Hughenden

History

The upper Flinders River area has been occupied by the Yirandhali people from around 11,000 years ago. Jirandali (also known as Yirandali, Warungu, Yirandhali) is an Australian Aboriginal language of North-West Queensland, particularly the Hughenden area. The language region includes the local government area of the Shire of Flinders, including Dutton River, Flinders River, Mount Sturgeon, Caledonia, Richmond, Corfield, Winton, Torrens, Tower Hill, Landsborough Creek, Lammermoor Station, Hughenden, and Tangorin. Dalleburra (also known as Dalebura, Dal-leyburra, Yirandali) is a language of North-West Queensland, particularly Lammermoor Station via Hughenden. The Dalleburra language region includes the local government boundaries of the Flinders Shire Council. The region in the vicinity of Hughenden was originally known as Mokana in the Yirandhali language. British occupation began in October 1861 with the expedition group led by Frederick Walker camping near the site of the future township of Hughenden. Pastoralists soon followed and in 1863. Ernest Henry and his cousin Robert Gray established the Hughenden sheep station. Hughenden was named after Hughenden Manor in Buckinghamshire, England, the home of former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Robert Gray and Ernest Henry both had a family connection with Hughenden Manor. Their grandfather, John Norris owned the property until it was sold to Disraeli on Norris's death. It was also owned by John's father, also named John Norris, a wealthy merchant and member of the famous Hellfire Club. The actual town of Hughenden began in 1870 as a barracks for the paramilitary Native Police with sub-Inspector Harry Finch and his six troopers constructing the simple buildings at the junction of Station Creek with the…

Geography

Hughenden is situated on the banks of the Flinders River. Hughenden has the following mountains (from west to east): * Mount Walker () * Mount Mowbray () * Mount Devlin () * Mount Castor () * Mount Beckford () Hughenden is located on the Flinders Highway, west of Townsville and north-west of Brisbane, the state capital. The region around Hughenden is a major centre for the grazing of sheep and cattle. The main feed is annual grasses known as Flinders grass, which grow rapidly on the (by Australian standards) fertile grey or brown cracking clay soils after rain between November and March. However, because the rainfall is extremely erratic – at Hughenden itself it has ranged from in 1926 to in 1950 – droughts and floods are normal and stock numbers fluctuate greatly. The runoff from the Flinders River is much too erratic to provide a sustainable supply for any crop-growing via irrigation. Hughenden is on the Great Northern railway line with a number of railway stops in the locality (from west to east): * Ballindalloch railway station, now abandoned () *Pooroga railway station, now abandoned ()

Most-observed species

• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  157
• Crested Pigeon

  Ocyphaps lophotes (Temminck, 1822) · Aves
  146
• Yellow-throated Miner

  Manorina flavigula (Gould, 1840) · Aves
  130
• Black Kite

  Milvus migrans (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  130
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  128
• Little Corella

  Cacatua sanguinea Gould, 1843 · Aves
  127
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  115
• Apostlebird

  Struthidea cinerea Gould, 1837 · Aves
  107