Augathella facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Augathella Queensland
Memorial Hall, Augathella
Augathella Location in Queensland
Population	449 (2016 census)
• Density	0.3077/km2 (0.797/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4477
Area	1,459.1 km2 (563.4 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	748 km (465 mi) WNW of Brisbane 271 km (168 mi) NW of Roma 85 km (53 mi) NE of Charleville
LGA(s)	Shire of Murweh
State electorate(s)	Warrego
Federal Division(s)	Maranoa
Localities around Augathella: Ward Nive Caroline Crossing Ward Augathella Caroline Crossing Ward Gowrie Station Clara Creek

Augathella is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Murweh, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Augathella had a population of 449 people.

History

The town came into being initially as a resting place for bullock teams lying at the convergence of three bullock tracks from Morven, Tambo, and Charleville. Originally called Burenda it was renamed Ellangowan (still the name of the local watering hole) and when gazetted in 1883 called Augathella. This is apparently an Indigenous Australian word meaning "camp on a waterhole", referring the Warrego River. A service centre sprang up to service their needs and the needs of the burgeoning grazing industry.

Burenda Post Office opened on 1 September 1869. It was renamed Ellangowan in 1877 and Augathella in 1883.

Augathella is the destination of cattle drovers in the Australian folk song Brisbane Ladies. This song is alternately called "Augathella Station".

Today

Augathella Cosmos Meatant Country

The town's service centre was bypassed by the new Matilda Highway during the 1980s. Some new businesses have slowly encroached back onto the highway frontage. There is a growing arts centre in the town, public library, public swimming pool, a bowls club and there is an annual rodeo. Augathella has some polocrosse teams.

Today, grazing is still the predominant industry of the area. The town is situated on the Warrego River (an Aboriginal word meaning river of sand).

Since 2011 the entrance the town has been marked by 4.5m steel and copper giant sculpture of a meat ant - in a reference to its former junior football team, named the "Mighty Meat Ants".

Education

Augathella State School is a government primary (Early Childhood-6) school for boys and girls at Cavanagh Street (25°47′50″S 146°35′00″E / 25.7971°S 146.5833°E / -25.7971; 146.5833 (Augathella State School)). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 44 students with 4 teachers and 4 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent). Augathella State School is part of Education Queensland's Charleville Cluster and is supported by the Darling Downs South West regional team which is based in Toowoomba.

There is no secondary school in Augathella. School Bus Route S279 conveys students from Year 7 to Year 12 into Charleville to attend Charleville State High School.

Transport

Augathella is situated on the junction of the Landsborough Highway from Morven and the Mitchell Highway from Charleville. Augathella is served by Greyhound Australia who operates Gx493 between Brisbane and Mount Isa and its return service, Gx494 which stops at the BP Roadhouse on the Highway

Augathella Aerodrome has a sealed runway, 1,000 by 25 metres (3,281 ft × 82 ft). It is operated by Murweh Shire Council.