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Wandoan and District

Follow the footsteps of the daring explorer along the Leichhardt Highway as you head north from Miles. We have a productive grain and cattle industry and we are home to an ancient landscape where rare petrified tree fern can be found. Make this a stop enroute to Isla Gorge.

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Welcome to the Wandoan District – a district rich in vibrant and intriguing history. Tracing its Euorpean origins back to 1844 when Ludwig Leichhardt passed through the region, the town of Wandoan grew from the establishment of a large pastoral run, Juandah Station, in 1853, and later the Juandah Hotel, which in true country town style prompted the formation of a community.

Today, Wandoan is an ideal stop over between Miles and Taroom as you travel along the Leichhardt Highway and is quietly awaiting your modern-day exploration.

The perfect place to start is at our Visitor Information Centre which houses a unique and interesting blend of local information and memorabilia. Local maps, books and souvenirs are also available here. Relying solely on the generous time of volunteers for operation, the Visitor Information Centre has varying opening hours.

Please call in and meet our friendly staff at the Community Cultural Centre for information and advice when our VIC is unavailable. Wandoan Visitor Information Centre - Zupp Road, Wandoan.

Wandoan traces its European origins back to Ludwig Leichhardt’s journey from Jimbour to Port Essington which passed through the region in 1844. The land grab which followed in the wake of Leichhardt’s glowing report on the area resulted in the establishment of Juandah Station, the first European settlement of the area. The station eventually grew into a settlement and after the coming of the railway in 1914, expanded into a township which was renamed Wandoan in 1926.

As part of the post war reconstruction efforts of the early 1950s, the then Taroom Shire offered up 272,000 acres of land in the Wandoan District which was divided into selections of around 1300 acres in size.

The Wandoan District – A Slice of History

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Attractions

Wandoan Windmill & Visitor Information Centre, this iconic windmill marks the entrance to Wandoan from the Leichhardt Highway and stands next to the Visitor Information Centre. The mill has a 40-foot tower, a wheel diameter of 27-feet and would once have been able to pump between 5000 and 7000 gallons of water per day. The mill was originally erected to pump water from a bore on “Bungaban” station and was donated by the station’s owner to the Wandoan & District Progress Association who arranged to have it relocated to its present position in O’Sullivan Park. The Visitor Information Centre is housed within the original Juandah Railway Station building which was relocated to this spot in 2008. The information centre houses vital information for visitors as well as a range of home-made and local crafts for purchase including rare pieces of petrified tree fern found locally.

Old Sale Yards Site The Wandoan district is well known as having some of the best cattle growing country in Queensland. This extensive complex was built in 1966 with capacity for 1000 head, and expanded in 1974. In 1970-71, 64,339 head of cattle passed through these yards. These facilities are now primarily used by breeders of stud cattle for their annual production sales of quality stock.

These were offered to suitably qualified veterans in the War Service Land Settlement Scheme of 1952 and the Group Settlement Scheme of 1954, and the influx of settlers prompted massive expansion in Wandoan’s productivity and development.

The original site of the Juandah Head-Station is now an interesting Historical Site open to the public where you will discover historical displays and original buildings, as well as fascinating information panels which beautifully capture Leichhardt’s explorations and the full story of the soldier settlers. Today, the town of Wandoan is short drive north of Miles along the Leichhardt Highway – you will see the “Wandoan Windmill” at the edge of town.

We are an active sporting community with immaculate facilities and a vibrant events calendar including an annual Polocrosse Carnival, Wandoan Diggers Race Day, Bucking for Cancer Rodeo, and the Lindsay Williams Shield football carnival among other community events and activities. Our rich history is captured through colourful public murals which can be absorbed and appreciated through a self-guided Heritage Trail that showcases our town’s social history and main attractions. The tranquil wetlands of Waterloo Plain Environmental Park, an 11 hectare park teeming with birdlife and surrounded by native vegetation, is a popular recreation spot where you are welcome to park your caravan for the night.

...Wandoan gained it’s own picture theatre in the late

1950s...

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Juandah Historical Site is a truly unique slice of history. This is the original site of the Juandah Head-Station, the heart of a settlement which later became known as Wandoan. Juandah Station was established in the late 1840s and reportedly employed up to 80 stockmen in its prime to run up to 50,000 head of cattle in a vast landscape of brigalow and belah. In the early years, Juandah was an important resting and watering place for passing bullock and horse teams, as well as the Coach Change on the Miles-Taroom run. In 1900 the first hotel was opened and after the establishment of the Railway in 1914, the hotel was moved up closer to the line prompting the first appearance of shops – the township of Wandoan was born. At full running capacity, Juandah Station included a woolshed, hay shed, meat house, blacksmith’s shop, carpenter’s shop, stables, shearer’s hut, six men’s huts, the large station store, as well as the 8-room homestead and kitchen building with its dining room and laundry. At the Juandah

Historical Site you will find some of these original buildings still standing, including the old Juandah Store, built in the 1850s, which contains a room that later became the first school room for the area.

Also of interest at the Historical Site is the carefully retained fireplace and chimney of the original kitchen attached to the homestead. Various rooms and remnants of the homestead and other structures are carefully sign-posted at their original sites.

The Juandah Historical Site hosts a Folk Museum of local heritage items and social history. The site was purchased by the Juandah Heritage Society Inc. in February 1999, and the Society is committed to the preservation of this important part of Queenslands history.

Juandah Historical Site is open from Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm.

Mick the Dog & O’Sullivan Park O’Sullivan Park is home to the Wandoan Visitor Information Centre, a rare horse drawn field gun, and the Wandoan Skate Park.

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Outside of the information centre sits Mick the Dog, a sculpture and mosaic that captures the story of a loyal cattle dog who rescued his master Sid McCorry on Juandah Station at the turn of the 20th century.

Whilst mustering a considerable distance south east of the head-station, Sid’s leg was broken after a bad fall from his horse. He scratched a message for help on his tin matchbox, strapped it to Mick’s neck and sent him home. Mick succeeded in bringing help for his master and became a hero for saving his life.

The full story of Mr McCorry’s accident and Mick’s bravery can be found in the folk museum at Juandah Heritage Site. Also within O’Sullivan Park is the newly constructed Wandoan Skate Park which has been long awaited and consequently well utilized by local youth.

...He scratched a message for help on his tin matchbox...

Juandah Creek An off-shoot of the Dawson River, Juandah Creek was the primary water source for the first European settlement at Juandah Station in the mid 1800s.

Present day, the creek is better known for its shady fishing spots which are easily accessed at many points along the Leichhardt Highway. The creek runs parallel to the LeichhardtHighway throughout most of the Wandoan District.

Ask our friendly staff at the Visitor Information Centre or Cultural Community Centre for the best local fishing spots.

Wandoan Heritage Stone a giant slab of

local sandstone with its decorative face is placed in the courtyard of our Community Cultural Centre. The history of the district is depicted on its face. The ceramic figures were crafted by local artists using local ochre to colour their clay. The story unfolds from the top left hand side with the arrival of Leichhardt, the settling of “Juandah Station” by the Royds family and the eventual appearance of mail and passenger coaches. Underneath one of the trees sits the infamous and heroic “Mick” the cattle dog.

St Johns Downfall Creek Lutheran Church This quaint little church is located down the Downfall Creek Road from Guluguba. Built in 1931, it has been a place of worship for many of the farmers who pioneered the area through the Prickly Pear menace to the productive landscape of grain and cattle that exist today. The Downfall Creek Church remains the heart of an active community with a lively congregation, and has its own hall and cemetery.

Wandoan Post Office The first Post Office in Wandoan was the railway station. After a few relocations, this Post Office building was erected in 1958. As well as being a depot for receiving and distributing mail, it also housed the Wandoan Telephone Exchange until STD came to Wandoan in 1982. Today, the proprietors of the Post Office also offer Government Agents Services.

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Waterloo Plain Environmental Park Waterloo Plain is an 11 hectare wetlands park teeming with birdlife and surrounded by native and locally occurring vegetation. Initially developed by the Wandoan Progress Association, Waterloo Plain comprises a man-made lake with a central island which has become a safe haven for many species of birdlife.

Birdwatchers have been known to spot up to 30 species of birds in just 30 minutes at this park. Water lilies grow profusely on the tranquil lake and walkways and bridges allow you access to most of the environmental park including the ‘bird blind’ where you can spend hours bird-watching. Ample parking space is available for caravans and RVs who are welcome to stop-over for the night.

Historical Monuments

Hamlyn Street Cemetery Reserve this cemetery reserve contains the graves of some of our earlier pioneers. Dedicated research by interested locals has revealed three marked graves and three unmarked. Those that are marked date back to the early 1900s: a Mr John Walsh, died in 1920. One unnamed site believed to be that of a railway worker who was struck by lightning sometime between 1913 and 1914 and the third grave is of an unkown person. Of the unmarked graves, local research suggests that one of these belongs to an adult while the other two belong to infants.

Windeyer Road Cemetery Reserve just south of the Juandah Stock Yards is another site of graves that date back to our early pioneers. To date, local research has revealed four grave sites in this location.

...up to 30 species of birdlife have been spotted within 30 minutes at Waterloo Plain...

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Community Murals

The social history of Wandoan is beautifully captured through community murals in Royds Street and Zupp Road. The Royds Street mural illustrates the gallant story of Mick the dog, a hero among locals young and old, whilst the mural on the water tank in Zupp Road pays homage to our early settlers, returned servicemen, and the prominent industries that have shaped our district.

Town Bore & Water Tower In 1965 reticulated water was made available to the residents of Wandoan. The beautiful mural painted on one of the storage tanks was a project of the Wandoan & District Progress Association and acknowledges the story of our early settlers, the people from our district who served in the Wars, and our industries.

Community Cultural Centre was opened in December 1987, and has been a great benefit to this community ever since. With excellent acoustics it has become known by visiting artists as one of the best venues outside of the major centres and can easily seat 400 people. The building also houses the Wandoan Library, internet access, a gallery space, and the Customer Service Centre of Western Downs Regional Council.

Wandoan State School Originally an “open air”, one roomed building, a school was opened on this site in 1915. (From 1911 a provisional school had operated at “Juandah”). The walls were roll-up blinds which were rather inefficient, being cold in winter, dusty in summer, and readily torn. The parent’s committee agitated for a better school. This was built in 1918,

...At the height of its production, Juandah ran up to 50,000 head of cattle...

and the “open air school” became the new school for Guluguba. With the advent of the Soldier Settlement Scheme in 1952, the one-teacher school became a two-teacher school and quickly grew in pupil and teacher numbers, leading to more classrooms being built. At one stage, the enrolments exceeded 400 pupils. In 1961 the Secondary Department was officially opened with 17 students. An activity Hall, Library, Tuckshop, extra classrooms and Pre-school have since been added. The school acquired extra land and a new sports oval was constructed.

Wandoan War Memorial Showgrounds This area of 75 acres was originally a Racecourse and Recreation Reserve. After a public meeting in 1949/50, the Wandoan Branch of the R.S.L., with permission from the Lands Department, named the grounds the Wandoan War Memorial Grounds in memory of the gallant local men and women who had served their country in the Wars. Today the immaculate grounds are home to first-class multi-use facilities which are extensively utilized by a range of community groups. The showgrounds have been known to host State Polocrosse Championships as well as the annual Wandoan Polocrosse Carnival, Wandoan Diggers Race Day, Bucking for Cancer Rodeo, and Wandoan Show.

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Guide Hut This building started life as a Bank of New South Wales building at Jackson. It was then owned by a local family who gave it to the Wandoan Guides for removal in the early 1970s. The verandah floors came from Gurulmundi forest cottage which was also given to the Guides for removal. Local families guaranteed a loan and local tradesmen gave their time and expertise to complete the building. Guides numbers declined and in 1996 the building was acquired by the Wandoan Meals-on-Wheels. This organisation’s volunteers now use the building as a kitchen and Respite Centre as a service to our community.

Grain Silos The first group of silos was built in the early 1950s with additions in 1967. They hold 35,000 tonnes of wheat when full. Wandoan was known as an excellent wheat growing district and the Prime Hard quality wheat produced here was highly sought after for the export market.

Old Dip Yards The Wandoan District is currently a tick-free area thanks to the diligent dipping of cattle moving through

our area in the past. The cattle tick is an external parasite that can significantly reduce the live-weight gain of cattle and has been known to seriously affect the economy of cattle production. These old dip yards are no longer used, but played a prominent role in protecting the high quality beef stock that is produced in our district.

Events

Lindsay Williams Shield Our annual Football Carnival is dedicated to Mr Lindsay Williams. Lindsay Williams grew up in Wandoan and excelled in many sporting fields, particularly football and cricket. Lindsay represented various local, district, and state league sides throughout his career. His father, Bob Williams, was a founding member of the Wandoan Junior Rugby League club and coached for many years. Bob and Judy Williams still reside in Wandoan and continue to be active community members.

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In 2006 Lindsay Williams unexpectedly passed away, leaving a wife and a small child. The Sport and Recreation association unanimously decided that the sporting oval be named in honour of this talented and well respected person. Visiting senior football teams from other regions attend the carnival and even our local juniors will sometimes play an exhibition match.

Community Christmas Carnival A community event held annually at O’Sullivan Park and hosted by our local Lions Club. Bring along the whole family to truly experience our community atmosphere.

Wandoan Diggers Race Day The Wandoan Diggers Race Day is hosted in the immaculate Wandoan Showgrounds with its superb facilities. Held in March, the annual race day draws visitors from across the region with live entertainment provided to keep the crowd well past the last race of the day. A blur of colour and fashion, the Wandoan Diggers Race Day is a crowd pleaser for the whole family.

Wandoan Polocrosse Carnival Held each year in June at our pristine showgrounds, the Wandoan Polocrosse Carnival is an action packed two-day event which draws competitors from all over Queensland as well as parts of New South Wales. This is a highly engaged sport with a long standing history of prominence in our community. In 2010 we hosted the State Championships and at present the Wandoan Polocrosse Club has state representatives on its members list.

Wandoan Show A community event held in April, just when the weather is perfect, our local Show always provides families

with a great day out. Come and browse the market stalls, marvel at the creations of our local school students, or kick-back in our first-class grand stand facilities to watch the ring events unfold.

Bucking for Cancer Rodeo Another big event for the community of Wandoan, the Bucking for Cancer Rodeo showcases our country hospitality and generosity raising valuable funds for cancer research. A family friendly event held each year, our local rodeo draws a crowd of between 800 and 1500 people, depending on how many events we can squeeze into a day! Every second year, the Bucking for Cancer Rodeo hosts the full array of rodeo events making it a popular choice for those travelling the circuit. Camping facilities are available for those wanting to stay overnight at the venue.

Guluguba . 10

Guluguba is a small settlement on the Leichhardt Highway and home to just over 40 families. Guluguba came into being with the coming of the railway. The branch line from Miles to Juandah (now called Wandoan) being opened on 16th December, 1914 at Juandah station. Gulugaba is an aboriginal word meaning squatter pigeon. Known for its cattle and grain production, Guluguba was a thriving farming area.

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Resource Sector

The Wandoan district is currently witnessing a large amount of resource sector activity with gas exploration, gas pipelines, coal exploration, power line development and railway line planning all playing a pivotal role in the area. The resource boom has bought with it many changes for the local community. The proposed Xstrata Coal Mine is planned to be the largest in the southern hemisphere and will be sited on the western side of the Leichhardt Highway. The Xstrata mine and all the other resource projects will bring with them opportunities and challenges for our communities.

Our Economy

In recent years the area surrounding Wandoan has proven to host a rich deposit of coal, and consequent investment from international resource companies has seen the community of Wandoan change. In the

near future we will experience significant change with the establishment of the Xstrata open cut coal mine, proposed to be one of the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere at full production. Coal Seam Gas exploration and other major projects are also envisaged for our area including the “missing link” Surat Basin Joint Venture which will connect us to the Port of Gladstone via rail.

Median Temperatures

Our Western Downs is a temperate climate with average annual rainfall of approximately 630ml. Highest rainfalls occur during the summer months.

Our summers average a comfortable mid 30s, peaking to low 40s; with December and January being the warmest months. Our cooler times of the year are June to August, with some overnight temperatures registering slightly lower than zero!

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Useful Websites

To find out more about our region, here are some websites you might find useful.

Western Downs Regional Councilwww.wdrc.qld.gov.auwww.library.wdrc.qld.gov.auwww.advancewesterndowns.com

Regional Tourism Organisation www.westerndownsholidays.info

Bird WatchingFor a spare time activity that is both ‘addictive and contagious’, join us in some bird watching. The Western Downs attracts some rarer species as we border western desert and eastern coastal areas with cooler climates in the south and sub-tropical climates to the north. Some rarer bird species include the Painted Honey-eater, the Grey Crowned Babbler and the Glossy Black Cockatoo.

Road Conditions

The main arterial roads leading to our major towns are sealed, however, due care should be taken noting the number of heavier vehicles which share our roads. Some of our rural roads can be slightly narrower to other highways, with a number of tributary roads being gravel and difficult to navigate in wet weather. Visitors are encouraged to drive safely and to the conditions of the road at the time. If you are seeking advice on road conditions contact the Department of Transport and Main Roads on 13 19 40 or one of the local Visitor Information Centres listed.

Leichhardt Highway • Melbourne to Rockhampton

Following the footsteps of one of Australia’s first European explorers, Ludwig Leichhardt, this inland route is named in his honour. Joining with the Newell Highway in New South Wales, the Leichhardt Highway links us from Melbourne through to Queensland via Goondiwindi. It traverses through the Western Downs to Miles and onto Rockhampton and the Great Barrier Reef.

Leichhardt Highway takes you on a different journey through our region and offers access to some more uncrowded areas including the Moonie, Condamine and Wandoan districts and north to the stunning Isla Gorge.

For more information visit www.leichhardthighway.com

Essential Services

Our principal towns offer many essential services including, post, emergency, medical, food, fuel, laundry, dump points, and transportation. Some of our smaller towns have limited services, so please call ahead and check if you require something e.g. ATM. Please refer to our town maps for details (dump points also at Meandarra and Glenmorgan).

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Wandoan Region...The place to live, laugh andexperience beauty !

Miles Visitor Information CentreMurilla Street(07) 4627 1492miles.vic@wdrc.qld.gov.au

Dalby Visitor Information CentreThomas Jack Park Drayton Street(07) 4679 4461dalby.vic@wdrc.qld.gov.au

Chinchilla Visitor Information CentreWarrego Highway(07) 4679 4491chinchilla.vic@wdrc.qld.gov.au