Fletcher

History

In 1872, Thomas Henry Fletcher established the Britannia Hotel in present-day Ballandean. He planted a small orchard beside his hotel. While he was successful at fruit growing, most of the interest in the district was in mining. The locality of Fletcher is presumed to be named after the Fletcher railway station (), which was named by the Queensland Railways Department in 1887, after orchardist Thomas Henry Fletcher, who pioneered the growing of fruit in the Granite Belt area.

Geography

The Severn River forms the western boundary of the locality. The terrain is somewhat mountainous with the land in the valleys between being used for farming. A small area in the east of the locality is part of the Girraween National Park. Apart from that the predominant land use is grazing on native vegetation and crop growing.

Most-observed species

• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  3,176
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  2,886
• Pied Currawong

  Strepera graculina (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  2,599
• Crimson Rosella

  Platycercus elegans (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  2,516
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  2,458
• Laughing Kookaburra

  Dacelo novaeguineae (Hermann, 1783) · Aves
  2,334
• Yellow-faced Honeyeater

  Caligavis chrysops (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  2,328
• Red Wattlebird

  Anthochaera carunculata (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  2,278