Killarney

History

The Gidhabal (also known as Gidabal, Kitabal) language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Southern Downs Regional Council, particularly Warwick, Killarney and Woodenbong, extending into New South Wales. Killarney bordered on the northern boundaries of the Yetimarala people. Originally part of Canning Downs, established by the Leslie brothers in 1840, the development of the town was largely based on primary production and forestry. The name of the district was chosen by the Hon. Peter Murray, who was visiting George Leslie at the Canning Downs pastoral station and commented that the scenery reminded him of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland. Killarney State School was established on 17 August 1874. However, it was not until 1 January 1876 that teacher Gwyther Hill was appointed and students enrolled. The South Killarney town site was first surveyed in 1878, but the town already boasted several shops and services by this time. Many early settlers to Queensland selected land in the Killarney area with the first of these arriving in 1863. During the 1880s Killarney was described as "one of the most flourishing towns in Southern Queensland". The first Killarney Post Office opened on 1 July 1877 (a receiving office had been open from 1875). Killarney North Post Office opened on 26 June 1889 (replacing Killarney North Railway Station receiving office open from 1887) and was renamed North Killarney in 1897. In 1905 the Killarney office was renamed Killarney South, and the North Killarney office became the second Killarney office, due to the town having moved to near the railway station. A branch railway was built from Warwick in 1885. The line closed in 1964. Mountain View Provisional School opened circa 1886 and closed in 1892.…

Geography

Killarney is located south-east of Warwick on the Condamine River in the Darling Downs. Killarney is located about from the Queensland/New South Wales border. It is close to Queen Mary Falls in the Main Range National Park, where Spring Creek plunges into the valley. Mountain View is a neighbourhood within the locality of Killarney (). Melrose is a neighbourhood within the locality of Killarney (); it is associated with the Melrose pastoral station.

Most-observed species

• Lewin's Honeyeater

  Meliphaga lewinii (Swainson, 1837) · Aves
  459
• Gray Fantail

  Rhipidura albiscapa Gould, 1840 · Aves
  355
• Eastern Yellow Robin

  Eopsaltria australis (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  354
• Eastern Whipbird

  Psophodes olivaceus (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  348
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  340
• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  322
• Crimson Rosella

  Platycercus elegans (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  318
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  310