Theodore - Culture and History

Castle Creek grew up as a tiny settlement serving the needs of the large properties in the Dawson Valley. In 1923 many of the larger properties in the area were resumed by the government who planned to develop an elaborate irrigation system and sell smaller blocks of land for more intensive agriculture. A publication known as the 'Little Green Book' was widely circulated. It sang the praises of the region: 'Tens of thousands of acres of glorious land lie in idleness, awaiting the day when agriculture will awake them into fruitful activity. And, as the land is conquered, wealth and population will follow.'

The dream was to create an area where 5000 irrigable farms would produce vast amounts of food for Australia and the rest of the world. And the dream was to create a model garden city in the Dawson Valley wilderness.

The description of the dream was that Theodore would be 'planned on the most modern lines...Traversing the township from north to south is a spacious garden boulevarde, intersected at intervals by avenues which have also been planted with palms and shade trees in such a manner as to led a restful appearance to the scene...in the centre of the town is an oval around which has been erected the residences for the accommodation of members of the Commissioners local staff...the oval is laid out in lawns, in the centre of which stands a picturesque water tower 50 feet high, from which the town water supply is reticulated. The floor of the tower is arranged as a bandstand.' It is worth noting that a new tower supplies the town with treated water and, sadly, the bandstand has long departed.

In 1924 the irrigation project was officially opened. The plan was to build a dam over the Natham Gorge, but the dam was never constructed, and the water in the region was contained behind a number of smaller weirs. The Glebe Weir, about 30 km east of the town, can be seen from the road and is a popular and attractive picnic spot. Theodore was the first irrigation project in Queensland and the government, determined to succeed, had built a settler accommodation house for all new arrivals to the area. The new arrivals moved out to the holdings and gradually the town became the centre of a successful experiment.

Today the town continues to succeed because of the rich black soils of the area and the irrigation which is provided from the Dawson River. Apart from sheep and cattle (the breeds in the local area include Brahman, a Brahman–Hereford cross called Braford, and Santa Gertrudis) the area also produces sorghum, wheat and cotton.

There are a number of interesting buildings in the town. One of the few remnants of the town's original name can be seen on the main street where the Castle Creek Theatre is a dominant feature.