OK everyone, let's take a quick 600km trip heading west from Alpha, north west to Winton, with a quick dip into the south to Blackall.
Alpha ; Established in 1884 as a base for work teams during the construction of the Central West Railway. It is considered to be the beginning of Qld's west country. It lies between Rockhampton and Longreach.
Jericho ; Jericho lies on the Capricorn Highway east of Barcaldine and was established as a township in the 1850's to accommodate the settlers that had moved to the area shortly after Major Thomas Mitchell had explored the area in 1846. Despite the name being based on a joke - due to the town being based on the Jordan river - the religious connotation has been taken to heart, with the towns main attraction being the Crystal Trumpeters monument depicting various stages in the story of the Old Testament.
Barcaldine ; Barcaldine's quiet and laid back atmosphere belies the town's significance in shaping Australia's political and social history. The Tree of Knowledge monument in Oak Street, stands proudly in place of the ghost gum under which defiant striking shearer's held meetings in 1891, serving to inspire the formation of the Labour Party.
Blackall ; Blackall is the home of the Black Stump and the legendary shearer, Jackie Howe, and lays claim to being the biggest cattle selling centre of the Central West. Settled in 1864, the town that grew amid huge pastoral leases established itself as the most important town in the Central West prior to the connection of the rail service to Barcaldine in 1886. The Blackall Wool Scour, built in 1906 and preserved for its historical value, pays tribute to the importance of the wool industry.
Isisford ; The founding of Isisford was apparently an accident, a result of a hawker wagon breaking an axle while fording the Isis River, and their drivers deciding to set up his stall on the riverbank. Over the years they also set up a hotel, a blacksmith, butcher store and saddler. The town continued to prosper to the point that it supported 5 hotels and was included in the first motorised postal service
Aramac ; 67kms north of Barcaldine. Apart from its curiously wide streets, the town is notable for its tramline, which was constructed in 1909 providing transport to and from Barcaldine until 1975. A very popular town for birdwatchers due to the large amount of waterfowl attracted to the wetland areas of Lake Galilee and Lake Dunn.
Ilfracombe ; In the 1890's, Wellshot Station was the world's largest operating sheep station, and required its own town to be built simply to support the local population. In its heyday, Ilfracombe had enough trade to support 3 commission agents, 3 opulent hotels, a billiard saloon, a dress makers store as well as its own coach building shop, butcher, baker and 2 general stores. Enough wool was produced that it was common for large wagons drawn by 30 horses to deliver a single load of wool 650kms to Rockhampton's shipping port.
Longreach ; Longreach began as a camp in the 1870's for teamsters who transported supplies to the nearby Mt Cornish outstation. Bowen Downs station had been settled a decade before, and the growing trade in the area transformed the camp into a thriving township over the next 20 years. The railway line connected the town to Barcaldine and the coast in 1892 and the town continued to prosper with the wool industry.
In 1921, the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service, which had just begun operating in Winton, built a modest hangar in Longreach, and within 5 years, QANTAS was constructing its own biplanes there. Today, Longreach is the home of the Stockman's Hall of Fame and the QANTAS Founders Museum, paying tribute to industries that shaped Australia's outback.
Muttaburra ; Muttaburra is world-renowned for its abundance of unearthed fossils and dinosaur bones, due to its location area that once formed the great inland sea. The town lends its name to a species of dinosaur previously unknown before its discovery in this region, and a replica of the 12m long Muttaburrasaurus can be seen here.
The town is also noteworthy as the site of the infamous trial of cattle-duffer, Harry Redford, whose actions inspired the character of Captain Starlight in Australia's first literary novel, Robbery Under Arms.
Winton ; As well as being one of the most important areas for cattle grazing and wool production in the Central West, Winton is the official birthplace of QANTAS. It is also the town where Banjo Patterson conceived his poem "Waltzing Matilda". The history of the writer and his most famous work are showcased at the Waltzing Matilda Centre through life sized displays, holograms, memorabilia and audio presentations. The centre combines with the Qantilda Museum and Qantilda Pioneer Place, paying tribute to the role the town has played in the founding of QANTAS.
