Tambo, Queensland

Summary

Tambo is a rural town and locality in the Blackall-Tambo Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] Cattle and tourism are the major industries of the town. A number of heritage buildings survive from the earliest days of settlement.

Tambo
Queensland
Arthur Street, Tambo
Tambo is located in Queensland
Tambo
Tambo
Coordinates24°53′04″S 146°15′11″E / 24.8844°S 146.2530°E / -24.8844; 146.2530 (Tambo (town centre))
Population283 (UCL 2021)[1]
Established1863
Postcode(s)4478
Elevation395 m (1,296 ft)
Area617.9 km2 (238.6 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Blackall-Tambo Region
State electorate(s)Gregory
Federal division(s)Maranoa
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
29.0 °C
84 °F
12.6 °C
55 °F
535.7 mm
21.1 in
Localities around Tambo:
Mount Enniskillen Windeyer Caldervale
Macfarlane Tambo Caldervale
Lansdowne Lansdowne Yandarlo

Geography edit

Tambo is in Central West Queensland, Australia, on the banks of the Barcoo River. Tambo is 101 kilometres (63 mi) southeast of the town of Blackall via the Landsborough Highway, 118 kilometres (73 mi) north of Augathella, 201 kilometres (125 mi) north of Charleville, 736 kilometres (457 mi) north west of Toowoomba and approximately 862 kilometres (536 mi) north west of the state capital, Brisbane.

The Barcoo River runs through the town and sits near the Grey Range – part of the "Roof of Queensland" section of the Great Dividing Range.

The Landsborough Highway—part of the National Highway network linking Brisbane and Darwin—passes through Tambo. Tambo is also connected to Springsure and Alpha by the Dawson Developmental Road and the Alpha Tambo Road.[4]

History edit

Indigenous edit

The area on which the town of Tambo now sits was home of many different Aboriginal groups including the Wadjaling, Wadjalad, Wadjabangai, and Pitjara.

19th century edit

The first European exploration of the district was by Sir Thomas Mitchell, popularly known as "Major Mitchell", in 1846. For approximately the next 15 years the area was unused until selectors began taking land in 1861.[5]

The town of Carrangarra was founded in 1863, making it the oldest town in western Queensland. Like much of the west, sheep became the mainstay of the economy.[5] The settlement was renamed Tambo in 1868.

The name Tambo comes from an Indigenous Australian word, meaning hidden place,[6] or "resting place, fish, shady waters, hidden waters, a secluded spot, hidden place and native yam."[7]

A branch of the Queensland National Bank was first established in 1875.[8]

The Courthouse was built in 1888.[9]

Tambo State School opened on 28 February 1876.[10]

A Bush Mission church was built from timber in 1877 for Reverend Peter Campbell, an itinerant preacher. It was designed by JW Wilson. It was built from timber. It has been demolished.[11][12]

St Mary's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church at 14 Star Street (24°53′03″S 146°15′18″E / 24.884064°S 146.255°E / -24.884064; 146.255 (St Mary's Catholic Church)). It was built in 1886. In 1955, it was demolished and replaced by new church.[13]

Tambo Presbyterian Church was opened on Sunday 24 June 1888 by Reverend J. Mably. It was built from timber and cost £750. It has been demolished.[14][15]

St Michael and All Angels Anglican Church is at Arthur Street (24°52′55″S 146°15′25″E / 24.882051°S 146.257°E / -24.882051; 146.257 (St Michael and All Angels Anglican Church)). It was built in 1939 from timber.[16]

Our Lady of Victories War Memorial Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church at 14 Star Street (24°53′03″S 146°15′18″E / 24.884064°S 146.255°E / -24.884064; 146.255 (Our Lady of Victories War Memorical Catholic Church)). It was designed by F Cullen and built from timber. On 18 December 1955, it was opened and blessed by Bishop Tynan.[17]

20th century edit

Tambo was the location of Qantas' first fatal accident.[18] An Airco DH.9 crashed on 24 March 1927 with the loss of three lives after the plane stalled while landing.[18]

21st century edit

In the 2006 census, Tambo had a population of 345, a small decline from the 2001 census population of 357.[19][20] Around 7% of the population of Tambo identity as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and around 6% were born outside Australia.[19]

Tambo was cut off for eight days during the 2010-2011 Queensland floods.[21]

In the 2016 census, Tambo had a population of 367 people.[22]

Heritage listings edit

 
Former Tambo Post Office, 2013
 
Former Tambo Court House (now library), 2013

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

  • Former Tambo Post Office, Arthur Street (24°52′59″S 146°15′24″E / 24.8830°S 146.2566°E / -24.8830; 146.2566 (Tambo Post Office (former)))[23]
  • Former Tambo Court House, 9 Arthur Street (24°52′56″S 146°15′23″E / 24.8822°S 146.2563°E / -24.8822; 146.2563 (Tambo Court House (former)))[24]

Economy edit

The chief industries of the town and district are grazing properties for sheep and cattle. There was a sawmill (operated by N.K Collins who operated a sawmill in Augathella) which closed in 2011.[25] The sawmill reopened March 2018.[26][27][28][29]

Education edit

 
Signage, Tambo State School, 2022
 
Signpost, Tambo State School, 2022

Tambo State School is a government primary and secondary (Early Childhood-10) school for boys and girls at 20 Mitchell Street (24°53′04″S 146°15′13″E / 24.8845°S 146.2537°E / -24.8845; 146.2537 (Tambo State School)).[30][31] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 79 students with 11 teachers and 11 non-teaching staff (7 full-time equivalent).[32]

There are no secondary schools providing schooling to Year 12 within Tambo or nearby areas; options would be distance education and boarding school.[4]

Media edit

Tambo is serviced by:

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation transmits ABC Television and its sister channels ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus, ABC Me and ABC News to Tambo through its Blackall relay station, ABBLQ.

The Seven Network and its sister stations 7Two, 7Mate and 7Flix transmit to Tambo through its regional area affiliate, ITQ.

The Nine Network and its sister channels 9Gem, 9Go! and 9Rush transmit to Tambo through its regional area affiliate, Imparja Television.

Network Ten and its sister channels 10 BOLD, 10 Peach and 10 Shake transmit to Tambo through its regional area affiliate, CDT.

The Special Broadcasting Service and its sister channels SBS Viceland, SBS World Movies and SBS Food also transmit to Tambo.

Amenities edit

The heritage-listed former Courthouse in Arthur Street contains the Tambo Visitor Information Centre and the Tambo Library.[33]

The Tambo branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the Royal Carrangarra Hotel in Arthur Street.[34]

Attractions edit

 
Sample of the Tambo Teddies manufactured in Tambo

Tambo is also famous for its Tambo Teddy Workshop, set up by three local women in 1992 to help promote the wool industry after years of drought had caused wool prices to fall.[35] One of these teddies was given to Prince Harry and his wife Meghan (the Duke and Duchess of Sussex respectively) when they visited Australia. There have been numerous commercials advertising the teddies..

The "Tambo Heritage Trail" includes 17 buildings within the town's precinct of historical importance. They include:

  • Post and Telegraph office building
  • Reg Barry's Memorial
  • Survey Marker
  • Old Tambo Post Office (1876)
  • Courthouse (1888)
  • Tambo Shire Hall
  • Masonic Lodge
  • Old Powerhouse
  • Tambo State School
  • Windmill at Tambo Mill Motel
  • Primary Health Care
  • The Club Hotel
  • General Store
  • Royal Carrangarra Hotel
  • Tambo Teddies Workshop
  • Queensland National Bank

Governance edit

Until 2008, Tambo was the administrative centre of the Shire of Tambo. In 2008, as part of the Queensland Government's amalgamation of local government areas, the Shire of Tambo and the neighbouring Shire of Blackall were both abolished and Tambo is now a part of the Blackall-Tambo Region.[36]

Climate edit

Temperatures in Tambo range from 35 °C in summer to 21 °C in winter. Minimum temperatures in winter often drop below freezing. The average annual rainfall is 535.7 mm (21.0 in), the majority of which falls between December and March.

Climate data for Tambo (Tambo Post Office 1957–2013)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 44.2
(111.6)
42.8
(109.0)
40.5
(104.9)
37.1
(98.8)
34.4
(93.9)
31.7
(89.1)
30.0
(86.0)
35.0
(95.0)
39.0
(102.2)
41.0
(105.8)
43.3
(109.9)
43.3
(109.9)
44.2
(111.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 34.9
(94.8)
33.8
(92.8)
32.4
(90.3)
29.1
(84.4)
24.9
(76.8)
21.6
(70.9)
21.2
(70.2)
23.5
(74.3)
27.3
(81.1)
30.9
(87.6)
33.2
(91.8)
34.8
(94.6)
29.0
(84.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 20.4
(68.7)
20.0
(68.0)
17.5
(63.5)
12.7
(54.9)
8.1
(46.6)
4.9
(40.8)
3.6
(38.5)
5.1
(41.2)
9.0
(48.2)
13.7
(56.7)
17.0
(62.6)
19.1
(66.4)
12.6
(54.7)
Record low °C (°F) 10.4
(50.7)
9.5
(49.1)
5.8
(42.4)
0.0
(32.0)
−3.0
(26.6)
−5.0
(23.0)
−5.6
(21.9)
−5.6
(21.9)
−2.5
(27.5)
−0.5
(31.1)
4.4
(39.9)
7.0
(44.6)
−5.6
(21.9)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 81.0
(3.19)
77.5
(3.05)
58.3
(2.30)
37.1
(1.46)
34.4
(1.35)
28.6
(1.13)
27.1
(1.07)
18.7
(0.74)
21.3
(0.84)
34.6
(1.36)
47.0
(1.85)
70.1
(2.76)
535.7
(21.1)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2mm) 7.6 6.8 5.7 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.0 2.5 3.1 4.7 5.7 6.7 55.7
Source: Bureau of Meteorology[37]

References edit

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Tambo (urban centre and locality)". Australian Census 2021.  
  2. ^ "Tambo – town in Blackall-Tambo Region (entry 33227)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  3. ^ "Tambo – locality in Blackall-Tambo Region (entry 47066)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Post Office, Tambo". University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  6. ^ "What's in a name? – 3. Australia's Centenary of Federation". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 31 October 2001. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  7. ^ L'Estrange (1996), p. 21.
  8. ^ "TAMBO (QUEENSLAND)". Australian Town and Country Journal. NSW. 4 December 1875. p. 6. Retrieved 13 March 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Blackall-Tambo Regional Council Tambo Visitor Information Centre". Archived from the original on 12 March 2012.
  10. ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  11. ^ Blake, Thom. "Bush Mission Church". Queensland religious places database. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  12. ^ "VICE-REGAL". Rockhampton Bulletin. Vol. XIX, no. 2880. Queensland, Australia. 29 June 1877. p. 2. Retrieved 18 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ Blake, Thom. "St Mary's Catholic Church". Queensland religious places database. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  14. ^ Blake, Thom. "Tambo Presbyterian Church". Queensland religious places database. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  15. ^ "Tambo, June 25". Morning Bulletin. Vol. XL, no. 7097. Queensland, Australia. 26 June 1888. p. 6. Retrieved 18 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ Blake, Thom. "St Michael and All Angels Anglican Church". Queensland religious places database. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  17. ^ Blake, Thom. "Our Lady of Victories War Memorical Catholic Church". Queensland religious places database. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  18. ^ a b Gunn, John (1985). The Defeat of Distance: QANTAS 1919 – 1939. Brisbane, Australia: University of Queensland Press. p. 96. ISBN 0702217077. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  19. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Tambo (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  20. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Tambo (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 13 March 2012.  
  21. ^ Ball, Chris. "Flood recovery in Western Queensland – Tambo – their stories". ABC Western Queensland. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  22. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Tambo (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  23. ^ "Tambo Post Office (former) (entry 600833)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  24. ^ "Tambo Court House (former) (entry 600834)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  25. ^ Cripps, Sally (25 August 2016). "Sawmill re-growing Tambo". Queensland Country Life. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  26. ^ "Blackall-Tambo Regional Council - A modern rural community". Business View Oceania. 15 November 2016. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  27. ^ Cripps, Sally (22 August 2017). "Sawdust in the air at Tambo". Queensland Country Life. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  28. ^ Dick, Cameron (28 April 2018). "Sawmill reopening leads Tambo's revival - The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory". Media Statements. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  29. ^ "Queensland sawmill opens after 7-year shut down". WoodTECH. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  30. ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  31. ^ "Tambo State School". Tambo State School. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  32. ^ "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  33. ^ "Tambo Library". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 7 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  34. ^ "Branch locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  35. ^ Melanie Groves (2 February 2018). "Tambo Teddies celebrate 25 years of a business created for hard times". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  36. ^ "Tambo and Tambo Shire". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  37. ^ "Tambo Post Office". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Bureau of Meteorology. March 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2013.

Bibliography edit

  • L'Estrange, Jan (1996). Belle of the Barcoo: Tambo – genesis of Queensland's Central West. Harrison Printing. ISBN 0646288938.

External links edit

  • University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Tambo
  • Town map of Tambo, 1876
  • Tambo Public Library