Cecil Plains

History

European settlement in the area began in 1842, when Henry Stuart Russell claimed land around the Condamine River to establish Cecil Plains station. The site of the station homestead was to become the site of the town. Ludwig Leichhardt used the homestead as a base for two expeditions into the surrounding region in 1844 and 1847. The station originally grazed cattle but later moved to wool production. Cecil Plains Provisional School opened on 17 January 1898. It closed briefly in 1910 and 1912 and then again from 10 October 1917 to 17 June 1919. It became Cecil Plains State School on 1 February 1922. In 1964, a secondary department was added. In 1975, a pre-school centre was added. In 1916, Cecil Plains station was acquired by the Queensland government and subdivided for closer settlement, with some parcels reserved for soldier settlers. The new settlers produced mainly wheat and dairy. The post office opened in 1921 (a receiving office had been open from 1890). Haslemere State School opened in July 1925. It closed on 28 July 1961. In November 1925, the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane provided a loan of £250 to establish a church in Cecil Plains. St Margaret's Anglican Church was dedicated on Sunday 2 January 1927 by Archdeacon Glover. The architect was Mr Marks of Toowoomba and the timber church was built by J. Johnson of Dalby. On Sunday 21 December 1930, Bishop James Byrne officially opened and blessed Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. A police station opened in 1934. Cecil Plains Airfield (also known as Tipton Airfield) was established in early 1942 during World War II, when a Japanese invasion of Australia was feared. Although built for use by US Air Force bombers, it was never used by the US Air Force. From 19 December 1944 until late April 1945, the…

Geography

Cecil Plains is in the Darling Downs, west of the state capital, Brisbane. The fertile black soil around Cecil Plains is ideal for cotton production and the town is now the home of one of the largest cotton gins in the Southern Hemisphere. The Pampas-Horrane Road (State Route 82) enters the locality from the south and then turns west on Toowoomba–Cecil Plains Road. In the town State Route 82 turns north on Dalby–Cecil Plains Road. Millmerran-Cecil Plains Road and Cecil Plains-Moonie Road both enter from the west.

Most-observed species

• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  99
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

  Cacatua galerita (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  85
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  85
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  80
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  76
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  74
• Little Corella

  Cacatua sanguinea Gould, 1843 · Aves
  62
• Noisy Miner

  Manorina melanocephala (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  60