Wallumbilla and the Kelly Gang?

We left Chinchilla and travelled 156km along the Warrego Highway to Wallumbilla and the Showgrounds. There were already a few vans connected to power and spread out. We found a site and for $10 donation we had power and water. Wallumbilla is the largest of three towns in the former Bendemere Shire, and is only 40km from Roma. The name Wallumbilla comes from the Mandandanji Aboriginal people and means 'plenty of jewfish'. One of the first pastoral runs was taken up in 1852 and was named Wallumbilla – this is how the town got its name. The Wallumbilla township was surveyed in 1889 after the Queensland Government introduced a scheme to develop 'village' settlements to attract colonists to the land.

Calico Cottage is worth a visit with lots of crafts and home made jams and treats. It is situated at the old railway station with plenty of caravan parking. Also located at the old station is an interesting display of photos and artefacts, especially about the railway.

An intriguing story around the local recluse Harry Thompson, is that he was really Kelly Gang member Steve Hart. Those who read my blog regularly know that I have an a keen interest in the history of Matthew Flinders and also the Kelly Gang. Wallumbilla Council have dedicated a 1km walk to Harry Thompson. Harry was a recluse and was reported to carry a pistol and not a rifle. Locals suspected that he was hiding from someone or something. One local remembers that Harry Thompson had two cattle brands – N2K and K2N. I thought Steve Hart and Dan Kelly were killed at Glenrowan, but upon 'Googling' it appears both bodies were charred remains in the hotel fire started by the police to flush them out and would have been unidentifiable, even though family took the bodies to be buried. Dan Kelly is believed to have lived in the Dalby/Bell area of Queensland, and is buried in Toowoomba. I know the pub at Hebel on the NSW/QLD border claims to have had Kelly Gang drink there, so it is possible. Could Harry really be Steve Hart?

Read more about him here: http://highlifemagazine.net/kelly-gang-secret/