20190814 Qld Wallumbilla

20190814 Stopping at Miles to stock our supplies then onto the local pub for lunch before heading to Wallumbilla to camp for a couple of days. The town was named after the Wallumbilla pastoral run, taken up in 1852, then in 1879-80, the railway line was extended from Miles to Rome opening up pastoral stations for farm selections. The town was surveyed in 1889 and a few years later the first school was opened. The town is now supported by primary industries and natural gas undertakings, GrainCorp and Elgas have silos and gas tanks near the railway.

15-08-2019 I’m sick of sitting in this van so I grabbed my camera and we head to town to check out what few stores are still standing but I do know there’s at least a pub still operating.

Film was brought to Wallumbilla in the 1900’s by a travelling projectionist using a hand-cracked projector, a hall was brought by a local shopkeeper and moved the hall to its current location turning it into a theatre, the historic Queen’s Theatre was built in 1939 and is now heritage Listed.

Harlands Blue Shop, Newsagency and Convenient store is a deserted shell that now stands as part of the town’s history.

A visit to the Heritage Calico Cottage to brows the local crafts and baked treats and get my shopping fix.

Look what Des brought me, I just love Betty Boo even in a toilet roll holder.

Now to check out the town’s museum, it may be small but I found it quite interesting, especially when it came to this Sulky.

This 19th Century sulky was sold to a Tom Spencer, a builder who came to Wallumbilla to build the school. After the completion of the school Tom returned in the sulky back to his farm in Ormiston where he lived until his wife’s death. He returned to Wallumbilla leaving the sulky parked at his Ormiston house, after 80 years the new owner traced its history, the Bendemere Shire brought & returned it to its place of origin, 464 ks in a sulky, wow.

Sid Penrose brought the vintage 1925 Model T Ford in 1947, it was used for farm work outside of Wallumbilla and he kept the car in good condition. After his death his granddaughter owned it, then in 1990 she gave it to another granddaughter whose husband restored it to take part in the schools Centenary parade, it is still owned by the Penrose family.

This shows the gadget attached to the Model T above, it would be the switch for the lights and the Amperes, meaning the electrics are working.

Now this will be shown your age, who knows what this is, and no, I didn’t know, but it’s a milk separator.

True or not, did two of the Kelly Gang members escape the police-lit fire and end up living in Queensland. The locals believe harry Thompson, a reclusive hermit was actually Steve Hart a member of the Kelly gang, he was alleged to be, loyal, daring, resourceful and an excellent horse rider but the records show he died in 1880 when police dragged his body from the burnt inn, but the body was charred beyond recognition, so did he die in that fire or did he escape. The locals believe Thompson was a match to Steve Hart by their age, visible burn scars, reference to life in the southern states, and he carried a pistol while other locals carried rifles, he lived a secretive life style fitted someone running from the past. He was a odd character who carried a gun and never allow anyone to position themselves behind his back.

He had a grazing lease at Devil Pulpit where he ran cattle and horses. He died at the age of 84 at the Roma Hospital after his greasy trousers caught fire while preparing a meal over an open fire.

Permission is given to have the bodies exhumed for DNA, Results are still pending.

I’m thirsty after all that reading so we head to the Federal Hotel for a coldie and check out the old pub.

The Iron Jack Whistle

Did you know the Federal Hotel was where the add, Iron Jack was made, and the funny thing is, no one seems like the beer out here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfyJF1ZObdg