History of the town
Brigalow is named after the original natural vegetation in the district, Acacia Agrifolia, commonly known as the Brigalow tree. The district is situated on the western edge of the Darling Downs and the 2 soils are used for the growing of wheat, barley, sorghum, chick peas and cotton. A rich coal seam lies under the area and millions of years ago giant wombats (Evryzygoma dunense) roamed across the grassy plains. The coal seam is currently the focus of great interest as there is a chance it may be developed in the near future. The Condamine River is south of the school boundary and winds it way through the district. The Jingi Jingi and Cooranga Creeks are tributaries of the Condamine river. Both creeks rise in the foothills of the Bunya Mountains.
On the western edge of the township the rabbit proof fence crosses the Warrego Highway at the grid. This fence commences at Tweed Heads in New South Wales and extends west to Goombi - approximately 20 kms west of Chinchilla. All land north of the fence is free of rabbits. Rabbits are a grazing animal and 8 to 10 rabbits can eat as much as one sheep. One female rabbit can have up to 25 young per year.
Brigalow fact file
1872 Explorer Alan Cunningham discovered the Darling Downs.
1844 Explorer Ludwig Leichhardt travelled through the district.
1859 The first township (currently 5kms from the current township) developed. It was known as Campbell’s Camp and was located on the Condamine river at a place where the bullock teams crossed the river.
1862 Prickly pear introduced into the district.
1878 Railway line (from Brisbane) reached Brigalow.
1908 Brigalow Provisional School opened.
1910 Brigalow State School opened, Town moved to current site due to a train derailment, Butter factory established in Chinchilla.
1910 Thousands of hectares of the countryside was covered with prickly pear. Early settlers attempted to dairy farm. Many early farms were abandoned - the pear was so thick in many areas that one could not ride a horse through the area.
1926 Cactoblastis eggs were released in Queensland, the cactoblastis eggs were imported from South America. This was the first effective eradication of a pest that used biological control.
1928 Brigalow Memorial Hall constructed.
1933 Prickly pear was eradicated.
1936 Boonarga Cactoblastis Memorial Hall built at Boonarga - 10 km west of Brigalow on the Warrego Highway ( the only known building in the world which commemorates an insect).
Brigalow township then included: 1 hotel, 2 general stores, 1 butcher, 1 baker, 1 fruiterer, 1 railway station, 1 saddler, 1 post office, 1 sawmill, 1 garage, 2 churches.
1940’s Wheat more widely grown - cereal grain farms started to replace dairying.
1950 Electricity connected - town and district.
1956 Principals residence erected 5m from the Warrego Highway.
1963 Grain silos constructed at Brigalow.
1990’s Introduction of cotton farming on a larger scale.
1995 Brigalow grain silo’s closed.
2004 $1.1 Billion Kogan power station announced.
Typical Brigalow farms grow:
- Wheat
- Sorghum
- Chickpeas
- Barley
- Cotton
- Colour cotton
- Forage sorghum
A lot of Brigalow farms have livestock which include:
- Cows
- Horses
- Pigs (a few farms have pigs)
- Sheep
Most farms have pets like: