Barcaldine, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barcaldine Queensland
Barcaldine, 1962
Barcaldine Location in Queensland
Population	1,540 (2021 census)
• Density	2.065/km2 (5.35/sq mi)
Established	1885
Postcode(s)	4725
Elevation	266.9 m (876 ft)
Area	745.7 km2 (287.9 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	580 km (360 mi) W of Rockhampton 1,072 km (666 mi) NW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Barcaldine Region
County	Rodney
State electorate(s)	Gregory
Federal Division(s)	Maranoa
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 30.0 °C 86 °F 16.2 °C 61 °F 497.7 mm 19.6 in
Localities around Barcaldine: Ilfracombe Aramac Jericho Ilfracombe Barcaldine Jericho Ilfracombe Blackall Blackall

Barcaldine is a town in Queensland, Australia. It is the main town in the Barcaldine Region. Barcaldine is famous for its important role in the history of workers' rights in Australia. In 2021, about 1,540 people lived there.

Geography of Barcaldine

Barcaldine is about 520 kilometres (320 miles) west of Rockhampton. The town is built near Lagoon Creek, which flows into the Alice River. This river is about five kilometres south of Barcaldine.

The main jobs in the area are raising sheep and beef cattle. A fun fact about Barcaldine is that its streets are named after different types of trees!

History of Barcaldine

The town got its name from a sheep farm called Barcaldine Downs. This farm was started in 1863 by Donald Cameron. His family had a property in Scotland also named Barcaldine.

The Barcaldine Post Office opened on 13 November 1886. The Barcaldine State School opened on 4 July 1887.

Workers' Rights Movement

Barcaldine played a very important part in the history of workers' rights in Australia. It was also a key place where the Australian Labor Party began.

In 1891, Barcaldine was a main spot for the 1891 Australian shearers' strike. This was a big protest by sheep shearers who wanted better pay and working conditions. The Eureka Flag, a symbol of rebellion, flew over the strike camp.

The famous Tree of Knowledge stood outside the railway station. The striking workers used to meet under this tree. Sadly, in 2006, someone poisoned the tree, and it died.

One of the first May Day marches in the world happened in Barcaldine on 1 May 1891. May Day is a day to celebrate workers. Reports said that 1,340 men took part, and 618 of them rode horses. They carried banners from different worker groups. The leaders wore blue sashes, and the Eureka Flag was carried.

On 9 September 1892, a very important document called the Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party was read out under the Tree of Knowledge. This document helped create the Australian Labor Party. Today, the State Library of Queensland keeps this manifesto. It is so important that it has been added to UNESCO's Memory of the World lists.

The Australian Workers Heritage Centre opened in Barcaldine in 1991. It is a museum that celebrates the history of Australian workers.

Local Government in Barcaldine

Barcaldine War Memorial, 1928

In 1892, the local government area of Barcaldine Division was created. Since then, Barcaldine has been the main place for local government in the area. The local council is now called the Barcaldine Regional Council. The council meetings are held in a special building called the shire hall. The current shire hall was opened in 1912 and is still used today.

Warm Mineral Waters

Barcaldine has artesian water, which is water that comes from deep underground. This water is full of minerals. In 1907, a swimming pool was built using this artesian water. People also used the water for special baths and showers, hoping it would help their health.

For a while, Barcaldine was promoted as a "spa town," a place where people go to relax and use mineral waters for health. However, doctors later started to doubt the benefits of mineral waters. So, interest in "taking the waters" slowly went down.

War Memorial

The Barcaldine War Memorial was officially opened on 21 May 1924. The Governor of Queensland, Matthew Nathan, was there for the event.

Climate

Barcaldine has a warm climate. The average high temperature for the year is about 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). The average low temperature is about 16 degrees Celsius (61 degrees Fahrenheit). The town gets about 500 millimetres (20 inches) of rain each year.

Education in Barcaldine

Barcaldine has a few schools:

• Barcaldine Prep-12 State School is a government school for all ages, from the youngest students (Prep) up to Year 12. It teaches both boys and girls.
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary school for students from Prep to Year 6.
• Wanpa-rda Matilda Outback Education Centre is a special centre for outdoor and environmental education.

Media and Communications

Barcaldine has one local commercial radio station, West FM, on 100.9 FM. You can also watch many TV channels in Barcaldine, including ABC TV, Seven Network, Nine Network, Network Ten, and SBS.

Things to Do and See

Barcaldine has many places for fun and learning:

• There are clubs for bowls and tennis.
• A combined racecourse and showground is near the golf course.
• You can visit the Barcaldine and District Historical Museum to learn about the town's past.
• There is a swimming pool and a visitor information centre.
• The Barcaldine Regional Council runs a library at 71 Ash Street.
• The Barcaldine branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms at 5 Maple Street.
• The Barcaldine Uniting Church is at 7-9 Maple Street.

Main Attractions

The most popular attractions in Barcaldine include:

• The famous Tree of Knowledge.
• The Australian Workers Heritage Centre, which tells the story of Australian workers.
• The Barcaldine and District Historical Museum.

Images for kids

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  Tree of Knowledge marker in Barcaldine

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  The Tree of Knowledge, 1997

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  St Peter's Anglican Church, 2010