Duaringa, Queensland

Duaringa is a small town in the Central Highlands of Queensland, about 110 kilometres west of Rockhampton along the Capricorn Highway, and approximately 720km north-west of Brisbane. We have stopped here a number of times in our travels but only for a top up of water and a rest stop. This time we decided to stay a few nights and walk around the town.

Duringa is one of the oldest towns in the region and many of the old buildings still remain. A town and surrounds of less than 500 people started life as a settlement for railway workers in the 1870's.

Original inhabitants of the area were the Ghungala people. Ludwig Leichhardt passed through the area just west of the town-site in 1847, and sent letters to the Archer Family advising that good grazing land was available around the Dawson, Comet and Mackenzie rivers. Brothers Charles and William Archer settled in the area with a large pastoral run.

By 1876 the railway was established and the town grew, and in 1881 Duaringa became its own government division.

 

Duaringa campgrounds  is located in Mackenzie Park.There are two natural attractions in the park. The Budgeroo Strtrees (Lysicarpus Angustifolius) is a rare timber only found in this area of Queensland. It is considered to be one of Australia's most beautifully grained timber. These trees flower in spring and were used in the past by the local Aborigines to make rope and baskets. The other natural attraction is the colony of flying foxes, that inhabit the trees near the Budgeroo trees, although we have never seen or heard any.

It is a great stopover for a night or two.

It has electric barbecues, a communal power pole (although there were two vans connected the whole time we were there). The toilet block has hot showers and potable water for a donation left at the information centre.

The Duaringa Information Centre is worth a visit. The volunteer staff have been very informative and helpful each time we have visited. Inside there are local crafts and souvenirs for sale, as well as historic artifacts from the area.

There are a few things to do in the area:-

-Blackwater township is not far away, with a 'flag' park with an old station and train, also a coal museum and Japanese garden.

-Blackdown Tablelands National Park is a little further on, with Aboriginal rock art, walks and waterfalls.

-At the other end of Duaringa from the rest area ia the Woorabinda Arts and Cultural Centre that displays and sells indigenous art. It was closed when we were there.

There are a number of walking tracks from the park but we decided to walk around town. The town is laid out in a grid formation and therefore very easy to walk around. Many streets have information boards describing the history or the building .... or what use to be there.

There are many old, old buildings in the town.....

... and some being renovated. These buildings were once the local grocer and the Regent Picture Theatre.

They are being renovated into a home and a bed and breakfast.

At the other end of town, next to the Woorabinda Arts and Cultural Centre is a historic grave yard with only a few, but interesting headstones.

No one really knows for sure how Duaringa got its name. Some say its an Aboriginal name for 'oak', others say it means swampy oak, some even say it was named after a person. I think it is a local word from the past and the meaning has been lost. We enjoyed our stay here, despite the weather.

Look out on the right side of the road heading west towards Blackwater for the minions.