Taroom, Queensland

Taroom
Queensland

View towards the north-west from Gilbert's Lookout, 2014
Taroom

Location in Queensland

Coordinates 25°38′26″S 149°47′54″E / 25.64056°S 149.79833°E / -25.64056; 149.79833Coordinates: 25°38′26″S 149°47′54″E / 25.64056°S 149.79833°E / -25.64056; 149.79833
Population 873 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 4420
Location
LGA(s) Shire of Banana
State electorate(s) Callide
Federal Division(s) Flynn
Localities around Taroom:
Gwambegwine Ghinhinda
Spring Creek		 Glebe
Broadmere
Kinnoul		 Taroom Cockatoo
Eurombah Grosmont Bungaban

Taroom /təˈruːm/ is a town and locality in the Shire of Banana in Queensland, Australia.[2][3] The town is located on the Dawson River and the Leichhardt Highway, 380 kilometres (240 mi) north west of the state capital, Brisbane, 261 kilometres (162 mi) from Rockhampton and 302 kilometres (188 mi) from Toowoomba. At the 2011 census, Taroom had a population of 873 people.[1]

History

Leichhardt's Tree at Dawson River, Taroom, circa 1914

Prussian explorer Ludwig Leichhardt passed through the district in 1844, carving his initials and date on a coolibah tree that now stands in the centre of town. Leichhardt's carving is no longer visible following an alleged attempt to remove bark growing over the initials that removed the initials as well. Reporting the rich soils in the area, settlers began taking up land in 1845 and by 1850 a town had been established at a popular camping spot near the Dawson River.

Taroom cattle station, circa 1885

Originally named Bonners Knob the town was renamed Taroom, possibly after the nearby Taroom cattle station, on completion of the first post office in 1856. The name Taroom is said to be an aboriginal Waka word tarum meaning wild lime.[2][3]

Situated 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of Taroom is Hornet Bank Station which was the site of the 1857 Hornet Bank massacre, the genocidal reprisals for which led to the Yeeman Indigenous language group and people being wiped out.

Taroom State School opened on 11 April 1871 as a primary school.[4][5] In 1964, the school had a secondary department added to provide secondary education to Year 10.[6]

War memorial, Taroom, 2014

The Taroom War Memorial commemorates residents of Taroom Shire who served in World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War. It is located at the Ludwig Leichhardt Park in Yaldwyn Street and was dedicated in about 1973.[7][8]

Taroom town hall, 2014

The Taroom Town Hall was built in 2004, immediately next door to the shire council chambers. It was intended to serve as a civic and recreational centre for the town and has a main auditorium that seats 300 people as well as a commercial kitchen and bar. The hall was awarded a regional commendation by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in 2004.[9]

Taroom was part of the Shire of Taroom until the local government amalgamations of 2008 resulted in the Shire of Taroom being split with the northern part (including Taroom itself) becoming part of the Shire of Banana and the southern part becoming part of the Dalby Region, later renamed Western Downs Region.

Economy

Taroom is a major centre for the Queensland beef industry. Other industries includes prime hard wheat and forestry.

Education

Taroom State School, circa 1912
Taroom P-10 State School, 2014

Taroom State School is a government P-10 school located in Wolsey Street (25°38′21″S 149°48′04″E / 25.639101°S 149.801055°E / -25.639101; 149.801055 (Taroom State School)).[10]

Facilities

Banana Shire Council offices, Taroom, 2014

The Banana Shire Council has an administration office in Yaldwyn Street; this building is the former Taroom Shire Council Chambers.[11]

Tourism

Taroom has a rare windmill of an unusual design located on the banks of the Dawson River. The windmill was produced by the Steel Wings Company, in North Sydney between 1907 and 1911, one of only six models ever erected. The windmills comprise a steel frame and fan which turns to the wind between a bearing at the bottom and a swivel at the top, all supported by guy-wires. Along with another example in Jerilderie in the Riverina, the fully restored windmills are the only two known working examples in the world designed so their fan is contained and spins within the fully pivoting frame.

John Gilbert's memorial at Gilbert's Lookup, 2014

There is a lookout at the top of Kelman Street, known as Gilbert's Lookout in honour of John Gilbert, a naturalist with Ludwig Leichhardt's 1844 expedition. There is a memorial to Gilbert at the lookout. Gilbert was killed when he was speared by an Aboriginal at the Mitchell River near Dunbar near the Gulf of Carpentaria.[12] The lookout offers panoramic views of the town and surrounding countryside.[13]

Isla Gorge National Park, Precipice National Park and Expedition National Park are all nearby.

Events

Every January, Taroom holds its New Year Races.[14]

In March there is the annual St Patrick's Day campdrafting competition, while the Golden Horse Shoe campdraft is held every April.[14]

The annual Taroom Agricultural Show is held in May.[14]

Taroom hosts a fishing competition each year in June at the Glebe Weir (25°27′55″S 150°02′01″E / 25.4652°S 150.0337°E / -25.4652; 150.0337 (Glebe Weir)).[14]

The Australian Professional Rodeo Association hold a rodeo every year in Taroom in July.[14]

In September, there is the annual Leichhardt Festival and the Spring Races.[14]

Heritage listings

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

Population

Year Population Notes
2001 691 [19]
2006 629 [20]
2011 897 [1]

See also

Taroom Airport

References

  1. 1 2 3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Taroom(SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Taroom (town) (entry 33384)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Taroom (locality) (entry 43728)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  4. ↑ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "Agency ID5737, Taroom State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  6. ↑ "Taroom P-10 State School secondary department turns 50!". Taroom State School. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Taroom War Memorial". Monument Australia. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  8. ↑ "Taroom War Memorial". Queensland War Memorial Register. Queensland Government. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  9. ↑ "Taroom Town Hall". ThomsonAdsett (architects). Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Queensland State and Non-State Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "Contact Us". Banana Shire Council. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  12. ↑ "John Gilbert". Monument Australia. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  13. ↑ "Taroom". Dawson River Towns Inc. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Simple Pleasures: Banana Shire" (PDF). The Gladstone Region. Tourism Queensland. p. 3. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  15. ↑ "Fraser family grave site and memorial, Hornet Bank (entry 602075)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "Taroom Aboriginal Settlement (former) (entry 602769)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  17. ↑ "The Glebe Homestead (entry 601774)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  18. ↑ "Leichhardt Tree (entry 600835)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  19. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Taroom (L)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  20. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Taroom (L)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 May 2014.

External links

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