Barcaldine, Queensland

Barcaldine Queensland
File:QLD Town of Barcaldine in June 1962.jpg Barcaldine, 1962
Barcaldine
Coordinates
Population	1,337 (2006 census)
Postcode(s)	4725
Elevation	266.9 m (876 ft)
Location	1,073 km (667 mi) from Brisbane 520 km (323 mi) from Rockhampton 107 km (66 mi) from Longreach
LGA(s)	Barcaldine Region
State electorate(s)	Gregory
Federal Division(s)	Maranoa
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 30.0 °C 86 °F 16.2 °C 61 °F 497.7 mm 19.6 in

Barcaldine (/bɑːrˈkɔːldᵻn/, locally [baːˈkoːldən]) is a small town and locality in the Barcaldine Region in Central West Queensland, Australia. Barcaldine played a major role in the Australian labour movement.

Geography

Barcaldine is approximately 520 kilometres (320 mi) by road west of the city of Rockhampton. The town is situated on Lagoon Creek, which flows into the Alice River approximately five kilometres south of the Barcaldine. This is the administrative centre of the Barcaldine Region. Major industries are sheep and beef cattle rearing.

The streets in Barcaldine are named after different types of trees.

At the 2006 census, Barcaldine had a population of 1,337.

History

The town takes its name from a sheep station called Barcaldine Downs, which was established in 1863 by Donald Cameron, whose family property in Ayrshire, Scotland, which was named for Barcaldine, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.

File:Barcaldine.jpg

Tree of Knowledge marker in Barcaldine

Barcaldine Post Office opened on 13 November 1886.

Barcaldine State School opened on 4 July 1887.

Labour movement

Barcaldine played a significant role in the Australian labour movement and the birth of the Australian Labor Party. In 1891, it was one of the focal points of the 1891 Australian shearers' strike, with the Eureka Flag flying over the strike camp. The landmark Tree of Knowledge, under which the strikers met, stood outside the railway station. In 2006, persons unknown poisoned the tree with the herbicide Roundup, which led to its demise.

One of the first May day marches in the world took place during the strike on 1 May 1891 in Barcaldine. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that of the 1,340 men that took part, 618 were mounted on horses. Banners carried included those of the Australian Labor Federation, the Shearers' and Carriers' Unions, and one inscribed 'Young Australia'. The leaders wore blue sashes and the Eureka Flag was carried. The Labor Bulletin reported that cheers were given for "the Union", "the Eight-hour day", "the Strike Committee" and "the boys in gaol". It reported the march:

In the procession every civilised country was represented doing duty for the Russian, Swede, French, Dane etc., who are germane to him in other climes, showing that Labor's cause is one the world over, foreshadowing the time when the swords shall be turned into ploughshares and Liberty, Peace and Friendship will knit together the nations of the earth.

Local government

File:StateLibQld 2 253773 Soldier's Memorial on the corner of Ash and Beech Streets, Barcaldine, ca. 1928.jpg

Barcaldine War Memorial, 1928

In 1892, the local government area of Barcaldine Division was established, by separating it from the Kargoolnah Division which had its headquarters in Blackall. Since then, Barcaldine has been the headquarters of local government in the area, commencing with the Barcaldine Divisional Board, which became the Barcaldine Shire Council in 1903, and then the Barcaldine Regional Council in 2008. The initial local government meetings were held in a building in Oak Street, which burned down in 1896. A shire hall was then constructed in 1898 on the south-east corner of Ash and Beech Streets, which eventually became too small. In February 1912 a new larger shire hall was opened and that building (somewhat modified and extended) is still in use today and is heritage-listed.

War memorial

The Barcaldine War Memorial was unveiled by Queensland Governor, Matthew Nathan, on 21 May 1924.

Climate

Climate data for Barcaldine
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	35.6 (96.1)	34.5 (94.1)	33.2 (91.8)	30.0 (86)	26.0 (78.8)	22.8 (73)	22.6 (72.7)	24.9 (76.8)	28.7 (83.7)	32.2 (90)	34.5 (94.1)	35.7 (96.3)	30.1 (86.2)
Average low °C (°F)	23.1 (73.6)	22.6 (72.7)	20.8 (69.4)	16.7 (62.1)	12.3 (54.1)	9.0 (48.2)	7.9 (46.2)	9.4 (48.9)	13.3 (55.9)	17.4 (63.3)	20.3 (68.5)	22.2 (72)	16.3 (61.3)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	86.5 (3.406)	78.0 (3.071)	60.0 (2.362)	36.3 (1.429)	30.6 (1.205)	24.3 (0.957)	22.8 (0.898)	15.8 (0.622)	16.0 (0.63)	28.9 (1.138)	40.1 (1.579)	64.1 (2.524)	503.4 (19.821)
Average rainy days (≥ 1mm)	6.0	5.5	4.2	2.5	2.2	2.2	1.9	1.6	1.9	3.1	4.0	5.3	40.4
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

Facilities

File:Tree of knowledge 1.jpg

The Tree of Knowledge, 1997

Barcaldine has a public library, bowls, tennis clubs, a combined racecourse and showground near the golf course, a historical and folk museum, swimming pool and visitor information centre.

Heritage listings

File:StateLibQld 1 253765 Town Hall at Barcaldine, ca. 1920.jpg

Shire Hall at Barcaldine, circa 1920

File:Barcaldine-St Peters CoE.JPG

St Peter's Anglican Church, 2010

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

• Ash Street: Barcaldine Shire Hall & Offices
• Ash Street: Barcaldine War Memorial Clock
• Bank of Lagoon Creek: Shearers' Strike Camp Site, Barcaldine
• Oak Street: Tree of Knowledge
• 39 Beech Street: Barcaldine Masonic Temple
• 85 Elm Street: St Peter's Anglican Church and Hall

See also

• Barcaldine Airport

External links

• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Barcaldine and Barcaldine Shire
• Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party - digitised and held by John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

• Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-876429-14-3