Bollon

History

Gunya (Kunya, Kunja, Kurnja) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Gunya people. The Gunya language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Paroo Shire Council, taking in Cunnamulla and extending north towards Augathella, east towards Bollon and west towards Thargomindah. The town is thought to be named after the Mandandanji language word balun or balonn meaning water or a running stream. By June 1880, the town had a hotel (the Great Western), a store and a postal receiving office. Bollon Provisional School opened on 27 July 1885. On 1 January 1902 it became Bollon State School. On Sunday 16 February 1936, St Mary's Anglican Church was officially opened and dedicated by Bishop Horace Dixon. In 2010, Narkoola National Park was established in the west of the town's boundaries to preserve plant communities of the Mulga Lands bioregion. On Saturday 22 February 2025, the Bollon Hotel was burned down. It was the only hotel in Bollon. The hotel was built in 1954, replacing a previous hotel which burned down in 1951, and was the fourth hotel on that site which has hosted a hotel for more than 130 years.

Geography

Bollon is in South West Queensland, west of the state capital, Brisbane. Bollon is situated on the Balonne Highway, between St George and Cunnamulla on the banks of Wallam Creek. A stand of River red gums along the creek is home to a large colony of koalas.

Most-observed species

• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  224
• White-plumed Honeyeater

  Ptilotula penicillata (Gould, 1837) · Aves
  204
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  196
• Crested Pigeon

  Ocyphaps lophotes (Temminck, 1822) · Aves
  161
• Restless Flycatcher

  Myiagra inquieta (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  160
• Whistling Kite

  Haliastur sphenurus (Vieillot, 1818) · Aves
  148
• Pacific Black Duck

  Anas superciliosa J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  148
• Peaceful Dove

  Geopelia placida Gould, 1844 · Aves
  146

Most recent

• M 4.2 — 2008-02-13
  111 km ENE of Cunnamulla, Australia
• M 3 — 2006-06-15
  129 km E of Cunnamulla, Australia
• M 3.6 — 2005-12-28
  75 km WSW of St George, Australia