Windorah is a town and a

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

Shire of Barcoo The Shire of Barcoo is a Local government in Australia, local government area in Central West Queensland, Australia. In June 2018, the shire had a population of 267 people. It covers an area of , and has existed as a local government entity sin ...

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 one of only three towns in the Shire of Barcoo in

Central West Queensland Central West Queensland is a remote region in the Australian state of Queensland which covers 396,650.2 km2. The region lies to the north of South West Queensland and south of the Gulf Country. It has a population of approximately 12,387 peo ...

. In the , Windorah had a population of 115 people.

Geography

Located downstream from where the

Thomson Thomson may refer to: Names * Thomson (surname), a list of people with this name and a description of its origin * Thomson baronets, four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Thomson Businesses and organizations * SGS-Thomson Mic ...

and

Barcoo River The Barcoo River in western Queensland, Australia rises on the northern slopes of the Warrego Range, flows in a south-westerly direction and unites with the Thomson River to form Cooper Creek. The first European to see the river was Thomas ...

s join to form the multi-channelled

Cooper Creek The Cooper Creek (formerly Cooper's Creek) is a river in the Australian states of Queensland and South Australia. It was the site of the death of the explorers Burke and Wills in 1861. It is sometimes known as the Barcoo River from one of its t ...

, the Shire covers an area of 60,901 km², the town has a population of 60 people, with a further 40 living at surrounding stations. A landscape of rocky outcrops, multiple sand hills and black soil flood plains make up most of the area surrounding the town. Water in the town follows the outback cycle of boom and bust. During a wet year Cooper Creek may flood more than a half a dozen times, during the dry it becomes a chain of waterholes. Downstream of the town stretches the

Cooper Floodplain below Windorah The Cooper Floodplain below Windorah comprises a 1741 km2 tract of floodplain of the Cooper Creek river system, below the town of Windorah, in the Channel Country of western Queensland, Australia. When inundated it is an important breeding ...

Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...

, identified as such by

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...

because of its importance for

waterbird A water bird, alternatively waterbird or aquatic bird, is a bird that lives on or around water. In some definitions, the term ''water bird'' is especially applied to birds in freshwater ecosystems, although others make no distinction from seabi ...

s when flooded.

History

Before the onset of white colonisation, the area near and east of Windorah was inhabited by the

Kulumali The Kulumali were an indigenous Australian people of the state of Queensland. Country Norman Tindale estimated that Kulumali territory occupied some centering on the area around Windorah anKyabra Creek People Very little is known of the Kulumali ...

. The town was founded on a

stock route A stock route, also known as travelling stock route (TSR), is an authorised thoroughfare for the walking of domestic livestock such as sheep or cattle from one location to another in Australia. The stock routes across the country are colloquially ...

and proclaimed in 1880.

Cobb & Co Cobb & Co was the name used by many successful sometimes quite independent Australian coaching businesses. The first was established in 1853 by American Freeman Cobb and his partners. The name Cobb & Co grew to great prominence in the late 19th ...

once ran a stage coach service between Windorah and

Adavale Adavale is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Quilpie, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Adavale had a population of 93 people. Geography Adavale is in South West Queensland, west of the state capital, Brisbane. Between ...

. It is stated that the town is named after the local Aboriginal word for "Big Fish", although according to an account of the Durack settlers, the name means ''high, stony place.'' Windorah Provisional School opened on 30 July 1888. In 1897 it became a half-time school, sharing a teacher with Cooper's Creek Provisional School, but reverted to a full-time school in 1903. In 1907, it became a half-time school with Cooper's Creek school again, and then closed in 1915. However, it reopened in 1916, only to close again in 1918. In 1926, it reopened and remains operating as Windorah State School. It celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2013. The town was completely isolated by floodwater in 1949 after surrounding areas were inundated by heavy rainfall. Low cloud and more rain prevented relief food supplies from being delivered by air from a

RAAF "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota, ...

. At the , Windorah had a population of 158. In the 2016 census, Windorah's population had decreased to 115, with 20.5% of the population identifying as indigenous.

Climate

Windorah is diverse in many aspects. The temperature may range from maximums in summer that approach to minimums in winter that are below . The annual rainfall has recorded falls between a low of and a high of . Other weather extremes include 25 morning frosts in 1977, 10 dust storms in 1987 and four hailstorms in 1985.

Economy

Sheep and cattle grazing are the mainstay of the district; however, recently oil and gas industries have developed in the area. Many locals also work on the Shire Council and the Dingo Barrier Fence.

Education

Windorah State School opened on 30 July 1888 and celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2013.

Attractions

Windorah is known as "The Heart of the

Channel Country The Channel Country is a region of outback Australia mostly in the state of Queensland but also in parts of South Australia, Northern Territory and New South Wales. The name comes from the numerous intertwined rivulets that cross the region, ...

" and offers a welcome and interesting stop-off for travellers to

Birdsville Birdsville is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Diamantina, Queensland, Australia. In the the locality of Birdsville had a population of 110 people. It is a popular tourist destination with many people using it as a starting point acro ...

, Bedourie,

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 ...

and points West. Every year since 1998 Windorah hosts an International Yabby Race on the street outside the hotel. It is held on the Wednesday before the Birdsville Races (first weekend in September). The event raises money for the

Royal Flying Doctor Service The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), commonly known as the Flying Doctor, is an air medical service in Australia. It is a non-profit organisation that provides emergency and primary health care services for those living in rural, remote an ...

, community facilities and other charities.

Facilities

Windorah has a library, racecourse, local museum, shire hall, information centre and museum. The Windorah Library is operated by the

Barcoo Shire Council The Shire of Barcoo is a local government area in Central West Queensland, Australia. In June 2018, the shire had a population of 267 people. It covers an area of , and has existed as a local government entity since 1887. It is named for the ...

and located in Maryborough Street.

References

External links

{{Authority control Towns in Queensland Populated places established in 1880 Central West Queensland 1880 establishments in Australia Shire of Barcoo Localities in Queensland