Tambo is a rural town and locality in the Blackall-Tambo Region, Queensland, Australia.[3][4] Cattle and tourism are the major industries of the town. A number of heritage buildings survive from the earliest days of settlement. In the 2021 census, the population of the locality was 318 people, while the population of the town was 283 people.[1][2]
The first European exploration of the district was by Sir Thomas Mitchell, popularly known as "Major Mitchell", in 1846. For approximately the next 15 years the area was unused until selectors began taking land in 1861.[6]
The town of Carrangarra was founded in 1863, making it the oldest town in western Queensland. Like much of the west, sheep became the mainstay of the economy.[6] The settlement was renamed Tambo in 1868. The name Tambo comes from an Indigenous Australian word, meaning hidden place,[7] or "resting place, fish, shady waters, hidden waters, a secluded spot, hidden place and native yam."[8]
Tambo State School opened on 28 February 1876.[10]
A Bush Mission church was built from timber in 1877 for Reverend Peter Campbell, an itinerant preacher. It was designed by JW Wilson. It was built from timber. It has been demolished.[11][12]
Tambo Presbyterian Church was opened on Sunday 24 June 1888 by Reverend J. Mably. It was built from timber and cost £750. It has been demolished.[18][19]
Tambo was the location of Qantas' first fatal accident. An Airco DH.9 crashed on 24 March 1927 with the loss of three lives after the plane stalled while landing.[20][21]
The opening and dedication of St Michael's and All Angels' Anglican Church, 19 October 1952
St Michael's and All Angels Anglican Church was officially opened by BishopHalford on Sunday 29 September 1912. It was a timber church in Edward Street.[22] It was totally destroyed in a cyclone on Sunday 9 January 1938.[23][24][25] Anglican services were held in the Council Chambers. In 1947, the land in Edward Street was sold to the Queensland Country Women's Association for a student hostel and land was purchased in Arthur Street for a new church. After overcoming many difficulties, a replacement church was finally opened in October 1952 by BishopJames Housden. A hall was built at the rear of the church in 1964.[26][27][28]
The chief industries of the town and district are grazing properties for sheep and cattle. There was a sawmill (operated by N.K Collins who operated a sawmill in Augathella) which closed in 2011.[37] The sawmill reopened March 2018.[38][39][40][41]
Education
Signage, Tambo State School, 2022Signpost, Tambo State School, 2022
Tambo is also famous for its Tambo Teddy Workshop, set up by three local women in 1992 to help promote the wool industry after years of drought had caused wool prices to fall.[50][51] In 2018, one of these teddies was given to Prince Harry and his wife Meghan (the Duke and Duchess of Sussex) when they visited Australia.[52][53] There have been numerous commercials advertising the teddies.
In 2018 Ben's Chicken Racing started in the town at The Royal Carrangarra Hotel, racing chickens and entertaining people nightly from April - October, and has brought thousands to the town.
The "Tambo Heritage Trail" includes 17 buildings within the town's precinct of historical importance.[54][55] They include:[56]
Post and Telegraph office building
Reg Barry's Memorial
Survey Marker
Old Tambo Post Office (1876)
Courthouse (1888)
Tambo Shire Hall
Masonic Lodge
Old Powerhouse
Tambo State School
Windmill at Tambo Mill Motel
Primary Health Care
The Club Hotel
General Store
Royal Carrangarra Hotel
Tambo Teddies Workshop
Queensland National Bank
Climate
Temperatures in Tambo range from 35 °C in summer to 21 °C in winter. Minimum temperatures in winter often drop below freezing. The average annual rainfall is 531.1 mm (20.93 in), the majority of which falls between December and March.
Climate data for Tambo (Tambo Post Office, temperature 1931–present, rainfall 1877–present)
^Blake, Thom. "Bush Mission Church". Queensland religious places database. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
^"VICE-REGAL". Rockhampton Bulletin. Vol. XIX, no. 2880. Queensland, Australia. 29 June 1877. p. 2. Retrieved 18 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Tambo, June 25". Morning Bulletin. Vol. XL, no. 7097. Queensland, Australia. 26 June 1888. p. 6. Retrieved 18 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^"THE CHURCHES". Morning Bulletin. No. 14, 964. Queensland, Australia. 28 September 1912. p. 8. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^Booklet produced for the 70th anniversary celebration of St Michael and All Angels Anglican Church in Tambo. 19 October 1952.
^"Tambo and Tambo Shire". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
^Cripps, Sally (25 August 2016). "Sawmill re-growing Tambo". Queensland Country Life. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
^Cripps, Sally (22 August 2017). "Sawdust in the air at Tambo". Queensland Country Life. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
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