On 17 April 2020, the Queensland Government decided to reorganise the nine localities in the Shire of Bulloo, resulting in six localities. Thargomindah, previously being 43.0 square kilometres (16.6 sq mi) of the area immediately surrounding the town of Thargomindah, was enlarged through the incorporation of all of Bullawarra (except for a small portion in the south of Bullawarra which was absorbed into Bulloo Downs), all of Dynevor and all of Norley, creating a locality of 15,213 square kilometres (5,874 sq mi).[5][6][7]
the Bulloo Downs Road goes south-west to Bulloo Downs
Thargomindah is part of the Channel Country where the rivers are mostly dry riverbeds except for seasonal flooding. The locality contributes to three major drainage basins:
Thargomindah lies on the traditional lands of the Kalali people who seemed to have had a close association with the Wongkumara, Margany and Badjiri peoples from neighbouring regions along the Bulloo and Wilson Rivers. The Margany language (also known as Maranganji),[13] the Badjiri language and the Kalali language (Galali) are now mostly extinct, although some revitalisation projects have been commenced.[14]
The Thargomindah area was first explored by the British in the early 1860s by colonist Vincent James Dowling, who established the Thargomindah pastoral property in 1865 with his brother John Dowling. Violence with the Aboriginal people soon ensued and John was killed. In retribution, the Kalali were pursued by Vincent Dowling and a Native Police detachment under Sub-Inspector James Gilmour from the Yowah barracks. A large massacre of the Kalali subsequently occurred at and around the nearby Thuringowa waterhole.[15][16][17][18] Recent research has shown that there was no massacre of Kullilli (Kalali) in 1865.[19]
After the massacre, a new Native Police barracks called the Bulloo Barracks was established on Dowling's property at a crossing of the Bulloo River. From the 1870s, the town of Thargomindah developed around these barracks.[20][21][22][23] Thargomindah is an Aboriginal word meaning echidna.[2]
Thargomindah Provisional School opened on 1 April 1884. In 1892 it became Thargomindah State School.[24]
The 1890s saw the town prosper as the service and administrative centre of a pastoral district.[23] An extension of the Western railway line to the town was planned for many years; however it never eventuated. The railway did reach Cunnamulla in 1898 and Quilpie in 1917.[23]
Thargomindah was one of the first towns in Australia to produce hydroelectric power from 1898 until 1951. The old bore into the Great Artesian Basin was a source of energy when electric street lights were lit and coupled to a turbine driven by the bore's natural water pressure. The generator was taken from a unit powered by a steam engine and purchased by the Bulloo Divisional Board becoming the first municipality owned power plant. After that power was supplied by diesel generators until 1988, when the town was connected to the state power grid via Cunnamulla. The power station is still operating with a daily opening to the public.[25]
At the 2006 census, Thargomindah had a population of 203.[28]
In the 2016 census, Thargomindah had a population of 270 people.[1]
On 17 April 2020 the Queensland Government decided to reorganise the nine localities in the Shire of Bulloo, resulting in six localities. Thargomindah, previously being 43.0 square kilometres (16.6 sq mi) of the area immediately surrounding the town of Thargomindah, was enlarged through the incorporation of all of Bullawarra (except for a small portion in the south of Bullawarra which was absorbed into Bulloo Downs), all of Dynevor and all of Norley, creating a locality of 15,213 square kilometres (5,874 sq mi).[5][6][7]
Heritage listings
Thargomindah has a number of nearby heritage-listed sites, including:
An information centre is located at 37 Dowling Street, Thargomindah. The building is a renovation of a children's hostel which was built in early 1960, it then became a block of flats and ended up being an empty run-down building until converted to a very modern facility containing the Visitor Information Centre, Library and Coffee Shop. The hostel was used for children who lived in remote properties where they would board at the hostel during the week, returning home on the weekends to their families.
The Information Centre contains brochures, pamphlets and maps on the South West Queensland corner and surrounding areas. It is the first place where people stop when they visit Thargomindah to get the latest road conditions, directions, places to stay, things to see and do and the latest information on events.
Bulloo Shire Council operates Thargomindah Library at Shire Office, Dowling Street, Thargomindah.[32]
Thargomindah has two fuel stations; Thargo Motors which is open Mon to Fri and Sat mornings and Thargo Roadhouse which has 24 hour fuel using an EFTPOS facility.
Accommodation consists of the Oasis Motel, Bulloo River Hotel Motel, Explorers Caravan Park and Napunyah Caravan Park.
Dining out options are the Oasis Motel, Bulloo River Hotel Motel, Coffee on Dowling and Thargo Roadhouse.
Thargomindah has a pressurised hot spring from a bore into the Great Artesian Basin and has produced hydroelectric power from the basin in the past. After 2 years of drilling, a good supply of water was found in 1893. The temperature was 86 °C (187 °F). In 1924, it was recorded that the bore had a daily output of 2,500 cubic metres (88,000 cu ft) and today of 1,300 cubic metres (46,000 cu ft) at 84 °C (183 °F). There is a plentiful water supply for the population and the arid area available for irrigation in front and backyards and public warm showers are provided.
Thargomindah has a hot semi-arid climate (KöppenBSh), very closely bordering on a hot arid climate (BWh), which is found in the western part of the shire. Summers are sweltering and generally dry except when monsoonal incursions into the continent bring heavy rain, whilst winters are warm and dry with cool to cold mornings.
^"Thouringowa Waterhole". Colonial Frontier Massacres in Australia, 1788-1930. University of Newcastle. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
^Dillon, Paul, The Murder of John Francis Dowling and the Massacre of 300 Aborigines, Connor Court Publishing, 2019.
^"CUNNAMULLA". The Queenslander. Vol. IX, no. 39. Queensland, Australia. 31 October 1874. p. 9. Retrieved 4 August 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Thargomindah Library". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 2 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
