Chinchilla, Queensland: Difference between revisions

Chinchilla
Queensland
Chinchilla; Queensland
	Footpath on the main street of Chinchilla
	Chinchilla
Coordinates	26°44′18″S 150°37′42″E / 26.7383°S 150.6283°E
Population	7,068 (2021 census)
• Density	97.89/km2 (253.55/sq mi)
Established	1877
Postcode(s)	4413
Elevation	303 m (994 ft)
Area	72.2 km2 (27.9 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	188 km (117 mi) E of Roma, Queensland ; 81.1 km (50 mi) NW of Dalby ; 164 km (102 mi) NW of Toowoomba ; 292 km (181 mi) WNW of Brisbane ; 455.1 km (283 mi) E of Charleville ;
LGA(s)	Western Downs Region
State electorate(s)	Callide
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
	Localities around Chinchilla:

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Chinchilla is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2]^[3] Chinchilla is known as the 'Melon Capital of Australia', and plays host to a Melon Festival every second year in February.^[4]^[5]^[6]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Chinchilla had a population of 7,068 people.^[1]

Geography

The town is approximately 300 kilometres (190 mi) west-northwest of Brisbane, 164 kilometres (102 mi) west-northwest of Toowoomba, 81.1 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Dalby, 188 kilometres (117 mi) east of Roma and 455.1 kilometres (283 mi) east of Charleville on the Warrego Highway.

History

Indigenous

The Baranggum people lived in the region for thousands of years before British colonisation. They spoke the now extinct Barunggam language.^[7] They appear to have had kinship ties with the neighbouring Mandandanji, Bigambul and Yiman people.^[8]^[9]

The name Chinchilla is a corruption of the Aboriginal word "tintinchilla" or "jinchilla" indicating cypress pine, possibly recorded by explorer and naturalist Ludwig Leichhardt.^[2]

British colonisation

British exploration through the region began in the 1840s, most notably with the 1844 expedition of Ludwig Leichhardt.^[9] Leichhardt named Charleys Creek (upon which the modern town of Chinchilla is located) after Charley Fisher, a Wiradjuri man who accompanied Leichhardt's group.^[10]

In 1847, British pastoralist squatter, Matthew Buscall Goggs, claimed around 37,000 acres of land along the Condamine River and Charleys Creek, calling his property Chinchilla. He fought a long war with the resident Baranggum people to take ownership. In 1849, with the help of military actions of Native Police units under Frederick Walker, Goggs was able to defeat and disperse most of the Baranggum resistance. In 1857, Goggs the sold Chinchilla property for £25,000 to the influential pastoralist and politician Gideon Lang.^[9]^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14]

The town of Chinchilla was established in 1877. As the Western railway line was extended west across the Darling Downs from Toowoomba and Dalby, a temporary construction camp was established on the banks of Charley's Creek which developed into a town.^[15]

Chinchilla Post Office opened on 3 January 1878.^[16]

Civic infrastructure and schools

Chinchilla State School opened on 22 January 1883. A secondary department was opened in 1954, closing in 1963 when Chinchilla State High School opened.^[17] The school celebrated its centenary in 1983.^[18]^[19]

Mulga Provisional School opened circa 1896. On 1 January 1909, it became Mulga State School. Between 1914 and 1915, the school operated as a half-time school, sharing a single teacher with Hill Top Provisional School (later Boonarga State School). It closed in 1915 but reopened as the full-time Mulga State School in 1917. It closed circa 1943.^[17]

Riversdale Provisional School opened in 1902. On 1 January 1909, it became Riversdale State School. It closed in 1915.^[17] It was at the western end of Windmill Road (approx 26°47′12″S 150°37′00″E / 26.78661°S 150.61657°E / -26.78661; 150.61657 (Riversdale State School (former))).^[20]^[21]

Monmouth Provisional School opened on 16 August 1904. On 1 January 1909, it became Monmouth State School.It closed in April 1921, reopening as Monmouth Provisional School in 1930. It closed circa 1946.^[17] It was at 33 Hunter Road off Monmouth Bridge Road (26°42′59″S 150°39′33″E / 26.7165°S 150.6593°E / -26.7165; 150.6593 (Monmouth State School (former))).^[20]

In 1911, the Queensland Railway Department built a tramway from Chinchilla to Wongongera (now Barakula) to transport railway sleepers made from logs taken from the state forest at Barakula and milled at the Barakula sawmill. The route of the Barakula tramway was based on an earlier plan to construct a railway line from Chinchilla to Taroom that was subsequently abandoned in favour of a railway line from Miles to Taroom.^[22]^[23] The tramway operated until 1970.^[24] It was a 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge tramway.^[25]

Speculation Provisional School opened in 1908 and closed circa 1915.^[17]

Park View Provisional School opened circa 1910 and closed circa 1916.^[17]

The town was part of the Shire of Chinchilla local government entity from 1912, formed after splitting from the Shire of Wambo, until 2008 when it amalgamated with the Town of Dalby and the Shires of Murilla, Tara and Wambo and the southern part of Taroom to form the Western Downs Region.

Fairy Meadow Road State School opened on 5 November 1915 and closed in 1919.^[17]

Wilga Park Provisional School and Wombo Creek Provisional School both opened on 1916 as half-time schools (meaning they shared a single teacher). Wilga Park Provisional School closed in late 1917 or early 1918. It is not known if Wombo Creek Provisional School then also closed or operated on a full-time basis. From 9 July 1919 Wombo Creek Provisional School was operating on a half-time basis with the newly opened Gunbar Provisional School. Wombo Creek and Gunbar schools both closed circa 1925/6.^[17]

Logyard Provisional School opened in 1918, closing circa 1919. Logyard State School opened circa 1941 and closed in 1959.^[17]

Sixteen Mile Creek Provisional School opened on 5 February 1918 as a half-time provisional school (possibly in conjunction with Wombo Creek Provisional School). It closed on 1936.^[17]

The Chinchilla War Memorial was originally located near the railway overpass and was unveiled on 30 January 1919 by the Queensland Governor, Hamilton Goold-Adams. In 1977, it was substantially refurbished and relocated to the Returned and Services League of Australia club and was unveiled on 17 March 1979.^[26]

Gunbar Provisional School opened on 9 July 1919 as a half-time school in conjunction with Wombo Creek Provisional School. It closed circa 1925–1926.^[17]

Colamba Provisional School opened on 14 October 1919. It closed in 1939.^[17]

Cambey Provisional School opened in 1922. It closed circa 1935.^[17]

Unity Provisional School opened on 16 November 1922. It closed in 1931.^[17]

St Joseph's Catholic School was officially opened by Archbishop James Duhig on 27 January 1923, with the school commencing operation on 29 January 1923.^[27] It was established by three Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart with an initial enrolment of 63 students. Since 1992 the school has operated under lay leadership.^[17]^[18]^[28]^[29]

The town saw a resurgence after the defeat of the prickly pear.^[30] Experimental work took place in the town to assess the success of the Cactoblastis cactorum moths in the eradication of the pest. In 1926, the first moth was released and by 1933 most of the affected land had been cleared of prickly pears.^[31]

Oak Park State School opened on 13 February 1946. It closed in 1962.^[17]

Wambo Creek State School opened on 2 April 1946. It closed in 1961.^[17]

Chinchilla State High School opened on 29 January 1963, replacing the secondary department at Chinchilla State School.^[17]^[18]

Chinchilla Christian School opened 1 January 1983.^[17]^[18] It was established by a group of local Christian parents. In 2014 it was renamed Chinchilla Christian College and in 2015 it joined the Christian Community Ministries network.^[32]

The Warwick Public Library opened in 1999 with a major refurbishment in 2012 and a minor refurbishment in 2016.^[33]

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 5.8% of the population.
80.2% of people were born in Australia. The next most common country of birth was New Zealand at 1.6%.
84.5% of people spoke only English at home.
The most common responses for religion were Catholic 20.1%, Anglican 20.1% and No Religion 18.7%.

In 2018, Chinchilla won a national competition run by Wotif to create the Next Big Thing as a new tourist attraction. The 8-metre (26 ft) long Big Melon was installed next to the town's information centre in November 2018.^[34]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Chinchilla had a population of 6,612 people.^[35]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Chinchilla had a population of 7,068 people.^[1]

Heritage listings

Chinchilla has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

57 Heeney Street: Chinchilla Digger Statue^[36]
First and second Chinchilla cemeteries^[37]
Chinchilla Court House^[37]
Chinchilla Hospital Complex^[37]
Chinchilla Railway Complex^[37]
Chinchilla War Memorials (including Anzac Park and Googs Memorial)^[37]
Speculation Oil Well & Camp^[37]

Economy

Agriculture is the mainstay of the community, with beef and pork production, wool growing, and horticulture traditionally underwriting the local economy. However, with the recent resources boom, the Kogan Creek Power Station (and other coal and gas projects) have begun to inject welcome cash into the town and Chinchilla is experiencing mass growth and development. House prices in Chinchilla have boomed as a result of the need to house new workers.^[38]

The Western Downs Green Power Hub commenced construction in the Chinchilla region in July 2020. The project is located approx 20km south-east of Chinchilla in the Western Downs Region, in close proximity to a transmission line and less than 6kms from Queensland Powerlink's Western Downs Sub-station. Once operational, it is expected to be one of Australia's largest solar farms.^[39]^[40]

Education

Chinchilla State School is a government primary (Early Childhood to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 34–40 Bell Street (26°44′25″S 150°37′33″E / 26.7403°S 150.6259°E / -26.7403; 150.6259 (Chinchilla State School)).^[41]^[42] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 570 students with 50 teachers (43 full-time equivalent) and 29 non-teaching staff (20 full-time equivalent).^[43] It includes a special education program.^[41]^[44]

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 74 Middle Street (26°44′37″S 150°37′38″E / 26.7435°S 150.6271°E / -26.7435; 150.6271 (St Joseph's School)).^[41]^[28] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 235 students with 17 teachers (13 full-time equivalent) and 9 non-teaching staff (6 full-time equivalent).^[43]

Chinchilla Christian College is a private primary and secondary (Prep–12) school for boys and girls at 88 Oak Street (26°44′16″S 150°38′28″E / 26.7378°S 150.6410°E / -26.7378; 150.6410 (Chinchilla Christian College)).^[41]^[32] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 261 students with 21 teachers (16 full-time equivalent) and 16 non-teaching staff (12 full-time equivalent).^[43]

Chinchilla State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 7 Tara Road (26°44′55″S 150°37′12″E / 26.7487°S 150.6199°E / -26.7487; 150.6199 (Chinchilla State High School)).^[41]^[45] In 2014, the school had 524 students and 43 teachers (42 full-time equivalent).^[46] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 654 students with 62 teachers (56 full-time equivalent) and 30 non-teaching staff (23 full-time equivalent).^[43] It includes a special education program.^[41]

The Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE annex is located in the high school grounds and works closely with local business and industries.^[47]

Leichhardt House is a hostel that provides accommodation for students from homes in remote areas.^{[citation needed]}

Facilities

Chinchilla has its own hospital, with an emergency ward, maternity ward and operating theatre. It can also care for long stay patients, and has other services such as social work, child health, physiotherapy, dietician, speech therapy, occupational therapy, mental health, community health services, a women's clinic and an x-ray facility.^[48]

In town, there is also a private dental practice, along with the public dental hospital. Five general practitioners operate in the area, along with an occupational therapist, optometrist, podiatrist, physiotherapists and chiropractors.^[49]

Amenities

Chinchilla has a Cultural Centre, which includes a 700-seat auditorium, cinema and function room, outdoor patio, theatrette, plus bar and kitchen facilities. Also included in the complex are the White Gums Art Gallery and the Library.^{[citation needed]}

The Cultural Centre also houses a cinema showing recently released movies.^[50]

Chinchilla White Gums Art Gallery houses a new display every month.^{[citation needed]}

The Western Downs Regional Council operates a public library in Chinchilla at 80-86 Heeney Street (26°44′27″S 150°37′29″E / 26.7408°S 150.6248°E / -26.7408; 150.6248 (Chinchilla Public Library)).^[51]

The Chinchilla branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its hall at 53 Heeney Street (26°44′33″S 150°37′21″E / 26.74254°S 150.6226°E / -26.74254; 150.6226).^[52]

Chinchilla & District Uniting Church is at 31 Middle Street (26°44′27″S 150°37′23″E / 26.7407°S 150.6231°E / -26.7407; 150.6231).^[53]^[54]

Trinity Lutheran Church is at 25 Sheriff Street (26°44′53″S 150°38′01″E / 26.7480°S 150.6336°E / -26.7480; 150.6336 (Trinity Lutheran Church)).^[55]

Chinchilla Botanic Parkland, which is one of five locations in Australia to hold the 2022/2023 Green Flag Award, an international accreditation given to the world's best green spaces.^[56]

Sport

Chinchilla has a range of sports facilities and a variety of sports clubs. Chinchilla Aquatic Centre houses an indoor 25m heated pool, an outdoor 50m pool and a gymnasium. The Chinchilla Family Sports Centre provides facilities for many sports and clubs. There are also clubs and facilities for soccer (Chinchilla Bears,) touch football, rugby league, cricket, tennis, squash, motocross, gymnastics, indoor netball, taekwondo, football and lawn bowls. A fishing club, Pony Club, and shooting range also operate in the area. In addition, there are Polocrosse grounds, a race track, and 9 hole golf course. A Multipurpose Sports Centre Stadium is currently being developed.^[57]

Media

Rebel FM 97.1 (formerly Sun FM) was Chinchilla's first commercial FM radio station. Rebel FM has a new rock & classic rock music format. Rebel FM's sister station, The Breeze broadcasts on 95.5 FM with an easy adult contemporary & classic hits format. Both stations are part of the Gold Coast-based Rebel Media Group which operates a radio network that reaches the Gold Coast and South Brisbane to many centres throughout regional and outback Queensland.^{[citation needed]}

Chinchilla News and Murilla Advertiser is the local newspaper. The publication transitioned to digital only in June 2020^[58] prior to that it was published every Thursday.^[59]

Attractions

Chinchilla is one of the towns located on the Warrego Highway, which is a main highway leading out west to Charleville, and a popular tourist route. The mainstays of Chinchilla's tourism industry are the Historical Museum, fishing and fossicking for petrified wood. 'Chinchilla Red' petrified wood is unique to the area, and known for its colour and quality.^[60] The Chinchilla White Gum (Eucalyptus argophloia) is also unique to the area, and can be seen on some of the tourist drives which are marked around the region.^{[citation needed]}

An accredited Visitor Information Center is located on the Highway.^{[citation needed]}

Events

The Chinchilla Grandfather Clock Campdraft is a major event held every October, where entrants compete for the Grandfather Clock prize. Chinchilla also hosts horse races four times a year.^[61]

Chinchilla Melon Festival

As Chinchilla produces 25% of Australia's melons (including watermelon, rockmelon and honeydew),^[49] the first Chinchilla Melon Festival [1] was held in 1994 by local producers and businessmen, to lift the town's spirits after the severe drought experienced in the early 1990s. Estimated numbers at the first Festival were approximately 2,500 which grew to an estimate that there were 10,000 visitors on the main day of the 2011 festival.^[62]

In 2009, the Melon Festival won the Queensland Regional Achievement and Community Award for Tourism Event.^[63]

The Festival features interactive and unique events, such as Melon Skiing, Melon Bungee, Melon Bullseye, Melon Ironman, Melon Chariot, a pip spitting competition, and melon eating races. A special event held in 2009 saw John Allwood secure the Guinness World Record of Melon Head Smashing - cracking open as many watermelons as possible using only the head. Currently his record is 47 melons in a minute.^[64]

Transport

Chinchilla is connected to Brisbane, Toowoomba and Roma by the Warrego Highway.^{[citation needed]}

Greyhound Australia operates bus services daily between Brisbane and Miles via Chinchilla.^[65] and also operates 2-3 daily bus services between Brisbane and Mount Isa via Longreach and Charleville, and three buses a week between Toowoomba and Rockhampton, along the Dawson Highway.^[66] Murrays Coaches also operates a daily service to and from Brisbane.^{[citation needed]}

The Westlander train also comes through Chinchilla twice a week, on its way between Brisbane and Charleville. The westbound service (3S86) stops at Chinchilla at 2:35am Wednesdays and Fridays. The eastbound service (3987) stops at Chinchilla at 3:15am Thursdays and Saturdays.

As it is a small town, there is no public transport (besides a taxi), although many coal and gas companies run contracted buses out to their sites.^{[citation needed]}

Notable locals

John Gleeson, rugby league player, went on to captain Queensland and play for the Australia national rugby league team in the 1960s.^[67]
David Littleproud, Leader of the National Party (2022–present)^[68]
George Miller, film filmmaker^[69]^{[better source needed]}
Pete Murray, Australian folk/country singer, grew up in Chinchilla.^[70]
Dean Ray, singer/performer
Nathan Reardon, cricketer
Gerard Rennick, Senator for Queensland
Ben Ross, rugby league player

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Chinchilla (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Chinchilla – town in Western Downs Region (entry 7133)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
^ "Chinchilla – locality in Western Downs Region (entry 47680)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
^ "Chinchilla Melon Festival display by the Chinchilla Historical Museum: Festival History". Queensland Museum. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
^ "Home". www.melonfest.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
^ O'Leary, Darryl (2009). "Chinchilla Melon Festival". State Library of Queensland (Photograph). hdl:10462/deriv/194340.
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^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
^ "Chinchilla SS - Special Education Program". Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
^ "Chinchilla State High School". Chinchilla State High School. 18 November 2019. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
^ "2014 School Annual Report" (PDF). Chinchilla State High School. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
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^ "Trinity Lutheran Church". South Western Queensland Lutheran Parish. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
^ "Australian parks gain international recognition with multiple Green Flag Awards". www.greenflagaward.org/.
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^ "Future is digital: News announces major changes". Chinchilla News. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
^ "About us - Chinchilla News". Chinchilla News. APN News & Media. 2017. Archived from the original on 21 February 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
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^ "Chinchilla Race Club - Queensland history of racing". Queensland history of racing. Queensland Racing Limited. 2010. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
^ Queensland Museum. "Chinchilla Melon Festival display". Collecting Queensland Festivals. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
^ Awards Australia. "Regional Achievement & Community Awards". Archived from the original on 15 February 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
^ "Man smashes way to melon record with head". ABC News. 21 February 2009. Archived from the original on 28 February 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
^ Australia, Greyhound. "Network-Maps". www.greyhound.com.au. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
^ "Services". Bus Queensland. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
^ "Former Kangaroos five-eighth John Gleeson passes away". National Rugby League. 25 December 2021. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
^ "Hon David Littleproud MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
^ IMDB Database. "George Miller (II)". IMDb. Archived from the original on 7 February 2006. Retrieved 6 February 2006.
^ PeteMurray.com. "Pete Murray Biography". Archived from the original on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 6 February 2006.

External links

Chinchilla travel guide from Wikivoyage

"Chinchilla". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
"Town map of Chinchilla". Queensland Government. 1978.
"Chinchilla Melon Festival".
Annual reports Chinchilla Hospitals Board, State Library of Queensland
Queensland Small Towns Documentary Project 2017: Chinchilla, State Library of Queensland

[Census2021-1] Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Chinchilla (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.

[qpnt-2] "Chinchilla – town in Western Downs Region (entry 7133)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 21 July 2021.

[qpnl-3] "Chinchilla – locality in Western Downs Region (entry 47680)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 21 July 2021.

[4] "Chinchilla Melon Festival display by the Chinchilla Historical Museum: Festival History". Queensland Museum. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.

[5] "Home". www.melonfest.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.

[6] O'Leary, Darryl (2009). "Chinchilla Melon Festival". State Library of Queensland (Photograph). hdl:10462/deriv/194340.

[7] "Baranggum". State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.

[8] "Mandandanji". State Library of Queensland. 15 January 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.

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v t e Darling Downs, Queensland
Cities	Toowoomba Warwick
Townships	Acland Allora Amiens Applethorpe Ballandean Bell Brigalow Bungunya Cambooya Cecil Plains Chinchilla Clifton Condamine Cooyar Crows Nest Dalby Dalveen Daymar Drillham Dulacca Goombungee Goondiwindi Gowrie Junction Greenmount Haden Hampton Highfields Inglewood Jandowae Jimbour Karara Kaimkillenbun Killarney Kingsthorpe Kogan Kulpi Leyburn Macalister Maclagan Maryvale Meandarra Meringandan Messines Miles Millmerran Moonie Mount Tyson Nobby Oakey Passchendaele Peranga Pittsworth Pozieres Quinalow Stanthorpe Southbrook Talwood Texas Tara The Gums Thulimbah Toobeah Wallangarra Wandoan Warra Weengallon Wyberba Wyreema Yangan Yarraman Yelarbon
Local government areas	Goondiwindi Region Southern Downs Region Toowoomba Region Western Downs Region
National parks	Bendidee Bunya Mountains Crows Nest Erringibba Girraween Main Range Mount Binga Pidna Southwood Sundown The Palms Wondul Range
Places of interest	Cambanoora Gorge Canning Downs Cunninghams Gap Granite Belt Jimbour Homestead