Blackall, Queensland

Blackall
Queensland

Memorial to Sir Thomas Mitchell

Blackall

Coordinates

24°25′0″S 145°28′0″E / 24.41667°S 145.46667°ECoordinates: 24°25′0″S 145°28′0″E / 24.41667°S 145.46667°E

Population

1,588 (2011 census)

Established

1868

Postcode(s)

4472

Elevation

284 m (932 ft)

Location

960 km (597 mi) NW of Brisbane
688 km (428 mi) W of Rockhampton
215 km (134 mi) SE of Longreach

LGA(s)

Blackall-Tambo Region

Mean max temp	Mean min temp	Annual rainfall
30.2 °C ^{86 °F}	15.4 °C ^{60 °F}	533.3 mm ^{21 in}

Localities around Blackall:
Ilfracombe Moombria	Home Creek Evora Narbethong	Mexico Drummondslope
Isisford	Blackall	Windeyer Mount Enniskillen
Adavale	Adavale Scrubby Creek	MacFarlane Minnie Downs

Blackall is a small town and rural locality in the Blackall-Tambo Region in Central West Queensland, Australia. At the 2011 census had a population of 1,588. It is the service centre for the Blackall-Tambo Region. The dominant industry in the area is grazing.

Blackall is approximately 960 kilometres (600 mi) by road from the state capital, Brisbane. The town is situated on the Barcoo River and Landsborough Highway (Matilda 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.

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.

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