Wallangarra, Queensland

Wallangarra Queensland
Border "gates" at Wallangarra
Wallangarra
Coordinates	28°55′10″S 151°55′57″E / 28.9194°S 151.9325°E / -28.9194; 151.9325 (Wallangarra (town centre))
Population	440 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	11.92/km2 (30.9/sq mi)
Established	1885
Postcode(s)	4383
Elevation	878 m (2,881 ft)
Area	36.9 km2 (14.2 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)	Southern Downs Region
County	Bentinck
Parish	Tenterfield
State electorate(s)	Southern Downs
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 20.8 °C 69 °F 8.6 °C 47 °F 781.0 mm 30.7 in
Localities around Wallangarra: Ballandean Wyberba Girraween Ballandean Wallangarra Jennings (NSW) Ballandean Tarban (NSW) Jennings (NSW)

Wallangarra is a rural town and locality in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia on the border with New South Wales.^[2][3] It is the third-most southerly town in Queensland, 258 kilometres (160 mi) south west of Brisbane. Wallangarra is on the Queensland side of the border and Jennings is on the New South Wales side.^[4]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Wallangarra had a population of 440 people.^[1]

In 1885, the Queensland Government announced that a town would be formed where the railway line between Queensland and New South Wales would meet. On 29 June 1885, 179 lots were offered for sale at £8 per acre (£20/ha).^[5] The town would provide a break-of-gauge between Queensland's narrow gauge Southern railway line of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) and New South Wales's standard gauge Main North railway line of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) when the two systems came together in 1888.^[6] Two railway stations were created within the area. One was named Wallan-garra railway station (28°55′23″S 151°55′55″E / 28.9231°S 151.9319°E / -28.9231; 151.9319 (Wallangarra railway station))^[7][8] and the town took its name from the station but used the spelling Wallangarra (with most people using the same spelling for the railway station).^[9] Bald Mountain railway station (28°53′48″S 151°54′51″E / 28.8966°S 151.9143°E / -28.8966; 151.9143 (Bald Mountain railway station)) was the other railway station and is now abandoned.^[8]

Wallangarra Provisional School opened on 13 February 1888. On 1 January 1909, it became Wallangarra State School.^[10]

On 28 January 1919, the Queensland Government placed restrictions on the border crossing at Wallangarra to prevent the spread of the Spanish flu into Queensland, which were enforced by the Queensland Police. A medical screening process was used to determine if Queensland residents could safely return to the state.^[11]

The railway was the only rail link between Queensland and New South Wales until a standard gauge track was completed via Kyogle in 1930, with the completion of the bridge over the Clarence River at Grafton. From that time on, the Wallangarra railway station lessened in importance. Scheduled rail services ended in 1997.^[12] In 2003, after major refurbishment, the station was reopened as a museum. The railway line from Stanthorpe to Wallangarra has continued to be maintained and steam trains taking tourists to Wallangarra occasionally operate.

The Anderson Meat Packing Company was restarted by Mr. A.W. Anderson in 1938 after a 15-month closure.^[13][14] Until 1982 it operated a large beef abattoir at Wallangarra. Anderson's employed in excess of 400 workers at the Wallangarra plant.^[15] The plant was located on the border so as to take advantage of rail lines from both Queensland and NSW.^{[citation needed]}

During World War II, the Commonwealth Government created a general army store on the Queensland side of the border, and an ammunition dump on the New South Wales side. Dual gauge tracks were run to each store.^{[citation needed]} Access to the army stores was via Margetts St, one of the main roads in the town. The late Muriel Daphne Verdun Nicolson lived at 30 Margetts St from before WWII until her death in 2001. During WWII she reported that the flow of trucks and materiel went on all day and night.^{[citation needed]}

Wallangarra Cemetery was established in 1953.^[16]

On 12 September 1964, St Gabrielle's Anglican Church was dedicated by Bishop John Hudson. Its closure circa 2013 was approved by Bishop Robert Nolan.^[17] The church building was sold into private ownership for $210,000 in October 2014, but remains at 54 Merinda Street (28°55′19″S 151°55′51″E / 28.9219°S 151.9308°E / -28.9219; 151.9308 (St Gabrielle's Anglican Church (former))).^{[18][19][20][21]}

Taking advantage of the rail junction Riverina Stock Feeds operated a packing plant opposite the Wallangarra railway station for many years until 1995. After that it moved to Warwick, a city 100 kilometres (62 mi) to the north. Warwick also has a major Woolworths warehouse. The Chairman of Woolworths who located the warehouse at Warwick grew up in Wallangarra.^{[citation needed]}

Circa 2005, Thomas Foods International opened Australia's largest mutton works opened on a new site just to the east of the town. The mutton produced is Halal, and most of it is exported to Arab countries. The abattoir shut down in July 2016 for "the short to medium term" blaming low stock numbers and poor global trading conditions.^[22][23]

Wallangarra lies in a valley between two ranges of mountains, which are branches of the Great Dividing Range. It is 878 m (2,881 ft) above sea level. There is a gap between the more Westerly range at Wyberba, about five kilometres north of Wallangarra. This gap has made Wallangarra the major inland border crossing for the New England Highway and what was the first railway line between Brisbane and Sydney. It is situated on the northern periphery of the New England Peppermint Grassy Woodland.

Wallangarra is the coldest town by mean maximum temperature in Queensland, due to its altitude and extreme southern location in the state. Maximum temperatures average 13.9 °C (57 °F) in winter and 26.6 °C (80 °F) in summer. Wallangarra holds the record for the lowest maximum temperature in Queensland, 2.4 °C (36 °F) on 3 July 1984.^[24] However due to its exposed location, minimum temperatures are not particularly low; towns of significantly lower altitude such as Warwick and Oakey frequently record lower minima, and especially Stanthorpe of similar altitude but much flatter topography − which in turn causes warmer daytime temperatures and less snowfall compared to Wallangarra.

In the 2006 census, the town of Wallangarra had a population of 385.^[25]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Wallangarra had a population of 468 people.^[26]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Wallangarra had a population of 440 people.^[1]

Wallangarra has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Woodlawn Street: Wallangarra railway station^[27]

As of 2013, the Wallangarra Stores Depot remains a major Australian Army logistics facility. It is used to store a wide range of engineering and general equipment, clothing, and tents. Bulk fuel storage handling apparatus are also held at the site.^[28] The munitions storage facility is also still active in Jennings.^[29]

Wallangarra State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 50 Callandoon Street (28°55′06″S 151°55′53″E / 28.9184°S 151.9313°E / -28.9184; 151.9313 (Wallangarra State School)).^[30][31] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 76 students with 4 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 6 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).^[32]

There is no secondary school in Wallangarra. The nearest government secondary school is Stanthorpe State High School in Stanthorpe to the north-east.^[4]

The Wallangarra Cemetery is in McCall Street (28°55′08″S 151°55′22″E / 28.9188°S 151.9227°E / -28.9188; 151.9227 (Wallangarra Cemetery)).^[16]

The Wallangarra branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms at 52 Rockwell Street.^[33]

Wallangarra Union Church is at 42 Rockwell Street (28°55′09″S 151°55′58″E / 28.919089°S 151.9329°E / -28.919089; 151.9329 (Wallangarra Union church)).^[34][35]

Wallangarra is situated on the picturesque Granite Belt, and is bounded by Sundown National Park to the West and Girraween National Park to the East.

Beehive Dam is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north of the town. It is a popular fishing spot as it is stocked with golden perch, Murray cod and silver perch by the Jennings Wallangarra Fishing Club.^[36]

Rugby league legend Billy Moore lived in Wallangarra as a child. He is best known for playing for the North Sydney Bears and the Queensland State of Origin team. He was born in Tenterfield, New South Wales as this was the closest hospital.^[37]

• Moore, Dot (2013). Home on the pig’s back : a story of the Wallangarra Meatworks. Dot Moore for Wallangarra Jennings Progress & Arts. ISBN 9780646915241.

• "Wallangarra". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
• "Town map of Wallangarra". Queensland Government. 1970.