Population 59 (2006 census) State electorate(s) Warrego Local time Friday 8:23 AM | Postcode(s) 4493 Postal code 4493 Federal division Division of Maranoa | |
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Location 1,140 km (708 mi) SW of Brisbane
202 km (126 mi) SW of Cunnamulla, Queensland
214 km (133 mi) NW of Bourke, New South Wales LGA(s) Shire of Bulloo
Shire of Paroo Weather 27°C, Wind SE at 16 km/h, 50% Humidity | ||
Hungerford is a town and locality in outback South West Queensland, Australia, immediately north of the border with New South Wales and the Dingo fence. At the 2006 census, Hungerford and the surrounding area had a population of 59.
Contents
Map of Hungerford QLD 4493, Australia
Geography
The locality is split between the Shire of Bulloo (western part) and the Shire of Paroo (eastern part). The town is located in the Shire of Bulloo immediately north of the border between Queensland and New South Wales.
Surrounding the town is the Currawinya National Park.
History
The town is named after Thomas Hungerford who once camped at the site. The town developed from a border customs post on a stock route alongside the Paroo River. In 1874, the first hotel in the opened and the following year the town was gazetted. For a number of years, before a proper survey was conducted the town was thought to be located in New South Wales.
Hungerford Post Office opened on 1 October 1880, was replaced by a New South Wales office in 1881, reopened in 1886 and closed by 1907, replaced the New South Wales office in 1941 and closed by 1985.
In 1892-3, Henry Lawson visited the town and wrote a short story named after it. In the story he wrote:
The town is right on the Queensland border, and an inter-provincial rabbit-proof fence -- with rabbits on both sides of it -- runs across the main street. ...
Hungerford consists of two houses and a humpy in New South Wales, and five houses in Queensland. Characteristically enough, both the pubs are in Queensland. We got a glass of sour yeast at one and paid six pence for it -- we had asked for English ale.
A Cobb & Co coach service to the town was stopped in 1904.
Hungerford Provisional School opened in 1892, becoming Hungerford State School in 1909. It closed in 1918, due to low attendance. It reopened in 1928, but low attendances caused it to close again in 1930. It was reopened a final time, this time located in the Bulloo Shire Hall, between 30 January and 11 December 1981.
Heritage listings
Hungerford has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: