Allora

History

Giabal (also known as Paiamba, Gomaingguru) is an Australian Aboriginal language. The Giabal language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Toowoomba Regional Council, particularly Toowoomba south to Allora and west to Millmerran. In 1854, the first Presbyterian services were held in Allora. The town was surveyed in 1859. Its name is believed to derive from an Aboriginal word "gnarrallah", meaning waterhole or swampy place. In 1866, a Wesleyan Methodist church was established in Allora. Improvements were made in 1875. On 31 December 2008, it was renamed Allora P-10 State School. In November 1874, the congregation commenced fundraising to build a church. In September 1876, they were seeking to buy an acre of land for the church. In February 1879, they called for tenders to build the church. On Sunday 28 September 1879, the church was opened by Reverend W. Budge. It faced Forde Street opposite the town hall. In 1906, it was decided to build a new Presbyterian church facing Warwick Street opposite the Allora railway station. The foundation blocks were laid on Wednesday 25 July 1906 under the supervision of Reverend D. McLellan with over 300 people in attendance. The new church was officially opened on Wednesday 21 November 1906 by Dr Coulston, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. The architect was Alexander Brown Wilson of Brisbane and the contractor was Henry William Stay of Allora. In October 1912, the 1879 church building was relocated to become the Presbyterian church in Goomburra, which is east of Allora. The relocation of the church required two traction engines and took ten days to negotiate difficult terrain and other problems. In 1886, the first fossil evidence of early human occupation in the area, the…

Geography

Allora is on the Darling Downs in south-eastern Queensland, Australia, by road south-west of the state capital, Brisbane. The town is located on the New England Highway between Warwick and Toowoomba.

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  317
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  309
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  260
• Crested Pigeon

  Ocyphaps lophotes (Temminck, 1822) · Aves
  223
• Noisy Miner

  Manorina melanocephala (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  219
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  215
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  201
• Australian Kestrel

  Falco cenchroides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 · Aves
  200