Central West Queensland
Central West Queensland Federal division(s) | Maranoa, Kennedy |
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Central West Queensland (abbreviated CWQ[2][3]) is a remote region in the Australian state of Queensland which covers 396,650.2 km2.[1] The region lies to the north of South West Queensland and south of the Gulf Country. It has a population of approximately 12,387 people. As of 2018, it is one of 16 Aged Care Planning Regions (ACPR) in Queensland.[4]
History
The first exploration by Europeans was by Major Thomas Mitchell who passed through the area in 1846. Mitchell was near Isisford on the Barcoo River when his party was lacking supplies and threatened by Aboriginals. He then decided to return to Sydney, completing a successful expedition which had explored a large area of unknown country.[5]
Geography
The eastern extent of the Simpson Desert lies within the region. Haddon Corner and Poeppel Corner on the Queensland border are also located here. Bioregions in the area include the Channel Country.
Part of the Cooper Basin is located in the region. The basin contains the most significant on-shore petroleum and natural gas deposits in Australia.[6]
At the federal level the region partly falls in the
Geology
The Diamantina River's hook-shaped upper reaches have drawn scientific attention. In March 2015, Geoscience Australia reported that the river's course at and near its headwaters flows along the edge of a roughly circular crustal anomaly that might well be an impact structure. It is 130 km in diameter and lies some 60 km west of Winton; Middleton and Dagworth Station lie right in it. The asteroid impact, if indeed this is the explanation for the anomaly, would have happened roughly 300 million years ago.[7]
Settlements
Major towns of Central West Queensland include Longreach, Winton, Blackall and Barcaldine. Barcaldine was the location for the 1891 Australian shearers' strike, one of Australia's earliest and most important industrial disputes. The Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame is a museum located in Longreach which pays tribute to pioneers of the Australian outback. The building was completed in 1987 and opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 29 April 1988.[8]
Smaller towns in the region include
The ghost town of Betoota has been designated as Australia's smallest town.[9] Other ghost towns in the region include Scarrbury and Collingwood, both of which have vanished without a trace. There is also the depopulated town of Middleton, with only a handful of inhabitants.
Rivers
Waterways coursing through Central West Queensland include the Barcoo River, Georgina River, Diamantina River, Thomson River, Burke River, Hamilton River and Cooper Creek.
Protected areas
A number of national parks have been declared in the region, including
Transport
Major roads in the region include the
Media
Through a series of powerful transmitters and less powerful repeater stations located throughout the vast region, Central West Queensland is serviced by the local ABC radio station ABC Western Queensland along with commercial stations 4LG and West FM, both owned by Resonate Broadcasting.
The Central West's local newspaper is The Longreach Leader, published weekly.
See also
References
- ^ a b "National Regional Profile: Central West". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2 November 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
- ^ "CWQ data collection and analysis: A report prepared for the Central Western Queensland Remote Area Planning and Development Board (RAPAD)". Ninti One. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ "Influenza on the rise in CWQ". Leader Today. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ "2018 Qld Aged Care Planning Regions". Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
- ^ Baker, D. W. A. "Mitchell, Sir Thomas Livingstone (1792–1855)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ "Petroleum Geology of South Australia Volume 4 - Cooper Basin". Government of South Australia. 8 November 2011. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
- ^ "Potential asteroid impact identified in western Queensland". Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
- ^ "Our Story". Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ Greg Roberts (17 November 2002). "Make it a double - it could be ages before anyone else arrives". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 26 January 2012.