Barcaldine
 

 

 

 Selling your Business

Buying a Business

Motels for Sale

Caravan Parks for Sale

Hotels for Sale

 Businesses for Sale

Bed & Breakfasts for sale

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NSW TOWNS

QLD TOWNS

VIC TOWNS

TAS TOWNS

SA TOWNS

WA TOWNS

NT TOWNS

 
 

 

One of the many pubs over the road from the Barcaldine Railway Station
 

Barcaldine
Interesting town famous for its role in the development of the Australian labour movement.
Located 1080 km north-west Brisbane and 273 m above sea-level, Barcaldine is a sleepy town of 1700 people with a lot of pubs and a wealth of interesting and unusual buildings.

It is hard to imagine that this town was central to one of the more significant events in the political life of Australia: the shearers' strike of 1891, which played an important role in the events which led to the formation of the Australian Labor Party.

The shearers' strike, together with the maritime strike of the preceding year, constituted the greatest labour disturbance to that point in Australian history, affecting the general community like no other previous strikes. The reason for this was that the unions, to increase their effectiveness, had begun to amalgamate and centralise, as workers began to see their fates as interlinked. Thus, a strike starting in one industry now began to spread to other industries, creating something resembling a general strike and a virtual civil war. However, both the maritime and shearers' strikes were defeated when the Queensland and NSW governments sided with business interests, which were similarly amalgamating their associations to form a united front to oppose the unions.

The strike was sparked in January 1891 when shearers at Logan Downs Station, near Clermont, were told they had to sign the Pastoralists' "contract of free labour" before commencing work: a move intended to reduce the influence of the unions in the sheds. A month later the centre of the strike had shifted to Barcaldine, which was the terminus of the rail line from Rockhampton and the commercial centre of the wealthy Mitchell district, where 30 stations were affected by the strike.

In March the pastoralists began bringing in non-union strike-breakers, who were protected by the police and troopers of the colonial governments. Retaliation took the form of crops and woolsheds being set alight. Strikers marched in strength at Barcaldine but the colonial secretary then ordered the arrest of the union leaders. 120 mounted infantry surrounded the union office at Barcaldine and arrested the strike committee while infantrymen with fixed bayonets guarded the police station. In a move intended to break the back of the strike, the union leaders were charged with conspiracy and sedition and gaoled for three years apiece on St Helena Island, with 200-pound, twelve-month good behaviour bonds upon release.

The arrests and dwindling funds caused the 1891 strike, like that of 1890, to fold. The failure of militancy to achieve the desired outcome prompted the labour movement to turn its attention to the pursuit of political power as a means of advancing the interests of working people. Labour Electoral Leagues were formed and one of the strike committee members, T. J. (Tommy) Ryan, from Barcaldine Shire, became the first genuine representative of Australian labouring people when he was elected to the Queensland parliament in 1892. In fact he was the first labour representative to be elected to a parliament anywhere in the world. When a Labour League was formed in NSW, it won 37 of the 141 seats in the NSW Legislative Assembly. This success sparked similar 'Leagues' in other states, culminating in the formation of the Australian Labor Party, which was Australia's first political party, and one of the first such parties in the world. Its success led labour's rivals to unite in a similar way, generating the two-party system as we know it today.

The symbol of the strike is the 'Tree of Knowledge', located in Oak Street in front of the railway station. Striking shearers held their meetings under this 150-year-old ghost gum. It was here that they sang Henry Lawson's great poem 'Freedom on the Wallaby' with its stirring final verse:

'We'll make the tyrants feel the sting
Of those that they would throttle;
They needn't say the fault is ours
If blood should stain the wattle.'

Beside the tree is a monument in the shape of a pair of shears. The stated aim of the monument was to: 'Honour the men and women of the Labour movement who congregated in this area and, through their courage, determination and dedication to the principles, ideals and objectives of the labour movement, played a leading role in the formation of the Labor Party and further spearheaded the many reforms that resulted in the vastly improved way of life for the Australian people generally.'

 

The 'Tree of Knowledge' in Oak Street in front of the railway station. It is a 150 year old ghost gum. It was here that striking shearers held their meetings
 

The plaque on the front of the monument has the faces and names of the 13 gaoled strike leaders. It is interesting to note that a number of these went on to become significant political figures: William Fothergill returned to become Chairman of Barcaldine Shire Council; William Hamilton became President of the Queensland Legislative Council and George Taylor became the Speaker of the West Australian Legislative Council.

The first European to pass through the Barcaldine area was Sir Thomas Mitchell who arrived after good rains and proceeded to sing the praises of the area, describing it as 'the finest region I have seen in Australia' and waxing lyrical about 'grass shooting up green from old stalks'. The locals, who know only too well how dry and harsh the area around Barcaldine can become, look upon Mitchell's analysis with bemusement.

However Mitchell's enthusiasm was contagious and in 1863 Donald Cameron overlanded sheep from the New England area and settled on a 64-km frontage along the Alice River which he named Barcaldine Station after his family's property in Scotland.

In spite of this early settlement the town wasn't gazetted until 1886 when it became the western terminus for the railway line from Rockhampton.

A detailed history of the town titled Barcaldine 1846-1986 has been written by Isabel Hoch and is available from the tourist information office or the shire council.

Things to see:   

Australian Workers' Heritage Museum
Designed to complement the Longreach Stockman's Hall of Fame (thus making this part of Queensland a very desirable option for tourists) this interesting and award-winning museum in Ash Street proffers itself as a tribute to all of the nation's working people, their history, heritage and traditions.

The award-winning museum is located in the former grounds of the old Barcaldine State School, with old school structures renovated and incorporated into the exhibition space. Other historic workplaces, such as a one-teacher school, a railway station and a police watch-house, have been relocated from around Queensland. Atifacts, artworks and multimedia presentations help to tell the story with displays including features on the shearers' strike (see town hiistory above), the role of women in outback life and the importance of Aboriginal stockmen.

The Heritage Centre features landscaped gardens and shady trees around a billabong, with picnic shelters, barbecue facilities and a modern children's playground. It is located in Ash St and is open every day but Christmas Day from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. on Sunday, tel: (07) 4651 2422; fax: (07) 4651 1570; and email: awhc@tpg.com.au

 

The Wanpa-rda Matilda Outback Education Centre
This education centre is located on the same grounds as the Heritage Centre. It offers day trips around the area with a local tour operator, air-conditioned dormitories, a fully-equipped kitchen, outdoor barbecues and a recreation area. The education officer can be contacted on (07) 4651 2430.

 

The Shearers' Strike Camp
A short distance out of town is the site of the Shearers' Strike Camp where literally hundreds of shearers camped during the troubles. It is protected by the National Trust but, at the moment, is not open to the public. Enquire at the tourist information office near the Tree of Knowledge if you have special reason to visit it. The tourist information office also has a leaflet which has an excellent analysis of the causes of the strike by a local station owner.

 

The Barcaldine and District Folk Museum
The town's folk museum is open on a daily basis. Like many of the museums in western Queensland it is full of memorabilia collected from locals, including a rare Edison gramophone dating from 1900, some barbed wire from the 1870s and a 1923 ticket issued by Qantas. While it has the chaotic appearance of a junk shop it is a fascinating collection of everything from old pots and pans to antiquated newspaper articles. The grounds outside the museum even include the town's first motorised fire engine and a Southern Cross windmill.

 

Buildings
Perhaps the most remarkable of all Barcaldine's buildings is the Masonic Lodge on Beech Street (note that all the streets in the town are named after types of trees). Built in 1908 as a bank it stands out from everything around it. This is because the facade "a hugely elaborate combination of friezes and arches" is actually painted on. The effect is at once pretentious and eccentric.

Around the corner is St Peter's Church, a superb example of the use of timber in outback Queensland. The church was built in 1899 and its elaborate tongue-and-groove boards and its craftsmanship make it a worthy example of Queensland's distinctive architecture. It was built for the modest sum of £520.

On the outskirts of town (at the end of Pine Street) is the Beta Farm Slab Hut, a reconstruction of an 1880s structure which betrays some superb craftsmanship. The owners have furnished it with unusual objects from the period including a kitchen cupboard made out of piano cases and an extensive display of dolls.

Australian Businesses for sale

Caravan Parks for sale

Motels for sale

Hotels for sale

Broadwalk Business Brokers

Businesses for Sale in Barcaldine: Buy or Sell Hotels, Motels, Caravan Parks, Bed & Breakfast, Pubs, Wine Bars, Restaurants, Cafe, English Tea Rooms, Coffee Shops, Deli, Catering Business, Pubs, Bars, Sandwich Bars, Pizza Delivery, Bakeries, Hot Food Take-away, Fish & Chips, Petrol & Service Stations, Australian Businesses for sale, Car Sales, Motor & Transport, Car/Van Hires, Newsagents, Dry Cleaners, Salons, General Stores, Retail Stores, Post Office, Printers, Convenience Stores, Clothes shop, Hair Dressers, Beauty Salon, Fruit Markets, Butchers, Florist, Card & Gift shop, Sports shop, Book Shops, Care Agency, Pharmacy, Tool-Hardware & DIY shops, Pet Shops, Auto Mechanical, Auto Parts & Accessories, Bakery Businesses for sale , Motel sales, caravan park sales, Hotel sales, Business sales, Bar for sale, Juice Bar for sale, Beauty Salon for sale, Bike and Motorcycle Businesses for sale  , Australian Businesses for sale, Blinds and Shutters Businesses for sale , Boat Business for sale , Book Shop , Bread Run, Building and Construction , Butcher Shop, Café Business for sale, Car Dealerships for sale, Car Rental Business for sale , Car Yard, Cleaning Business for sale, Computer  Business for sale, Childcare Centre for sale,  Confectionary Business for sale, Convenience Store for sale, Deli Businesses for sale , Distribution Businesses for sale , Earth Moving Businesses for sale , Businesses for sale , Engineering Businesses for sale , Export/Import Businesses for sale , Fitness Centres for sale, Florist for sale, Franchise Businesses for sale  , Fruit and Veg Shop for sale, Function Centre for sale, Funeral Parlour for sale, Furniture Businesses for sale , Garden Equipment  Businesses for sale , General Store s for sale, Gift Shop for sale, Hairdressing salons for sale , Hardware Businesses for sale , Hire Businesses for sale , Businesses for sale, Motels for sale, Caravan Parks for sale, hotels for sale, Ice Cream Businesses for sale ,  Juice Bar for sale, Laundrette ' s for sale, Lawn Mowing Businesses for sale , Magazine Businesses for sale  , Manufacturing Businesses for sale , Marine Businesses for sale  , Menswear Businesses for sale , Milk Run 's for sale, Mixed Businesses for sale  , Mobile Businesses for sale , News agency  Businesses for sale , Pawnbroker Businesses for sale  , Preschool for sale, Pest Control  Businesses for sale  ,Business for sale Pet Shop, Plumbing Businesses for sale , Post Office for sale , Removalist Businesses for sale, Restaurants for sale, Roadhouses for sale, Rubbish Removal Businesses for sale , Rural Supplies Businesses for sale  , Sales and Distribution Businesses for sale , Security Businesses for sale , Service Station for sale, Shoe Shop for sale, Supermarkets for sale, Takeaway Businesses for sale  , Taxi Businesses for sale , Transport Businesses for sale , Vending Machine Businesses for sale , Wholesale Businesses for sale, Wrecking Yard for sale in Barcaldine.

 

Qld Towns

Agnes Water   Airlie Beach    Allora   Alpha    Anakie    Aramac  Atherton  Ayr  Australina businesses for sale    Babinda   Bamaga  Barcaldine  Bargara Beaudesert     Bedarra Island  Beenleigh  Biggenden   Biloela  Birdsville  Blackall   Blackwater  Blair Athol   Boonah  Boulia   Brampton Island  Brooweena   Buderim   Bundaberg          Burleigh Heads  Brisbane   Caboolture   Cairns  Caravan parks for sale  Calliope   Caloundra   Camooweal   Cape Tribulation Capella   Cardwell   Cecil Plains   Charleville   Charters Towers  Childers Chillagoe  Chinchilla  Clermont Cleveland   Clifton  Cloncurry  Collinsville Condamine   Cooktown   Coolangatta   Cooroy Crows Nest   Croydon   Cunnamulla   Daintree  Dalby  Daydream Island   Doomadgee Double Island Duaringa  Dunk Island   Edmonton Eidsvold Emerald Emu Park   Esk   Eulo  Fitzroy Island  Fraser Island Gatton     Gayndah   Georgetown  Gin Gin  Gladstone    Glass House Mountains  Goondiwindi  Gordonvale Grandchester    Great Keppel Island   Green Island   Greenmount   Gympie  Hamilton Island   Hayman Island   Herberton   Heron Island   Hervey Bay   Hinchinbrook Island  Home Hill    Hotels for sale    Howard   Hughenden Ilfracombe     Ingham  Inglewood  Injune   Innisfail  Ipswich  Irvinebank  Isisford  Jandowae  Jericho Jimbour   Jondaryan Julia Creek   Kajabbi  Karumba Kenilworth  Kidston  Kilcoy  Kilkivan  Killarney  Kingaroy   Kuranda  Lady Elliot Island  Laidley  Landsborough  Laura  Leyburn  Lindeman Island   Lizard Island   Logan City  Long Island  Longreach  Mackay  Magnetic Island  Malanda Maleny  Marburg  Mareeba   Marlborough   Maroochydore   Mary Kathleen   Maryborough  McKinlay  Miles  Millaa Millaa Millmerran  Mirani  Mission Beach  Mitchell  Monto  Moonie  Moranbah  Moreton Island  Mossman   motels for sale  Mount Garnet   Mount Isa  Mount Molloy  Mount Morgan  Mount Perry  Mount Surprise  Moura Mourilyan  Mundubbera  Murgon Muttaburra  Nambour Nanango  Nerang  Noosa  Normanton   Oakey Orpheus Island   Palmer River   Pittsworth  Port Douglas  Proserpine  Proston   Quilpie   Rainbow Beach Ravenshoe   Ravenswood   Redcliffe  Richmond  Rockhampton  Roma  Rosewood  Sarina      Seventeen Seventy  Shute Harbour   South Long Island  South Molle Island  Southport  Springsure      St George   St Lawrence   Stanthorpe   Stradbroke Island   Surat  Surfers Paradise  Tambo    Tamborine Mountain   Taroom  Texas  Thargomindah  Theodore  Thursday Island   Tin Can Bay    Tinaroo  Toowoomba  Townsville  Tully  Undara  Wallangarra  Wandoan  Warwick  Weipa  Whitsunday Winton  Wondai   Yandina Yeppoon  Yuleba  Yungaburra 

 

Barcaldine