This was published 9 years ago
Springsure, Queensland: Travel guide and things to do
Springsure, QLDCredit: Peter Lik
Springsure is a very typical and rather charming Queensland country town nestled in below the Capricorn Highlands with the local landmark Mount Zamia, of which Virgin Rock is the most prominent feature, looming above the town. It is located 66 km south of Emerald and 975 km from Brisbane (via Rockhampton).
The area around Springsure was first explored by Ludwig Leichhardt during his 1844-45 journey through central Queensland. Leichhardt eventually reached Port Essington in the Northern Territory and, upon his return to Sydney in 1846, his glowing reports of the area around the Comet River prompted graziers to move into the area.
Some kind of town sprang up at Springsure as early as 1859 although it wasn't surveyed and gazetted until 1863.
The Aboriginal resistance to the encroachment of Europeans was courageous and violent. At Cullin-la-ringo (north-west of the town) a group of Kairi warriors killed nineteen people in the largest recorded massacre of whites in Australian history. It is likely that the massacre was prompted by a combination of frustration at the loss of land and as an act of revenge for the atrocities which were being committed with monotonous regularity by both the whites (who were eager to rid themselves of the Aborigines) and the dreaded native police who had stolen tribal women.
It is still possible to see the mass grave in which the victims were buried but the residents of Mount Helmut station discourage visitors because of a bad record of disturbing livestock and being careless with rubbish and fire. Ask at Old Rainworth Station for more details.
The massacre at Cullin-la-ringo occurred before any kind of permanent building could be constructed. All buildings on the site post-date the killings. It is therefore worth visiting Rainworth Fort, which is located 10 km south-west of the town near the Wealwandangie Road, which was constructed in 1862 a year after the Cullin-la-Ringo massacre. It is not clear whether, as is suggested by the name 'fort', it was built to resist Aboriginal attack. Certainly it was designed as a storehouse not a home. The diary of Jesse Gregson, part-owner and manager of the station, states that the building was designed as a store house. The name 'fort' has grown as a legend.
It is ironic that the massacre at Cullin-la-Ringo was probably as a result of an attack made on the local Aborigines by Jesse Gregson who was manager of Rainworth Station. The local Aborigines had 'stolen' 300 sheep (they probably thought they had a right to them as when Gregson arrived at their camp they invited him to share their meal) and Gregson responded by shooting a number of them.
Cattle duffers, the Kenniff brothers overlanded to Springsure in 1891 after being convicted of stock stealing in northern New South Wales. They undertook bush work, raced horses and opened books on the local race meetings, before moving on to more dubious activities on the Upper Warrego (see entry on Mitchell).
The area around Springsure is characterised by a rich black clay soil which, in recent times, due to extensive irrigation, has produced a range of crops including sunflowers. In season the fields of sunflowers to the south of the town put on a spectacular display.
Things to see
Old Rainworth Station
A visit to Old Rainworth Station is well worth while. The owners are a mine of local history and the property now includes both the Cairdbeign School (dating from 1896) and the Cairdbeign Homestead (a superb seven roomed slab homestead dating from the 1870s) which were transferred from Archibald Buchanan's Cairdbeign property which lies to the south of Rainworth. An excellent little pamphlet titled Old Rainworth Fort,which gives a very detailed history of the buildings, is available at the shop near the fort.
Museums
For people interested in finding out more about local history Springsure boasts two museums. In William Street is the Fly'n Horse Shoe Museum which is a good local museum with interesting displays of early memorabilia from the local area. The Historical Association Museum is at the southern end of town. It is simply an old slab hut which is open for inspection throughout the day (displays are behind strong netting) and is unattended.
Pattern Comet Windmill
In the Jaycees Park nearby is a huge Pattern Comet Windmill built by the Sidney Williams Company of Rockhampton in 1935. The windmill has a diameter of 24 feet (just under 7.5 m) and the head weighs 2.4 tonnes. It was originally erected at Johnnies Bore on Cungellela Station, near Springsure.
Virgin Rock and Mt Zamia Environmental Park
The area around Springsure has a number of interesting parks, of which the most notable would be Virgin Rock which can be visited by travelling 4 km out of town on the Emerald road. There is also the Mt Zamia Environmental Park 4 km to the west of the town on the Tambo road and the magnificent Carnarvon Gorge National Park which can be reached via Rolleston to the south of the town.
Carnarvon Gorge National Park
About 71 km south of Springsure is the tiny township of Rolleston which is the best access point to the remarkable Carnarvon National Park. The route from Rolleston to the park is 19 km on the main Dawson Highway then 67 km from the turnoff. Both the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service and the RACQ have detailed brochures on the park.
National Parks and Wildlife have described the area as a 'tangle of peaks, gorges, and sandstone cliffs, it is one of the wildest regions of the central western section of Queensland'.
In 1932 the bulk of the park (65 000 acres - about 26 300 hectares) was proclaimed with another 1 480 acres being added in 1954. Today the park has been extended to cover 223 000 hectares.
The centrepiece of the park is the Carnarvon Gorge itself. Running for over 30 km, it varies in width from 40-400 metres. The gorge has vast stands of spotted gum, cabbage palm and cycads as well as ferns, elkhorns, and lichens near the waterfalls.
The caves and cliff walls were a popular place for Aboriginal art and contain some of the finest examples of hands, axes, emu tracks and boomerangs to be seen anywhere in Australia. Using the technique of blowing pigment over a stencil the Aborigines painted on the walls in red ochre and white, black and yellow pigments.
Camping is possible and must be arranged in advance with the park ranger 131 7468 or, for those requiring more creature comforts, there is the Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge with camping and cabin–style accommodation and a licensed dining room, http://www.carnarvon-gorge.com/ . For more park information check out:http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/carnarvon-gorge/index.html
There are a rich variety of walks in the area from the lodge and the camping area up the gorge to various amphitheatres, art galleries, caves and narrow side gorges.
Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter
Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.