Tambo is a rural town and locality in the Blackall-Tambo Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census, Tambo had a population of 367 people.[1] Cattle and tourism are the major industries of the town. A number of heritage buildings survive from the earliest days of settlement.
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Tambo Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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Arthur Street, Tambo | |||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() Tambo | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 24.8844°S 146.2530°E / -24.8844; 146.2530 (Tambo (town centre)) | ||||||||||||||
Population | 367 (2016 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 0.5939/km2 (1.5383/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Established | 1863 | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4478 | ||||||||||||||
Elevation | 395 m (1,296 ft) | ||||||||||||||
Area | 617.9 km2 (238.6 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location |
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LGA(s) | Blackall-Tambo Region | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Gregory | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Maranoa | ||||||||||||||
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Tambo is in Central West Queensland, Australia, on the banks of the Barcoo River. Tambo is 101 kilometres (63 mi) southeast of the town of Blackall via the Landsborough Highway, 118 kilometres (73 mi) north of Augathella, 201 kilometres (125 mi) north of Charleville, 736 kilometres (457 mi) north west of Toowoomba and approximately 862 kilometres (536 mi) north west of the state capital, Brisbane.
The Barcoo River runs through the town and sits near the Grey Range – part of the "Roof of Queensland" section of the Great Dividing Range.
The Landsborough Highway—part of the National Highway network linking Brisbane and Darwin—passes through Tambo. Tambo is also connected to Alpha and Springsure by the Dawson Development Road.[4]
The area on which the town of Tambo now sits was home of many different Aboriginal groups including the Wadjaling, Wadjalad, Wadjabangai, and Pitjara.
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.[5]
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.[5] The settlement was renamed Tambo in 1868.
The name Tambo comes from an Indigenous Australian word, meaning hidden place,[6] or "resting place, fish, shady waters, hidden waters, a secluded spot, hidden place and native yam."[7]
A branch of the Queensland National Bank was first established in 1875.[8]
The Courthouse was built in 1888.[9]
Tambo State School opened on 28 February 1876.[10]
Tambo was the location of Qantas' first fatal accident.[11] An Airco DH.9 crashed on 24 March 1927 with the loss of three lives after the plane stalled while landing.[11]
In the 2006 census, Tambo had a population of 345, a small decline from the 2001 census population of 357.[12][13] Around 7% of the population of Tambo identity as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and around 6% were born outside Australia.[12]
Tambo was cut off for eight days during the 2010-2011 Queensland floods.[14]
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 535.7 mm (21.0 in), the majority of which falls between December and March.
Climate data for Tambo (Tambo Post Office 1957–2013) | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 44.2 (111.6) |
42.8 (109.0) |
40.5 (104.9) |
37.1 (98.8) |
34.4 (93.9) |
31.7 (89.1) |
30.0 (86.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
39.0 (102.2) |
41.0 (105.8) |
43.3 (109.9) |
43.3 (109.9) |
44.2 (111.6) |
Average high °C (°F) | 34.9 (94.8) |
33.8 (92.8) |
32.4 (90.3) |
29.1 (84.4) |
24.9 (76.8) |
21.6 (70.9) |
21.2 (70.2) |
23.5 (74.3) |
27.3 (81.1) |
30.9 (87.6) |
33.2 (91.8) |
34.8 (94.6) |
29.0 (84.2) |
Average low °C (°F) | 20.4 (68.7) |
20.0 (68.0) |
17.5 (63.5) |
12.7 (54.9) |
8.1 (46.6) |
4.9 (40.8) |
3.6 (38.5) |
5.1 (41.2) |
9.0 (48.2) |
13.7 (56.7) |
17.0 (62.6) |
19.1 (66.4) |
12.6 (54.7) |
Record low °C (°F) | 10.4 (50.7) |
9.5 (49.1) |
5.8 (42.4) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
4.4 (39.9) |
7.0 (44.6) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 81.0 (3.19) |
77.5 (3.05) |
58.3 (2.30) |
37.1 (1.46) |
34.4 (1.35) |
28.6 (1.13) |
27.1 (1.07) |
18.7 (0.74) |
21.3 (0.84) |
34.6 (1.36) |
47.0 (1.85) |
70.1 (2.76) |
535.7 (21.1) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2mm) | 7.6 | 6.8 | 5.7 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 5.7 | 6.7 | 55.7 |
Source: Bureau of Meteorology[15] |
Tambo has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Tambo State School is a government primary and secondary (Early Childhood-10) school for boys and girls at 20 Mitchell Street (24.8845°S 146.2537°E / -24.8845; 146.2537 (Tambo State School)).[18][19] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 79 students with 11 teachers and 11 non-teaching staff (7 full-time equivalent).[20]
There are no secondary schools providing schooling to Year 12 within Tambo or nearby areas; options would be distance education and boarding school.[4]
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.[21] The sawmill reopened March 2018.[22][23][24][25]
Tambo is serviced by:
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation transmits ABC Television and its sister channels ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus, ABC Me and ABC News to Tambo through its Blackall relay station, ABBLQ
The Seven Network and its sister stations 7Two, 7Mate and 7Flix transmit to Tambo through its regional area affiliate, ITQ
The Nine Network and its sister channels 9Gem, 9Go! and 9Rush transmit to Tambo through its regional area affiliate, Imparja Television
Network Ten and its sister channels 10 BOLD, 10 Peach and 10 Shake transmit to Tambo through its regional area affiliate, CDT
The Special Broadcasting Service and its sister channels SBS Viceland, SBS World Movies and SBS Food also transmit to Tambo
The heritage-listed former Courthouse in Arthur Street contains the Tambo Visitor Information Centre and the Tambo Library.[26]
The Tambo branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the Royal Carrangarra Hotel in Arthur Street.[27]
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 cause wool prices to fall.[28] One of these teddies was given to Prince Harry and his wife Meghan (the Duke and Duchess of Sussex respectively) when they visited Australia. There have been numerous commercials advertising the teddies..
The "Tambo Heritage Trail" includes 17 buildings within the town's precinct of historical importance. They include:
Until 2008, Tambo was the administrative centre of the Shire of Tambo. In 2008, as part of the Queensland Government's amalgamation of local government areas, the Shire of Tambo and the neighbouring Shire of Blackall were both abolished and Tambo is now a part of the Blackall-Tambo Region.[29]
Towns and localities in the Blackall-Tambo Region, Queensland | |
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Blackall area | |
Tambo area | |
Main Article: Local government areas of Queensland |