Mungallala

Mungallala is a town and a locality in the Maranoa Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census, Mungallala had a population of 136 people.[1]

Mungallala
Queensland
Mungallala Memorial Hall
Mungallala
Coordinates26.4466°S 147.5439°E / -26.4466; 147.5439 (Mungallala (town centre))
Population136 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density0.3014/km2 (0.7805/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4467
Area451.3 km2 (174.2 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Maranoa Region
State electorate(s)Warrego
Federal Division(s)Maranoa
Localities around Mungallala:
Tyrconnel Tyrconnel Tyrconnel
Morven Mungallala Womalilla
Mungallala South Mungallala South Mungallala South

Geography

The town is in South West Queensland, 608 kilometres (378 mi) west of the state capital Brisbane and 133 kilometres (83 mi) west of the regional centre of Roma.

The Warrego Highway passes from east (Womalilla) to west (Morven) through the locality, passing through the town which is in the eastern part of the locality. The Western railway line also passes from east to west through the locality, roughly parallel and to the south of the highway.[4] The town is served by the Mungallala railway station, 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) south-west of the town (26.4553°S 147.5386°E / -26.4553; 147.5386 (Mungallala railway station)).[5]

The former locality of Dulvadilla / Dulbydilla is within the locality of Mundallala.[6] Dulbydilla railway siding remains on the Western railway line in the west of the locality at 26.4350°S 147.3744°E / -26.4350; 147.3744 (Dulbydilla railway siding).[7]

The town consists of only a few streets.[4]

Sign on the Warrego Highway at the eastern entrance to Mungallala

History

The name Mungallala derives from a pastoral run and comes from the Kunggari language with from mungar / kungar meaning bird and yaya / lala meaning shout, implying the sound made by the claws of running emus.[2] The name Dulbydilla derives from the Aboriginal words, dulby meaning black and dilla meaning waterhole, referring to the discolouration of the water caused by eucalypt leaves.[7]

The town was on the Cobb & Co stage coach route from Roma to Charleville; The coach traveled the 283 kilometres (176 mi) twice weekly, and they staged at Womalilla, Tyrconnell Downs, Burenda Downs and Dulbydilla. Mungallala may also have been a "changing station". The coach drivers included Austin Brumfield, J. Coyle, Tom Merritt, Jim Burstall, Bob Martin and Luke O'Malley.[8] The route was mail service number 15 (Mitchell-Roma) and 16 (Mitchell -Charleville), and ran bi-weekly to 1881, thrice-weekly. In August 1886, the Number 16 route was shortened to Dulbydilla. From March 1887, the coach began at Morven. On 29 February 1888 the Western railway line reached Charleville, seeing the end of the Cobb & Co mail runs through Mungallala.

Dulbydilla Post Office operated from 1886 to 1887, after which a receiving office operated from 1887 to 1924. A telephone office operate from 1953 to 1956.[6]

Mungallala Post Office opened by May 1911 (a receiving office had been open from 1887).[9]

Mungallala Provisional School opened on 5 September 1904. It became Mungallala State School on 1 January 1909.[10]

In 2016 the Australian Taxation Office listed Mungallala as having the lowest mean taxable income by postcode, making it the poorest town in Australia,[11] which led the ABC to do a documentary on the town for their online "storyhunters" program.[12]

Facilities

The Maranoa Regional Council operates a public library in Mungallala in Redford Street[13]

There are 2 free caravan parks in town, and a recreation centre where several events are held each year for local residents and visitors. There are 2 tennis courts and a 4 hole golf course, constantly being mowed by a group of eastern grey kangaroos.

There is a pub[14] and cafe, where internet connectivity is available. The cafe is also a wildlife care centre.

Mungallala Hotel

Education

Mungallala State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 24 Redford Street (26.4446°S 147.5450°E / -26.4446; 147.5450 (Mungallala State School)).[15][16] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 6 students with 2 teachers (1 full-time equivalent) and 4 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).[17]

There is no secondary school in Mungallala; the nearest one is Mitchell State School in Mitchell which offers up to Year 10. For education to Year 12, the nearest secondary schools are Roma State College in Roma and Charleville State High School in Charleville.[18]

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Mungallala (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Mungallala - town in Maranoa Region (entry 23463)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  3. "Mungallala - locality in Maranoa Region (entry 47443)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  4. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  5. "Mungallala - railway station in Maranoa Region (entry 23464)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  6. Dell, Terry; Price, David (2017). "Queensland Steel Datestamps" (PDF). Toowoomba Stamp Club. p. 70. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  7. "Dulbydilla - railway station in Maranoa Region (entry 10781)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  8. Tranter, Deborah; Queensland Museum (1990), Cobb & Co. : coaching in Queensland (3rd printing 2010 (with amendments) ed.), Queensland Museum, ISBN 978-0-7242-4140-8
  9. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  10. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  11. Antrobus, Blake (20 April 2016). "Mungallala labelled Australia's 'poorest' postcode". Roma Western Star. Archived from the original on 16 June 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  12. McGhee, Ashlynne; Florance, Loretta (13 June 2016). "Mungallala, Queensland: What it's like to live in Australia's poorest town". ABC News. Archived from the original on 19 September 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  13. "Mungallala Library". Public Libraries Connect. 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  14. Chirp Internet. "Hotels in Mungallala < Queensland | Gday Pubs - Enjoy our Great Australian Pubs". Gday Pubs. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  15. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  16. "Mungallala State School". Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  17. "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  18. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 2 November 2019.

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