SPRINGSURE, Qld and its early settler-history.
- Woolgoolgaoffroad
- Mar 6
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 6
Springsure’s name derived from the permanent water springs in the creeks and gullies. When new settlers came to the area, some reports say an Irish bullockeer yelled out, “There’s a spring over there, to be sure, to be sure.”
In 1844, explorer Ludwig Leichhardt passed through central Queensland and spent time where Springsure is today, 20 years later, pioneers moved to the area and the town was surveyed in 1863.
In the early days, the town was referred to as the ‘holy city’ where it was law from sundown every Saturday evening till sunrise on Monday that no wagons were allowed through town. Springsure was part of what was known as the wagon route. The earliest road west from Rockhampton crossed the Dawson River at Gainsford, continued towards Rolleston and onto Springsure.
Over the next few years, the town boomed with new settlers developing land and Springsure was an important stop for wagons travelling from Rockhampton westward and north towards the Gulf. But then the railway had expanded to Emerald from the coast in 1879, and this was the beginning of the demise of Springsure as an important communication link to the outer areas. Today it’s a quiet stop over for travellers, but what I found when I dug a little deeper, there’s a fair bit to see and do around Springsure.
SPRINGSURE HISTORY STOPS
The first stop in town has to be the local info centre built in a federation woodshed in Rich Park. Here the volunteers can answer all your questions while you explore the memorabilia in the shed. Inside, there’s old steam engines, trucks, war memorabilia, furniture and an old furphy water cart. A free self-guided book is available from the centre that lets you explore the area at your own pace, in it there’s a heritage drive around town and further afield to natural attractions.
Located nearby is an old slab historical home that’s over 100 years old, and an out station building all hand cut from a broad axe. Around the buildings there’s a stack of old tools, saddles and general working gear from yesteryear that’s been collected.
Also not hard to miss is the huge Comet windmill that’s still in working order nearby, continuously pumping water up into the ponds. Serial number 881 and built in 1935, this windmill can withstand winds of 150kph, can pump 8200 gallons of water all day, and where the windmill head weighs 2.4 tons, and where it sat on a 60 foot tower at Cungelello Station.
When wagons were mainstream transport, they came from the coast across the Staircase Range, 17km east of Springsure, huge sandstone rocks and platforms needed to be either moved or modified for the wagons that carried passengers, mail and goods in and out of central Queensland.
Known as the ''Staircase Range Cutting'', Chinese labour was used to cut a path through the rock allowing for easier access. These days this section has been bypassed for the new Dawson Highway, but the cutting can still be found and you can easily see where the labourers used picks and bars to make the cutting. All done by hand.
NATURAL WONDERS
Back at the info centre I picked up a self drive booklet, so after exploring around town my next adventure was out to the beautiful Minerva Hills National Park. Now I’ve been through Springsure before and had no idea about this park or anything else nearby and this took me by surprise. Just 4km west of town is the entry-exit into the park along Dendle Drive. Now Minerva only has one road in and out with two other short tracks to a lookout and a creek day area.
After stopping at the info sign at the start and getting a rundown on the park's geology and ecology, I headed across to the first stop, the Springsure lookout. Views over the town and surrounding plains were pretty awesome after doing the short Ridgeline track.
Back at the main access track, the next stop was at Fred's Gorge and lookout, where not only are there some pretty neat day use area facilities but the views down through the gorge and over the waterfall were pretty special.
The drive through the park is relatively simple, although I found near the end I needed 4WD because of the washouts and rock lines across the track. The last section of the drive took me across dry open rocky areas where I could see the 4WD track snaking in front of me for several miles and it wasn’t until I was at the end of the track that I was absolutely mind-blown with what was in front of me.
Spectacular rocky outcrops, volcanic plugs and mountainous peaks rose for miles in the distance with a mix of spinifex grasslands and eucalyptus trees covering the plains in all directions. So all this came about over 30 million years ago when the Springsure volcano blew its head off and where deadly lava started to cover the surrounding area. It’s a dramatic landscape shaped from all those years ago on the outer skirts from the inland sea which once covered Australia’s interior. The view from Eclipse lookout has to be one of the best I have seen, there are several walking tracks to view other prominent basalt outcrops, worn down dome mountains, other extinct volcanoes, the Mount Zamia plateau, and as far as Blackdown Tablelands and the outer sections of Carnarvon Gorge. One of the interesting peaks is Dillies Knob, where magna solidified and blocked one of the vents of the Springsure volcano.
Heading back out to the entry of the park, my next self-drive explore was along Birtley Road, another 8km west. Prominently local farm roads and in good condition, Birtley Road took me around Minerva Hills NP, but it’s also to a place where dark history has made a scar in the local area, called the Cullin-la-ringo massacre site.
It was October 17, 1861, that 19 early settlers were killed in conflict with local Aboriginals. It began when a massive settlement train led by Horatio Wills moved into the area with over 10,000 sheep, bullock wagons, families and workers to set up a new pastoral station. This new group drew attention not only from other settlers but also from the local indigenous who had been on the same land for generations. According to record books, the local Kairi and Gayiri people were in the same area and as their numbers increased, the attacks occurred without warning. The loss was devastating and revenge attacks occurred through the area over the next few weeks. Today, signs point the way to the site where headstones mark where they fell and are buried.
Back out on Birtley Road and onto Wurga Road, it’s an easy drive through farmland and past the Minerva coal mine project connecting onto the Gregory Highway. Heading back to Springsure with the towering Mount Zamia rock formations beside you, another unusual local attraction is Virgin Rock. The best viewing point is from Lions Park ( free camping area ) where you can see this unusual rock formation, where a weathered feature looking like the Virgin Mary holding her child, but after years of erosion the likeness is somewhat disappearing. In the year of federation, the shire decided to light up the towering rock at night, which makes for some great viewing.
Springsure certainly wasn’t what I expected, with dark history, the stunning Minerva Hills NP and local heritage pieces around town. It is worth a look.
WHERE
Springsure is a tiny town located 330km due west of Rockhampton in the central highlands of QLD. Named in 1861 after a pastoral run and a permanent spring, it’s now a quiet little place known for its local heritage, nearby National Park and for being a beautiful rural town.
WHAT IS IN THE AREA
A few days around Springsure will have you exploring the local hospitality, free camps, 4WD & walking tracks in Minerva NP, stunning lookouts and amazing geological features, there’s also heritage buildings, a fantastic local museum, plus a history walk around the streets.
OTHER INFORMATION
Most information can be found online, although Springsure has a fantastic visitor information centre in the Federation Wool-shed at Rich Memorial Park. The staff can point you in the right direction with maps, books and local hotspots, as well as guide you through the extensive museum. Open daily from 8.30 - 4.30 pm, April through to October.
Opmerkingen