Population 1,217 (2006 census) Postcode(s) 4490 Founded 1868 Local time Tuesday 2:23 AM | Established 1868 Elevation 189 m Postal code 4490 | |
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Location 808 km (502 mi) W of Brisbane295 km (183 mi) W of St George200 km (124 mi) S of Charleville Weather 25°C, Wind NE at 11 km/h, 38% Humidity | ||
Cunnamulla /kʌnəˈmʌlə/ (Aboriginal meaning "long stretch of water") is a small town that lies on the Warrego River in South West Queensland, Australia, 206 kilometres (128 mi) south of Charleville, and approximately 750 kilometres (470 mi) west of the state capital, Brisbane.
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Map of Cunnamulla QLD 4490, Australia
Cunnamulla is situated at the intersection of the Mitchell Highway and the Balonne Highway. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 1,217.
Cunnamulla is the administrative centre for the Paroo Shire, which also includes the townships of Wyandra, Yowah and Eulo, and covers an area of 47,617 square kilometres (18,385 sq mi). Major industries of the area are wool, pig and kangaroo hunting, and the hospitality industry.
History
The area's first European explorer was Thomas Mitchell who passed through the region in 1846. A settlement arose here because there was a reliable waterhole where two major stock routes intersected. The town itself came into being in the late 19th century as a coach stop for Cobb and Co coaches. A town survey was conducted in 1868, the same year a courthouse was built. A railway to the town was completed in 1899. Cunnamulla Post Office opened on 1 March 1868.
In 1999 the Queensland Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Development reported that Cunnamulla's indigenous community suffered from a high level of domestic violence stemming from an over reliance by the police and the courts on punishment and detention to deal with Indigenous offenders.
It has also been stated that the very first interstate game of Rugby League (between New South Wales and Queensland) was played between Cunnamulla and Bourke.
Flooding
The town has experienced major flooding in 1990, 1997, 2010 and 2012. The 1990 flood set a record for the Warrego River at 10.15 metres (33 ft 4 in). In 2008, the Australian Defence Force was deployed to assist in flood preparations. An 11 m (36 ft) high levee protects the town.
Heritage listings
Cunnamulla has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Facilities
Cunnamulla has a Magistrates court, public library, public swimming pool, showground, racecourse, two museums and a tourist information centre. The town has two caravan parks, one at the Warrego Riverside and the other within the town boundaries.