Ilfracombe

Ilfracombe is a small town and locality in the Longreach Region in Central West Queensland, Australia.

Ilfracombeis a small town and locality in the Longreach Region in Central West Queensland, Australia. Ilfracombe calls itself The Hub of the West. The main industry is sheep rearing, mainly for wool.Ilfracombe is situated on the Landsborough Highway, about 27 kilometres (17 mi) east of Longreach, 214 metres above sea level. In the 2016 census, Ilfracombe had a population of 259 people.

Sheep stations were established in the area from 1864. The townsites of Ilfracombe and Longreach were amongst resumed portions of Wellshot Station. In 1892, Wellshot was known as the biggest sheep station in the world, not because of the area it occupied but because of the number of sheep it ran; 460,000. So important was the property that Ilfracombe was known as Wellshot until 1890. 40,000 two-year-old wethers were sold off from the property later the same year.The Central Western railway line reached Ilfracombe in 1891 and the Post Office opened on 7 December 1891.In April 1910, Isisford became the first town in Australia to be serviced by a motorised mail delivery from Ilfracombe (a journey of 90 kilometres (56 mi)).The town was named after the coastal town of Ilfracombe in North Devon, England.In the 2016 Census, there were 259 people in Ilfracombe. 84.3% of people were born in Australia and 89.3% of people spoke only English at home. The most common response for religion was Anglican at 39.5%.The town was much larger in the past.It once had three hotels instead of the single hotel now and two general stores.A 1.9-metre metal sculpture of National Rugby League player Matt Scott, who grew up in Ilfracombe, was unveiled in the town on 24 September 2021.It was created by scrap metal artist Milynda Rogers who was commissioned by the Ilfracombe District Progress Association with the aim of inspiring the region's youth while also giving the town a focus of pride.Approximately 200 people attended the official unveiling.