Roma, Queensland
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Roma is a rural town and
locality Locality may refer to: * Locality (association), an association of community regeneration organizations in England * Locality (linguistics) * Locality (settlement) * Suburbs and localities (Australia), in which a locality is a geographic subdivis ...
in the
Maranoa Region Maranoa Region is a local government area in South West Queensland, Australia. The town of Roma is the administrative headquarters of the region. History The Gunggari language region of South West Queensland includes the landscape within the ...
,
Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...
, Australia. It is the administrative centre of the
Maranoa Region Maranoa Region is a local government area in South West Queensland, Australia. The town of Roma is the administrative headquarters of the region. History The Gunggari language region of South West Queensland includes the landscape within the ...
. The town was incorporated in 1867 and is named after Lady
Diamantina Bowen Diamantina, Lady Bowen (; 1832/1833–1893), was a noble from the formerly Venetian Ionian Islands who became the wife of Sir George Bowen, the first Governor of Queensland. Personal life The '' Contessa'' Diamantina di Roma was born in 183 ...
(née di Roma), the wife of Sir
George Bowen Sir George Ferguson Bowen (; 2 November 1821 – 21 February 1899), was an Irish author and colonial administrator whose appointments included postings to the Ionian Islands, Queensland, New Zealand, Victoria, Mauritius and Hong Kong.R. B. Joy ...
, the
Governor of Queensland The governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the monarch of Australia. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia at the national level, the governor Governors of the Australian states, performs c ...
at the time. In the , the locality of Roma had a population of 6,848 people.


Geography

Roma is in the Maranoa district of
South West Queensland South West Queensland is a remote region in the Australian state of Queensland which covers . The region lies to the south of Central West Queensland and west of the Darling Downs and includes the Maranoa district and parts of the Channel Coun ...
, Australia, situated * by rail and road WNW of
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
* 355 km (221 mi) W of
Toowoomba Toowoomba ( , nicknamed 'The Garden City' and 'T-Bar') is a city in the Toowoomba Region of the Darling Downs, Queensland, Australia. It is west of Queensland's capital city Brisbane by road. The urban population of Toowoomba as of the 2021 C ...
, * 269 km (167 mi) W of Dalby * 141 km (87.6 mi) W of Miles * 87 km (54 mi) E of
Mitchell Mitchell may refer to: People *Mitchell (surname) *Mitchell (given name) Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate * Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst * Mitchell, Northern Territo ...
* 176.6 km (109.7 mi) E of Morven * 266 km (165 mi) E of
Charleville Charleville can refer to: Australia * Charleville, Queensland, a town in Australia **Charleville railway station, Queensland France * Charleville, Marne, a commune in Marne, France *Charleville-Mézières, a commune in Ardennes, France ** ...
It is situated at the junction of the Warrego and Carnarvon highways. It is the centre of a rich pastoral and wheat-growing district. It is also a major town on the Western Railway Line from
Toowoomba Toowoomba ( , nicknamed 'The Garden City' and 'T-Bar') is a city in the Toowoomba Region of the Darling Downs, Queensland, Australia. It is west of Queensland's capital city Brisbane by road. The urban population of Toowoomba as of the 2021 C ...
and
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
.


History

Prior the European settlement the Aboriginal peoples of the
Mandandanji The Mandandanyi are an indigenous Australian people of Queensland. Country The Mandandanji owned of tribal territory, which took in the Maranoa and Balonne rivers north of St. George. Their western extension reached as far Bollon and Wallam ...
Nation occupied this region.
Mandandanji The Mandandanyi are an indigenous Australian people of Queensland. Country The Mandandanji owned of tribal territory, which took in the Maranoa and Balonne rivers north of St. George. Their western extension reached as far Bollon and Wallam ...
(also known as Mandandanyi, Mandandanjdji, Kogai) is an
Australian Aboriginal language The Indigenous languages of Australia number in the hundreds, the precise number being quite uncertain, although there is a range of estimates from a minimum of around 250 (using the technical definition of 'language' as non-mutually intellig ...
spoken by the Mandandanji people. The Mandandanji language region is within the local government boundaries of the
Maranoa Region Maranoa Region is a local government area in South West Queensland, Australia. The town of Roma is the administrative headquarters of the region. History The Gunggari language region of South West Queensland includes the landscape within the ...
, particularly Roma,
Yuleba Yuleba ( ) is a rural town and locality in the Maranoa Region, in the south-west of Queensland, Australia. In the , Yuleba had a population of 207 people. Geography Yuleba is located 327 kilometres (203 mi) east of Charleville, 61 kilometres ( ...
and
Surat Surat is a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The word Surat literally means ''face'' in Gujarati and Hindi. Located on the banks of the river Tapti near its confluence with the Arabian Sea, it used to be a large seaport. It is now ...
, then east towards
Chinchilla Chinchillas are either of two species (''Chinchilla chinchilla'' and ''Chinchilla lanigera'') of crepuscular rodents of the parvorder Caviomorpha. They are slightly larger and more robust than ground squirrels, and are native to the Andes mount ...
and south-west towards
Mitchell Mitchell may refer to: People *Mitchell (surname) *Mitchell (given name) Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate * Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst * Mitchell, Northern Territo ...
and St George. Roma was named after Lady
Diamantina Bowen Diamantina, Lady Bowen (; 1832/1833–1893), was a noble from the formerly Venetian Ionian Islands who became the wife of Sir George Bowen, the first Governor of Queensland. Personal life The '' Contessa'' Diamantina di Roma was born in 183 ...
(Contessa Diamantina di Roma), wife of the first
Governor of Queensland The governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the monarch of Australia. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia at the national level, the governor Governors of the Australian states, performs c ...
,
George Bowen Sir George Ferguson Bowen (; 2 November 1821 – 21 February 1899), was an Irish author and colonial administrator whose appointments included postings to the Ionian Islands, Queensland, New Zealand, Victoria, Mauritius and Hong Kong.R. B. Joy ...
. In 1863 Samuel Symons Bassett brought Queensland's vine cuttings to Roma and established the Romavilla Winery in 1866 on
Bungil Creek The Bungil Creek, part of the Balonne catchment within the Murray-Darling basin, is a perennial stream located in South West Queensland, Australia. Course and features The headwaters of the creek rise on the south-western slopes of the Great ...
north of Roma. In 1864 Reverend Adam McIntyre of the Free Church of Scotland commenced services at pastoral stations in the Maranoa district with the intention that he would be established as a permanent minister in Roma. However, on 22 May 1866 he died at Brucedale pastoral station on Bungil Creek south-east of Roma (), now in Tingun .
Captain Starlight Frank Pearson (1837–22 December 1899) was an Australian bushranger, operating under the pseudonym ''Captain Starlight.'' Pearson claimed he was the inspiration for a fictional figure of the same pseudonym: the character Captain Starlight in ...
, a cattle rustler, was tried and acquitted in the Roma Courthouse in February 1873. No successful conviction for cattle rustling has been made in Roma. Roma State School, the first school in Roma, opened on 21 March 1870 and closed on 31 December 1986. St John's School was established by the
Sisters of Mercy The Sisters of Mercy is a religious institute of Catholic women founded in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland, by Catherine McAuley. As of 2019, the institute had about 6200 sisters worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations. They a ...
in 1881. Roma was the site of Australia's first oil and gas discoveries. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Roma was the location of RAAF No.22 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot (IAFD), completed in 1942 and closed on 29 August 1944. Usually consisting of 4 tanks, 31 fuel depots were built across Australia for the storage and supply of aircraft fuel for the
RAAF "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
and the
US Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
at a total cost of £900,000 ($1,800,000). Roma Special School opened on 25 January 1982 and closed on 31 December 1995. In 2004, Roma had a low unemployment rate of 2.9%, which is among the lowest unemployment rates in Australia. 68.5% of the people in the labour force living in Roma were employed full-time, with 21.9% working on a part-time basis. The Roma State College opened on 1 January 2006 as an amalgamation of Roma Junior School and Roma Middle School, and the addition of a new senior component. In 2010, a Santos project study investigated the possibility of introducing treated CSG produce water into Roma's existing underground aquifer which supplies the town's water needs, including drinking water The Roma Managed Aquifer Recharge Study is the first of its kind in Australia. It is also considered experimental in nature as the risks are largely unknown. The Roma CSG Field pilot trial (Hermitage) Stage 4 is in operation (Completed Q4 2012) and Roma CSG Field (The Bend) Stage 4 operation is due to commence Q3/Q4 2014. The project will allow for the injection of up to 24 ML/d of treated coal seam gas water into the Gubberamunda Sandstone aquifer for up to 20 years. Water bores have been shut down and hence been restarted at nearby Wallumbilla due to
methane Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The relative abundance of methane on Eart ...
being detected in the Gubberamunda Sandstone aquifer (2014). In the , the locality of Roma had a population of 6,848 people.


Heritage listings

Roma has a number of
heritage-listed This list is of heritage registers, inventories of cultural properties, natural and man-made, tangible and intangible, movable and immovable, that are deemed to be of sufficient heritage value to be separately identified and recorded. In many ...
sites, including: * 75 Arthur Street: State Butchers Shop * 42 Bungil Street: Roma Government Complex (former Roma State School) * 38–44 Hawthorne Street: Hibernian Hall * McDowall Street: Roma Court House and Police Buildings * 86 McDowell Street:
Hunter's Emporium Hunter's Emporium is a heritage-listed former department store at 86 McDowell Street, Roma, Queensland, Roma, Maranoa Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed and built in 1916 by John Hill (Australian architect), John Hill. It was added ...
* 77 Northern Road: Romavilla Winery * Warrego Highway, Bungeworgorai:
Mount Abundance Homestead Mount Abundance Homestead is a heritage-listed homestead on the Warrego Highway, Bungil near Roma, Maranoa Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from to 1923. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. Hist ...
* Wyndham Street: War Memorial and Heroes Avenue


Climate

Roma experiences a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
( Köppen: ''Cfa'', Trewartha: ''Cfal''); with hot summers with moderate rains; warm to hot, relatively dry springs and autumns; and mild, dry winters. Its location on the far south of the
Carnarvon Range The Carnarvon Range is a mountain range in Central Queensland, Australia. It is a plateau section of the Great Dividing Range. The Carnarvon Range is 160 km in length. Geography North eastern parts of the range have formed a plateau kno ...
at an elevation of 299 metres above sea level means that it is cooler and wetter than the plains to the south and west, while being warmer and drier than areas to the north and east, and also receives enough precipitation to avoid being classified as a
semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
. Temperatures in Roma range from 34 °C in summer to 20 °C in winter and winter minimums can drop below
freezing Freezing is a phase transition where a liquid turns into a solid when its temperature is lowered below its freezing point. In accordance with the internationally established definition, freezing means the solidification phase change of a liquid o ...
; however, it seldom gets colder than −3 °C. Rainfall is mild and distributed fairly evenly throughout the year, with an annual average of 587.9 mm (23.15 in), however it peaks in summer due to frequent showers and
thunderstorms A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are somet ...
. Roma is usually too far inland to experience the influence of
tropical cyclones A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Dependi ...
and monsoonal rain depressions, however there are exceptions, and these systems have caused significant flooding in the town. Extremes have ranged from 45.8 °C (115.2 °F) to −5.8 °C (23.4 °F).


Flooding

The town is situated on
Bungil Creek The Bungil Creek, part of the Balonne catchment within the Murray-Darling basin, is a perennial stream located in South West Queensland, Australia. Course and features The headwaters of the creek rise on the south-western slopes of the Great ...
, a tributary of the
Condamine River The Condamine River, part of the Balonne River, Balonne catchment that is part of the Murray-Darling Basin, drains the northern portion of the Darling Downs, an area of sub-coastal southern Queensland, Australia. The river is approximately 500 k ...
. In March 2010, Roma experienced its worst floods in over 100 years. Flooding also occurred in April 2011, a year of record rainfall in Roma. In early February 2012, Roma was devastated by its worst floods in history, eclipsing the level reached in 2010; 444 homes were inundated, twice as many that were flooded in the two previous years. Having experienced three successive years of flooding, in May 2012, one insurer,
Suncorp Suncorp Group Limited is an Australian finance, insurance, and banking corporation based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is one of Australia's mid-size banks (by combined lending and deposits) and its largest general insurance group, fo ...
, announced it would not issue new policies to Roma residents, unless action was taken to mitigate the flood risk in Roma.


Industry and economy

Roma is the major provisional centre for the Maranoa District, South West Queensland for government and industry business. It is on the western fringe of the
Surat Basin The Surat Basin is a geological basin in eastern Australia. It is part of the Great Artesian Basin drainage basin of Australia. The Surat Basin extends across an area of 270,000 square kilometres and the southern third of the basin occupies a lar ...
energy / resources boom.


Agriculture

The Maranoa's agriculture industry is worth approximately $620 million annually, 64.3% being generated from crops. 58.7% of businesses in the Maranoa are in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector, which employs 32.7% of the region's workforce. 2005 was a record year for Roma saleyards processing 390,000 head of cattle. Roma is home to the largest store cattle saleyards in the Southern Hemisphere. Saledays are Tuesday (for the big sales) and Thursday (for the fat cattle) Forestry plantations include
Hardwood Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. Hardwood (which comes from ...
and
Cypress Pine Cypress-pine is the common name used for three closely related genera of conifers in the cypress family Cupressaceae: *'' Callitris'' (Australia) *'' Actinostrobus'' (Australia) *''Widdringtonia ''Widdringtonia'' is a genus of coniferous tree ...
s. Roma and the Maranoa region is home to Australia's most active native Cypress Pine sawmilling.


Oil and Gas

In 1906 natural gas was used for lighting in Roma. The industry has expanded as more reserves were discovered.
Origin Energy Origin Energy an ASX listed public company with headquarters in Sydney. It is a major integrated electricity generator, and electricity and natural gas retailer. It operates Australia’s largest coal-fired power station at Lake Macquarie, Ne ...
's Spring Gully Coal Seam Gas Development is about north of Roma and its projects include an gas pipeline to Roma's neighbour town of Wallumbilla to connect with the Roma to Brisbane Pipeline hub there. Origin Energy is proposing Spring Gully Power Station as an $870 Million, 1,000 MW power station that will provide electricity to South-East Queensland. With a base at the Spring Gully CSG site, the power station will have the benefit of being close to the source of gas and able to use the waste-water left over from the other CSG operations. Santos GLNG is developing CSG fields in the district and is undertaking the project on behalf of a joint venture arrangement with
Santos Limited Santos Ltd. (South Australia Northern Territory Oil Search) is an Australian oil and gas exploration and production company, with its headquarters in Adelaide, South Australia. It owns liquefied natural gas (LNG), pipeline gas, and oil assets. ...
, Petroliam Nasional Berhad,
TotalEnergies TotalEnergies SE is a French Multinational corporation, multinational integrated energy and List of oil exploration and production companies, petroleum company founded in 1924 and one of the seven Big Oil, supermajor oil companies. Its businesses ...
and
Korea Gas Corporation Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) is a South Korean public natural gas company that was established by the Korean government in 1983. KOGAS has grown into the largest LNG-importing company in the world and operates four LNG regasification terminal ...
. The projects are spatially intensive and include production and monitoring wells, underground gas storage, injection wells, fixed above-ground gas field facilities, water management infrastructure, and above and below-ground gas and water pipelines.


Water

Bore water for the town is obtained from the
Artesian Basin An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing groundwater under positive pressure. An artesian aquifer has trapped water, surrounded by layers of impermeable rock or clay, which apply positive pressure to the water contained within th ...
.


Media

Various LPON Narrowcast Services are also available on on 87.6 FM (United Christian Broadcasters) 88.0 FM (R FM) 87.8 FM (Switch Gold) with 95.9 FM (Switch FM) also available on higher power around the town's CBD. 4ZR is Roma's local radio station, broadcasting on 1476 AM. It is operated by
Resonate Broadcasting Resonate Broadcasting is an Australian media company, operating radio stations across various centres across regional Queensland, as well as Hawaii. Formed in 2008, it currently operates 16 radio stations across Australia and the United States. ...
who also operates
4VL 4VL is a radio station in Charleville, Queensland, Australia. It is owned by Resonate Radio along with other sister stations around Queensland. This company is owned by Rex Morris, Guy Dobson, Sally Dobson The 4VL building located on Wills Str ...
in
Charleville Charleville can refer to: Australia * Charleville, Queensland, a town in Australia **Charleville railway station, Queensland France * Charleville, Marne, a commune in Marne, France *Charleville-Mézières, a commune in Ardennes, France ** ...
and 4LG in
Longreach Longreach is a town and a locality in the Longreach Region, Queensland, Australia. It is the administrative centre of the Longreach Regional Council, which was established in 2008 as a merger of the former Longreach, Ilfracombe, and Isisford ...
.
Hit 95.1 Maranoa
(part of the
Southern Cross Austereo Southern Cross Media Group Limited, doing business as Southern Cross Austereo, is an Australian media company which operates broadcast radio and television stations. It is the largest radio broadcaster in Australia, operating 86 radio stati ...
- operate
Hit Radio Network
is Roma's main FM Radio Station, broadcasting on 95.1 FM '' The Western Star'' is Roma's local newspaper.
ABQ ABC Television in Brisbane comprises national programming on the ABC television network in or from Brisbane, Queensland which broadcasts on a number of channels under the ABC call sign. There is some local programming from the Brisbane studio ...
transmits to Roma through its relay station ABRAQ-2 at 26°34′20″S 148°51′1″E (Timbury Hills Transmitter site).
Network Ten Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...
and its sister channels 10 Bold and 10 Peach transmits to Roma through its regional area affiliate, CDT. The
Nine Network The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...
and its sister channels
9Go! 9Go! is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel, which was launched by the Nine Network on 9 August 2009, replacing Nine Guide. It is a youthful channel that offers a mix of comedy, reality, general entertainment, movies, anim ...
and
9Gem 9Gem is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel, launched by the Nine Network in September 2010. The channel provides general entertainment and movie programming, from which the original name "GEM" is derived. History Nine N ...
transmits to Roma through its regional area affiliate,
IMP IMP or imp may refer to: * Imp, a fantasy creature Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Imp (She-Ra), a character in ''She-Ra: Princess of Power'' * Imp a character in '' Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony'' * Imp, a character in the '' Cl ...
. The
Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...
and its sister channels 7two and
7mate 7mate is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel, which was launched by the Seven Network on 25 September 2010. The channel contains sport and regular programs aimed primarily to a male audience, with programming drawn from a c ...
transmits to Roma through its remote area affiliate, ITQ. The
Special Broadcasting Service The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is an Australian hybrid-funded public service broadcaster. About 80 percent of funding for the company is derived from the Australian Government. SBS operates six TV channels ( SBS, SBS Viceland, SBS World ...
and its sister channels transmits to Roma.


Education

Roma State College is a government primary and secondary (Early Childhood-12) school for boys and girls (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 871 students (including students from Wallumbilla, Yuleba, Muckadilla, Amby and Surat) with 86 teachers (76 full-time equivalent) and 59 non-teaching staff (45 full-time equivalent). The college operates from three separate campuses: * Junior Campus at 28 Bowen Street () * Middle Campus at Cottell Street () * Senior Campus at Timbury Street () A
special education Special education (known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, or SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates th ...
program (certified through the
National Disability Insurance Scheme The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a scheme of the Australian Government that funds costs associated with disability. The scheme was legislated in 2013 and went into full operation in 2020. The scheme is administered by the Na ...
) embracing the full range of disabilities is available at all three campuses. St John's School is a Roman Catholic primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at Bowen Street (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 697 students with 61 teachers (55 full-time equivalent) and 27 non-teaching staff (19 full-time equivalent).


Amenities

Hotels, pubs, and churches feature prominently near the centre of town. The ten hotels are within easy walking distance with most adjacent to another hotel. St Paul's Anglican Church which is part of the
Anglican Diocese of Brisbane The Anglican Diocese of Brisbane, also known as Anglican Church Southern Queensland, is based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The diocesan bishop's seat is at St John's Cathedral, Brisbane. The diocese stretches from the south-eastern coastl ...
, is a copy of a 13th Century English Church in the shape of crucifix. Roma Uniting Church is at 48-50 Bungil Road (). The Roma Lutheran congregation holds their services at the Uniting Church. The Roma Public Library is situated with the Roma Community Arts Centre located at 38-44 Hawthorne Street and is part of the Maranoa Regional Council Library Service. The Maranoa Regional Council Library Service is part of the
Rural Libraries Queensland The State Library of Queensland is the main reference and research library provided to the people of the State of Queensland, Australia, by the state government. Its legislative basis is provided by the Queensland Libraries Act 1988. It contain ...
service with online resources and library collections found at the Rural Libraries Queensland website. Public WiFi is provided via a ISDN High Speed Internet Connection to Brisbane (powered through the
National Broadband Network The National Broadband Network (NBN) is an Australian national wholesale open-access data network. It includes wired and radio communication components rolled out and operated by NBN Co, a Government-owned corporation. Internet service provide ...
). The Roma branch of the
Queensland Country Women's Association The Queensland Country Women's Association (QCWA) is the Queensland chapter of the Country Women's Association in Australia. The association seeks to serve the interests of women and children in rural areas in Australia through a network of loca ...
has its rooms at 57 Arthur Street. The town is well serviced by four Caravan Parks, the Villa Holiday Park, the Big Rig Tourist Park, the Roma Clay Target Club Caravan Park, and the Ups N Downs Caravan Park. The
Roma Airport Roma Airport is an airport located northwest of Roma, Queensland, Australia. The airport underwent a major redevelopment completed in April 2012, replacing the original A.T. Berry Terminal with a larger, modern facility. Much of the $14 milli ...
has regular flights from Brisbane. Roma has a range other facilities open to the general public. These include a swimming pool, golf course, bowling green, Bassett Park showground, visitor information centre and a number of sporting clubs and civic facilities.


Sport

'Cities' is a rugby league team that plays in the Roma and District rugby league football competition. Both their B grade and A grade sides recently enjoy back to back premierships with the a grade side winning undefeated in 2017,
Darren Lockyer Darren James Lockyer (born 24 March 1977) is an Australian television commentator and former professional rugby league footballer. Lockyer was an Australian international and Queensland State representative captain, who played his entire profes ...
was once captain of this team, and it was in this team that he was then scouted for the
Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite com ...
. The 'Roma Tomatoes' mixed-gender Touch Rugby team was founded in 2009. Roma has a
rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
team which compete in the Darling Downs Rugby Union competition, against such teams as the University of Southern Queensland Rugby Union Club, Toowoomba Rangers Rugby Union Club, Toowoomba City Rugby Club, Roma Echidnas, the Condamine Cods, the Dalby Wheatmen, the Goondiwindi Emus, the Warwick Water Rats and the University of Queensland Rugby Union Club (Gatton Campus).


Attractions

Local tourist attractions include the Big Rig and Oil and Gas Museum, Romavilla Winery and Roma Saleyards. The winery is the oldest in Queensland. Roma is also known for its bottle trees. With a girth of 9.51 metres, one specific bottle in Edwardes Street is promoted as one of Roma's tourist attractions.


Events

Since 1977, Roma has hosted an annual 'Easter in the Country' event. The annual Roma Show is held in May.Hancock, Molly (14 May 2018
Celebrating 132 great years of Roma Show
, '' The Western Star''. Retrieved 16 December 2019.


Notable people

* Samuel Symons Bassett, established the Romavilla Winery * Arthur Beetson, Australian rugby league captain and an "Immortal" *
Willie Carne William Carne (born 23 January 1969) is an Australian former rugby footballer who played rugby league for the Brisbane Broncos from 1990 to 1996, as well as representing both Queensland and Australia and rugby union for the Queensland Reds. An a ...
, Australian rugby league international *
Albert Fuller Ellis Sir Albert Fuller Ellis (28 August 1869 – 11 July 1951) was a prospector in the Pacific. He discovered phosphate deposits on the Pacific islands of Nauru and Banaba (Ocean Island) in 1900. He was the British Phosphate Commissioner for New Ze ...
, phosphate prospector * Malcolm Farr, Political journalist and commentator *
Wally Fullerton-Smith Wally John Fullerton-Smith (born 9 July 1960) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative back-rower, he played club f ...
, Australian rugby league international
Arthur 'Nat' Gould
military aviator *
A. M. Hertzberg Adolphus Marcus Hertzberg (11 June 1852 – 11 December 1917) was a businessman in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. History Hertzberg emigrated from Prussia to Australia at age 14 or 16, and remained in Queensland the rest of his life, in Roma, Q ...
, businessman and mayor *
Ray Higgs Ray Higgs (born 1950) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s. An Australian international and Queensland representative forward, he played club football in the NSWRFL Premiership with Sydney's Parramatta Eels ...
, Australian rugby league international * Patrick Holland, novelist *
Darren Lockyer Darren James Lockyer (born 24 March 1977) is an Australian television commentator and former professional rugby league footballer. Lockyer was an Australian international and Queensland State representative captain, who played his entire profes ...
, Australian rugby league legend. Three - Time NRL Premiership winning Captain of the
Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite com ...
and Kangaroos captain * Fabian "Fabe" McCarthy, Australian rugby union international *
Ray Meagher Raymond Francis Meagher (born 4 July 1944) is an Australian actor, who has appeared in Australian film and television since the mid-1970s. He is notable as the longest continuing performer in an Australian television role, portraying Alf Stewa ...
, actor, and amateur rugby player *
Wilson D. Miscamble, C.S.C. Wilson may refer to: People *Wilson (name) ** List of people with given name Wilson ** List of people with surname Wilson * Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender *Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Rodr ...
, historian, professor at the University of Notre Dame * Bruce Scott, politician *
Brent Tate Brent Tate (born 3 March 1982) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a or er in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australia international and Queensland State of Origin representative, he played his club football in ...
, Australian rugby league international * Robin Thorne, Australian rugby league player


See also

*
Roma Airport Roma Airport is an airport located northwest of Roma, Queensland, Australia. The airport underwent a major redevelopment completed in April 2012, replacing the original A.T. Berry Terminal with a larger, modern facility. Much of the $14 milli ...
*
Roma Power Station The Roma Power Station is a peaking power station in Roma, South West Queensland, Australia. It has a maximum capacity of 80 megawatts. Operations began 3 June 1999. Old power station The connection of local natural gas suppliers to the old pow ...
* Hospital Hill fire


References


External links

* * Town maps
east
an
west

Queensland Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines
(map)
Queensland Gas Transmission and Distribution
(government department of energy) * {{authority control Maranoa Region Populated places established in 1867 1867 establishments in Australia Localities in Queensland