Duaringa

Duaringa is a town in the Central Highlands Region and a locality split between the Central Highlands Region and the Aboriginal Shire of Woorabinda in Central Queensland, Australia.

Duaringa is a town in the Central Highlands Region and a locality split between the Central Highlands Region and the Aboriginal Shire of Woorabinda in Central Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Duaringa had a population of 278 people.

Duaringa was close to the northwestern boundaries of the Kangulu, and the eastern frontier of the Kanolu peoples.In the 2011 census, Duaringa had a population of 260 people.

Like many towns in the Central Queensland area, Duaringa was first established as a settlement for railway workers during the construction of the Central Western railway line during the 1870s.However, the decision to create a settlement where Duaringa exists today was only determined after a devastating flood in 1875. Prior to the flood, the government had surveyed land where the railway crosses the Dawson River for a major service centre for the railway to be established there.As such, the township of Boolburra was established with many families settling on either side of the river.The bridge across the Dawson River was almost finished in February 1875 when torrential rain began to fall which continued over several days.The relentless rainfall caused the river to rise rapidly catching many people in Boolburra unaware.In late February, 1875, a series of urgent telegrams began being received in Rockhampton reporting that the whole area was underwater and that many people in Boolburra were stranded on rooftops, in trees and on any high ground they could find.Upon receiving the news, the superintendent of the railways Robert Ballard set men to work to build punts to rescue people.When the rescuers arrived, they found thirty residents on the roof of Sheehy's Hotel, while others were stranded on the top of Beattie's Hotel or their own rooftops.Many were suffering from insect bites and severe sunburn.Almost 300 people were rescued from the floodwaters, including four Chinese men who had been without food for five days.While the loss of life was expected to be substantial, the death toll was much less than first anticipated.Several people did lose their lives, including a German man and his three children, though his wife and their baby were found alive on top of a pile of railway sleepers.The people of Rockhampton began donating items to the Boolburra flood victims including blankets, clothing, loaves of bread, meat and rations.After the flood, the government decided to abandon their plan to use Boolburra as the major railway centre it was proposed to be, and instead create a separate settlement seven miles further west along the railway line for that purpose.Boolburra then became an ordinary wayside station instead of its original purpose.The railway line from Boolburra to Duaringa opened on 28 March 1876.A free excursion for people to travel by train from Rockhampton to Duaringa was organised to mark the occasion. Secretary for Public Works, Henry Edward King was among those that made the trip.Apart from farming properties scattered throughout the area, there is nothing of significance remaining at Boolburra that would indicate there was once a thriving township located on the Dawson River.

Central Highlands Regional Council continues to maintain and make improvements to the rural road network in the Boolburra area.A new low level bridge has been built across the river to provide quicker access to Duaringa for local property owners in the Boolburra area and a complete bridge replacement was executed across Herbert Creek at Boolburra to re-establish access to the Capricorn Highway.

In September 1880, it was decided that the portion of the Banana Divisional Board west of the Dawson River should be offloaded to form a new divisional board due to communication difficulties within the divisions of the Banana Divisional Board.As a result, the Duaringa Divisional Board was formed.The first meeting of the Duaringa Divisional Board took place on 10 August 1881. Another two meetings took place in 1881 where road repairs, a request to the government for accounting books, a set of by-laws and permission to use the Duaringa Railway Station as a meeting place were among the issues discussed.A rate of sixpence in the pound was levied and sent to all ratepayers in the newly formed division.The Duaringa Divisional Board held its last meeting on 11 June 1903 just prior to the name change to Duaringa Shire Council.A council office and residence was built in 1919.The existing council chambers on the corner of William and Elizabeth Street was officially opened by Minister for Local Government Wallace Rae on 28 November 1970. The construction of a new council library in Elizabeth Street followed, which was opened in October 1977.The town served as the administrative centre of the Duaringa Shire Council up until 2008 when the council area was amalgamated into the newly formed Emerald-based Central Highlands Regional Council. The council chambers are still used for administration purposes, and the council remains a major employer for people who live and work in the town.