Blackall, QLD

Living and Working in Blackall, QLD

The town Blackall was named after Sir Samuel Blackall, the second Governor of Queensland. The district was discovered in 1846 by explorer Major Thomas Mitchell; the town has plenty of heritage and history to uncover. Blackall became a thriving outback township, with sheep being the primary agricultural output of the region. You can discover the wool industry at the Historic Blackall Woolscour, the last remaining scour in Australia, a virtual living museum. Shearer Jack Howe put Blackall on the map in 1892 at ‘Alice Downs’ when he set a world record by shearing 321 sheep in seven hours and 40 minutes. It took another 58 years before anyone could match this incredible feat, which was by machine shears. Blackall was the first Outback town to start drilling an artesian bore in 1885; today, you can revive in the natural artesian waters at the thermal spa and swimming pool at Blackall’s Aquatic Centre. Blackall is also known for being the home of the ‘Black Stump’, used for surveying purposes and permanently marks the original Astro Station established in 1887. Anything west of this point is said to be ‘beyond the black stump’. Find more information about the Blackall region: FarOut! (gofarout.com.au)