barcoo River, 964 kilometres from Brisbane. Explorer Major Thomas Mitchell discovered Blackall in 1846; it was gazetted in 1868 and became the centre of a thriving sheep industry.
Today, Blackall is the centre of a huge cattle industry, but it celebrates its past connections with the wool and sheep industry with the Blackall Woolscour, Ram Park and sculpture of legendary shearer Jack Howe.
When we visited Blackall, we started the day with coffee and cake at the Lodge on Hawthorn. We then swam at the Aquatic Centre before exploring the Blackall Wool Scour. We then wandered around Blackall, looking at the murals and sculptures, discovered the black stump, and visited Ram Park. We finished the day watching the sunset at the Roly Poly sculpture.
The Lodge on Hawthorn is a beautiful heritage-listed building with a cafe, antique and gift shop. We enjoyed our coffee and cake and a wander around the lovely gardens.
In 1885, Blackall was the first Outback town to start drilling an artesian bore; today, the Blackall Aquatic Centre uses these natural artesian waters in its thermal spa and swimming pool. It is open daily, and visitors can swim, relax and revive in the lovely warm water.
The Blackall Woolscour operated from 1908 to 1978 and is Australia’s last remaining steam-operated wool-washing plant. Passionate volunteers conduct guided tours several times a day, where you will learn about the Woolscour and the sheep industry.
We wandered around Blackall, admiring the attractive Street Art and the life-sized sculptures.
Blackall was the birthplace of the Perry Brothers Circus, the first circus to circumnavigate Australia and start the nation's circus industry. ' Jumbo, the elephant, is on display in Banks Park.
The Black Stump was used for surveying purposes and permanently marked the original Astro Station established in 1887. Anything west of this point is said to be ‘beyond the black stump’.
Local shearer Jack Howe put Blackall on the map in 1892 at the ‘Alice Downs station when he set a world record by shearing 321 sheep in seven hours and 40 minutes. It took another 58 years before anyone could match this feat, and that shearer was using machine shears.
Drilling commenced on Queensland's first artesian bore at the Pioneer Bore site in 1885; you can see the artesian water, which is 58 degrees, a lovely mural, and two heritage farm machines here.
You can see a large Ram, a heritage railway, old buildings and machinery at the Ram Park Museum.
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