Murgon - Culture and History

The naming of the town was a typical exercise in guesswork. Murgon probably means either 'spring', 'lily-covered pond' or a specific variety of lily in the language of one of the local Aboriginal groups. Mistakes rather than guesses are the problem in Cherbourg's case. Intended as 'Chirbury' it was, through a series of errors, changed firstly to 'Cherberg' and later to 'Cherbourg'.

The first European settlers were Ferriter and Uhr who arrived in the area in 1843 and took up land which they called 'Barambah'. They had pushed north looking for suitable land on which to graze sheep, though they later changed to cattle. By 1875, when the property was sold at auction,there were 7000 cows, 150 horses, 17 920 acres of freehold and 289 sq. miles of crown rental.

A house built on Barambah Station in 1905, with superb wide verandahs and an unusual hexagonal corner pavilion, has been listed by the National Trust. Although not the first house built on the property (which has long since disappeared) the current 'Barambah Homestead' is a fine example of Queensland timber architecture. It is not open to the public.

Development of the town did not occur until the early years of this century. The large properties were broken up into smaller units and the increase in the local population led to the survey and sale of town lots in 1906. The butter factory was opened in 1913 and a grain shed was built the following year.

Today the town is a quiet rural service centre. A very detailed and interesting book on the area, Wilderness to Wealth in the Shires of Nanango, Kingaroy, Wondai, Murgon, Kilkivan and Portion of Rosalie, which was published in 1950, is still available from the Nanango Shire Council offices. It is full of fascinating anecdotes about the district's early history. The Visitor Information Centre also has copies of Landscapes of Change and Murgon in Focus.