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Brigalow Queensland
Brigalow General Store
Brigalow
Coordinates	26°50′32″S 150°47′18″E / 26.8422°S 150.7883°E / -26.8422; 150.7883 (Brigalow (town centre))
Population	181 (2021 census)
• Density	0.6608/km (1.712/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4412
Area	273.9 km (105.8 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	19.9 km (12 mi) SE of Chinchilla 61.3 km (38 mi) NW of Dalby 144 km (89 mi) NW of Toowoomba 272 km (169 mi) WNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Western Downs Region
State electorate(s)	Callide
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Localities around Brigalow: Boonarga Chances Plain Wychie Tuckerang Hopeland Brigalow Warra Kogan Kogan Kogan

Brigalow is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Brigalow had a population of 181 people.

Geography

Brigalow is on the Darling Downs. The town is in the north-west of the locality.

The Condamine River enters the locality from the south-east (Kogan / Warra) and exits to the north-west (Hopeland / Boonarga).

The Warrego Highway enters the locality from the east (Warra), then proceeds north-west passing through the town, and then exits to the north-west (Boonarga). The Western railway line runs immediately north and parallel to the highway with two railway stations within the locality:

• Ehlma railway station, now abandoned (26°53′37″S 150°52′03″E / 26.8936°S 150.8674°E / -26.8936; 150.8674 (Ehlma railway station))
• Brigalow railway station, serving the town (26°50′31″S 150°47′18″E / 26.8419°S 150.7882°E / -26.8419; 150.7882 (Brigalow railway station))

Apart from the power station and mines in the south-west of the locality, the predominant surface land use is a mixture of crop growing in the north of the locality and grazing on native vegetation in the south of the locality. Crops grown in the area include wheat, barley, sorghum, chick peas, and cotton.

History

In 1859, a township called Campbell's Camp (26°53′10″S 150°46′11″E / 26.8861°S 150.76979°E / -26.8861; 150.76979 (Campbell's Camp (former town))) was established on the banks of the Condamine River at a place where bullock teams could cross the river. In September 1862, the Queensland Government held a land sale of town, suburban, and country lots.

Mulga Provisional School opened in 1896. On 1 January 1909, it became Mulga State School. In 1914, it ceased to be a full-time school and became a half-time school in conjunction with Hill Top Provisional School (later Boonarga State School) with the two schools sharing one teacher. Mulga State School closed in 1915, but reopened in 1917 as a full-time school. It permanently closed in 1943. It was located on a L-shaped land parcel on the kink in Jones Road (26°52′29″S 150°48′16″E / 26.8747°S 150.8044°E / -26.8747; 150.8044 (Mulga State School (former).)).

Brigalow Post Office opened by November 1912 (a receiving office, originally named Mulga, had been open from 1895) and closed around 1993.

Brigalow Provisional School opened on 24 February 1908. In 1910, it became Brigalow State School.

Ehlma State School opened on 14 April 1913. It closed in 1965. It was on Ehlma Boundary Road (26°53′34″S 150°52′02″E / 26.89283°S 150.86728°E / -26.89283; 150.86728 (Ehlma State School (former))) to the immediate north of the Ehlma railway station.

The first wedding in the Brigalow Methodist Church was celebrated on 28 February 1923.

Blackwood Provisional School opened on 19 July 1915 and closed on 27 October 1932. On 12 November 1932, the school was reopened and renamed Belah State School. It closed in 1962. In 1921, the school was on Inverai Road (26°45′36″S 150°51′03″E / 26.7601°S 150.8508°E / -26.7601; 150.8508 (Blackwood State School (former))). In 1938, the school was at 1249 Ehlma Boundary Road(26°47′00″S 150°53′08″E / 26.7832°S 150.8855°E / -26.7832; 150.8855 (Belah School (former))). Both of these locations are now in Wychie.

Noola State School opened on 5 April 1923. Circa 1957, it renamed Noola Plains State School. It closed circa 1961. It was at 600 Brigalow Canaga Creek Road (26°48′25″S 150°49′19″E / 26.8069°S 150.8219°E / -26.8069; 150.8219 (Noola State School (former))), now in Wychie.

The Kogan Creek Power Station opened in 2006.

Demographics

In the 2006 census, the locality of Brigalow and the surrounding area had a population of 457 people.

In the 2016 census, the locality of Brigalow had a population of 170 people.

In the 2021 census, the locality of Brigalow had a population of 181 people.

Economy

The Kogan Creek Power Station is a coal-fired power station in the south-west of the locality (26°55′10″S 150°45′06″E / 26.9194°S 150.7516°E / -26.9194; 150.7516 (Kogan Creek Power Station)). At 750 MW, it is the largest single unit in Australia. Construction by a consortium led by Siemens commenced in 2004 and was completed in 2007. It was opened by the Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and Minister for Mines and Energy Geoff Wilson on 27 November 2007.

The Kogan Creek coal mine is located to the south-east of the power station. It is an open-cut mine which supplies the power station with approximately 2.5Mt of coal each year.

From the town to the south of locality is within petroleum leases held by Arrow CSG (Australia) and Australian CBM to extract coal seam gas. The extraction of coal seam gas within farming districts is controversial in Australia due to concerns that groundwater under prime grazing and cropping land could be contaminated. In April 2018 one operator in Hopeland (to the immediate west of Brigalow), Linc Energy, was fined $4.5 million in May 2019 for causing environmental harm through its underground coal gasification plant.

In the agricultural economy, there are a number of homesteads in the locality, including:

• Allendale (26°54′17″S 150°52′34″E / 26.9047°S 150.8760°E / -26.9047; 150.8760 (Allendale (homestead)))
• Avonmore (26°53′44″S 150°51′52″E / 26.8956°S 150.8645°E / -26.8956; 150.8645 (Avonmore (homestead)))
• Beltana (26°55′34″S 150°51′33″E / 26.9262°S 150.8592°E / -26.9262; 150.8592 (Beltana (homestead)))
• Bluebell Park (26°49′48″S 150°48′14″E / 26.8299°S 150.8038°E / -26.8299; 150.8038 (Bluebell Park (homestead)))
• Eureka (26°47′23″S 150°46′51″E / 26.7896°S 150.7809°E / -26.7896; 150.7809 (Eureka (homestead)))
• Glencara (26°56′09″S 150°49′27″E / 26.9359°S 150.8242°E / -26.9359; 150.8242 (Glencara (homestead)))
• Greenacres (26°50′57″S 150°49′54″E / 26.8491°S 150.8316°E / -26.8491; 150.8316 (Greenacres (homestead)))
• Heather Vale (26°49′36″S 150°47′54″E / 26.8267°S 150.7984°E / -26.8267; 150.7984 (Heather Vale (homestead)))
• Kalora (26°56′23″S 150°49′46″E / 26.9396°S 150.8295°E / -26.9396; 150.8295 (Kalora (homestead)))
• Laguna (26°58′48″S 150°45′20″E / 26.9800°S 150.7556°E / -26.9800; 150.7556 (Laguna (homestead)))
• Merina Park (26°56′15″S 150°46′50″E / 26.9375°S 150.7805°E / -26.9375; 150.7805 (Merina Park (homestead)))
• Minie Vale (26°51′15″S 150°49′35″E / 26.8542°S 150.8265°E / -26.8542; 150.8265 (Minie Vale (homestead)))
• Oakbank (26°47′28″S 150°49′13″E / 26.7912°S 150.8202°E / -26.7912; 150.8202 (Oakbank (homestead)))
• Quail Plain (26°53′21″S 150°52′01″E / 26.8892°S 150.8670°E / -26.8892; 150.8670 (Quail Plain (homestead)))
• Renbah (26°49′03″S 150°48′37″E / 26.8176°S 150.8102°E / -26.8176; 150.8102 (Renbah (homestead)))
• Riverlea (26°57′43″S 150°50′50″E / 26.9619°S 150.8472°E / -26.9619; 150.8472 (Riverlea (homestead)))
• Shamrock Flat (26°48′51″S 150°49′39″E / 26.8143°S 150.8274°E / -26.8143; 150.8274 (Shamrock Flat (homestead)))
• The Shiralee (26°52′45″S 150°47′57″E / 26.8791°S 150.7991°E / -26.8791; 150.7991 (The Shiralee (homestead)))
• Wandella (26°48′08″S 150°49′12″E / 26.8021°S 150.8201°E / -26.8021; 150.8201 (Wandella (homestead)))
• Warra Warra (26°56′33″S 150°52′36″E / 26.9426°S 150.8766°E / -26.9426; 150.8766 (Warra Warra (homestead)))

Education

Brigalow State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Warrego Highway (26°50′11″S 150°46′45″E / 26.8364°S 150.7792°E / -26.8364; 150.7792 (Brigalow State School)). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 52 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 7 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).

There is no secondary school in Brigalow. The nearest government secondary schools are Chinchilla State High School (to Year 12) in Chinchilla to the north-west and Jandowae State School (to Year 10) in Jandowae to the north-east.

Amenities

Brigalow Public Hall is at 47-49 Warrego Highway (26°50′36″S 150°47′22″E / 26.8434°S 150.7895°E / -26.8434; 150.7895 (Brigalow Public Hall)).

Brigalow had three churches but all have now closed. The Brigalow Uniting Church (the last to close) was at 68 Mulga Street (26°50′21″S 150°47′07″E / 26.8393°S 150.7852°E / -26.8393; 150.7852 (Brigalow Uniting Church (former))) and is now privately owned.

References

1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Brigalow (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Brigalow – town in Western Downs Region (entry 4501)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
3. "Brigalow – locality in Western Downs Region (entry 47670)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
4. ^ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
5. ^ "Railway stations and sidings – Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
6. ^ "History". Brigalow State School. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
7. ^ "County of Lytton" (Map). Queensland Government. 1921. Archived from the original on 24 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
8. "Advertising". The Darling Downs Gazette And General Advertiser. Vol. V, no. 221. Queensland, Australia. 21 August 1862. p. 1. Retrieved 25 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
9. ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
10. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
11. "WEDDINGS". Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette. Vol. LXII, no. 72. Queensland, Australia. 24 March 1923. p. 11. Retrieved 6 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
12. ^ "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m81" (Map). Queensland Government. 1938. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
13. ^ "Kogan Creek Mine". Golding Contractors. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
14. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Brigalow (Chinchilla Shire) (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 31 March 2009.
15. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Brigalow (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
16. "Landmark Areas – Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
17. "Kogan Creek Case Study" (PDF). Siemens. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2013.
18. Bligh, Anna; Wilson, Geoff (27 November 2007). "Drought proof generator powers Queensland growth – Ministerial Media Statement". Media Statements. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 29 April 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2007.
19. Mullan, Bruce (6 May 2014). "Coal seam gas: It's a fracking worry". JourneyOnline. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
20. "New CSG no-go zone aimed to quarantine contaminated Queensland groundwater". Australia: ABC News. 25 May 2019. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
21. "Linc Energy found guilty of serious environmental harm at controversial UCG plant". ABC News. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
22. "Linc Energy fined $4.5 million for serious environmental harm at underground coal gasification plant". ABC News. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
23. "Homesteads – Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
24. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
25. "Brigalow State School". Retrieved 6 April 2021.
26. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
27. "Community Halls". Western Downs Regional Council. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
28. "Brigalow Public Hall" (PDF). Western Downs Regional Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
29. "Brigalow Uniting Church – Former". Churches Australia. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
30. "Brigalow Uniting Church (former)" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
31. "68 Mulga Street, Brigalow Qld 4412". Realestate.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2021.

Further reading

• Olm, Clarence; Brigalow State School. 75th Jubilee Committee (1983), Brigalow State School 75th Jubilee : souvenir booklet, 1908-1983, Brigalow State School 75th Jubilee Committee, ISBN 978-0-9590446-0-7{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) — includes Blackwood State School, Belah State School, Ehlma State School, Haystack State School, Mulga State School, Noola State School, and Wychie State School

External links

• "Town map of Brigalow". Queensland Government. 1982.

• Towns in Queensland
• Western Downs Region
• Localities in Queensland