British pastoral occupation began in the region in 1862 with the formation of the massive Bowen Downs station. Aramac Station was established by John Rule and Dyson Lacey in 1863.
In 1867, an employee of Aramac Station, John William Kingston, opened a bark-hut store at an outlying point on the Aramac Creek. Enlarged two years later to include a hotel (Kingston's Bazaar), Kingston's settlement was declared a town site in 1869 and surveyed as a town in 1875. It was the region's first town, and the centre of the first local-government division. To this day John William Kingston is recognised as the original founder of Aramac. His grave bears a plaque in the Aramac Cemetery acknowledging his achievement.[8]
The town was originally called Marathon. The name was changed to that of Aramac, after the station, when the survey was conducted in 1875.[9] Recollections of an 1878 visit to Aramac were published in the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin in 1933, describing the township as consisting of "neat weatherboard structures, painted, and comprising four stores, three hotels, and three butchers' shops, with a post office, bank, court house, and surgery",[10] and the surrounding countryside and as "one of the emporia of the West."[10]
"The place is known to so many by name only that the visitor feels himself travelled. Moreover, he has become, acquainted, however slightly, with the great western country, of which we have all heard so much. "He has been on its threshold, having traversed the desert, and beheld, not without surprise, broad rolling downs stretching away to the horizon, with an open landscape, sparsely mottled with trees, the whole presenting a vivid contrast to the dense scrub and scanty herbage of some of the more easterly districts. He has, in a word, seen an oasis in the 'Sahara' -one which, to him, has a beginning, but is boundless on the western side. Besides this, if the visit has been made during Show week, he has come more, fully to appreciate the great pastoral interest, as represented in the persons of men of intelligence and energy -the pioneers of colonisation, the promoters of commerce."[10]
Mailman's Gorge massacre site, near Aramac
Little is known about the original indigenous population, although there was a reported massacre of 25 local Aborigines at the nearby Mailman's Gorge.[11][12] This event remained largely unknown until the publication of North Queensland Pioneers in 1932. The author stated:
"The indigenous people were very numerous in the ranges around Aramac in the early days and the murder of a travelling jeweller and his wife and child caused reprisals. Harried by the police, the offending tribe took refuge in the country of a hostile tribe, and this precipitated wholesale tribal warfare. To this day it is said the mountain caves yield skeletons, the result of this tribal war."[13]
An 1865 account said the death of a shepherd or a government employee at Stainburn Downs station, north-west of Aramac, led to a revenge attack by squatters. Three Europeans are supposed to have tracked 30 Aborigines to a cave at Mailman's Gorge and shot them.[14]
Another account states that after the body of the station-worker was found, Alexander "Long" Gordon (after whom the main street of Aramac is named) tracked "the blacks" out to a cave near Greyrock at Mailman's Gorge where he shot every one of them dead.[15]
White Bull statue, commemorating Harry Redford's cattle duffing
In 1870, Henry 'Harry' Redfordduffed cattle from a property called Bowen Downs. He amassed a herd of about 1,000 cattle. Knowing that the Bowen Downs cattle brand would be recognised locally, Redford knew he could not sell them locally, so decided to drive the cattle overland to South Australia. This was a remarkable achievement of droving, but unfortunately for Redford, his herd included a prize white bull which was sufficiently unusual that it was recognised and Redford and his conspirators were arrested.[16] Redford is believed to be the inspiration for the fictional bushranger Captain Starlight in the novel Robbery Under Arms.[17]
Aramac teacher stands outside her residence, circa 1914
Aramac State School opened on 21 January 1878.[19] By 1901 the school was well established and received a very positive report from the School Inspector, Mr. Benbow, printed in The Western Champion.
"The discipline is kind, quietly firm, and sensible; the moral tone appears to be healthy; the school habits are very satisfactory; general behaviour is respectful and attentive; the class movements are quietly and effectively carried out, and very good order is maintained. Methods: The methods employed in teaching are generally intelligent and skillful; they are applied with skill and considerable energy; the amount of revision is sufficient. Progress: The progress made by the pupils may be regarded as good and sound. General condition: Everything considered the general condition of the school is highly satisfactory. Remarks: The two highest classes have been carefully and intelligently instructed, and the pupils of these classes have evidently been taught to think. The demeanor of the children during inspection was most pleasing."
The hospital opened in 1879.[20][21]
Circa 1888-1889 an Anglican church opened in Aramac.[22]
Aramac Tramway Museum (2011)
Aramac was initially a major outback town. However, when the Central Western railway line reached Barcaldine to the south in 1886, it drew trade away from Aramac. The residents agitated to get a railway connection to Aramac, but the Queensland Government was not willing. Having surveyed a route, in 1906, the Aramac Shire Council tried to borrow money from the Queensland Government to build their own railway. At that time, the Queensland Government was interested in creating a western connection between the Central Western railway line and the Great Northern railway and making that connection via Aramac was one possibility, but the government decided instead to build the connection between Longreach and Winton. Eventually the council borrowed the funding to build the Aramac Tramway connecting to the Western Central Line at Lagoon Creek, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the Barcaldine railway station. The tramway opened on 2 July 1913 and operated until 31 December 1975. A tramway museum opened in 1994 in the old goods sheds.[9]
St John's Catholic Church was opened circa 23 May 1901 by BishopJoseph Higgins.[23] In 1952, the old church was demolished to enable the construction of a new church, with services being held temporarily in the presbytery. On Sunday 14 December 1952, the new St John's Catholic Church was officially opened by Bishop Andrew Tynan.[24]
In 1914, Aramac developed thermal baths with its artesian water to promote itself as a health resort; however, it did not attract many invalids due to its isolated geographic location and the failure of the local government to promote the baths.[25]
The Aramac War Memorial was officially unveiled in April 1924, at a well attended public ceremony. The Last Post was played by Mr Affoo, and the children were all given a bag of lollies at the end of the ceremony. Shire Chairman, E.W. Bowyer presided and, as the Governor was unable to attend, gave the following speech:[26]
"This memorial was erected by the people of the Aramac Shire, as a modest tribute to the patriotism and loyalty of the men who enlisted to take part in the late deplorable European War. It will serve as an ineffaceable record to remind not only the rising generation but succeeding generations that Australians fought, bled, and died in the defence of their country."
In June 1924, a branch of the Country Women's Association was formed in Aramac,[27] and by August that year were active, their efforts much appreciated in the town, and reported in the Western Champion: "Something new in entertainments was provided on Friday evening at the Shire Bail, when the Aramac branch of the Country Women's Association arranged a Euchre and Ping Pong tournament for us, with dance thrown in."[28]
Aramac State School is a government primary and secondary (Early Childhood-10) school for boys and girls at 69 Porter Street (22°58′28″S145°14′33″E / 22.9744°S 145.2426°E / -22.9744; 145.2426 (Aramac State School)).[38][39] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 56 students with 10 teachers (9 full-time equivalent) and 10 non-teaching staff (6 full-time equivalent).[40] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 55 students with 10 teachers (9 full-time equivalent) and 12 non-teaching staff (6 full-time equivalent).[41]
The closest secondary school for students from Years 11 and 12 is Barcaldine Prep-12 State School, 67 km (42 mi) to the south in Barcaldine.[42]
Facilities
Old Aramac Hospital, built 1910s
Aramac has a visitor information centre, swimming pool located within the grounds of the Aramac Memorial Park in Gordon Street,[43] a town hall, showground and a pub.[44] There is no hospital, but nurse-led clinic facilities (Monday to Friday), ambulance services and 24-hours a day, seven days a week emergency on-call services. In 2016 the community had access to two doctors, with one staying overnight for two full days each week. The town is also serviced by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.[45]
The annual Harry Redford Cattle Drive begins in Aramac and partly traces the 1870 footsteps of renowned cattle duffer Harry Redford[8][48] who walked 1,000 head of cattle from Bowen Downs, north of Aramac, to South Australia. In 2015 and 2016 the drive was cancelled due to prolonged drought in the region.[49]
Gracevale Station is about 52 km (32 mi) west of Aramac,[50] about an hour by road and occupying about 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres). It was returned to the traditional owners, the Iningai people, in 2019, and will be renamed Turraburra. Much work on restoring the land and waterways has been done, and as of 2020[update] it is being opened to visitors. Cliffs on the property are covered with ancient rock art, including paintings and etchings of megafauna, emu symbols and the traditional songline of the Seven Sisters. Planning for an educational centre created from local rock is under way.[51]
^"THE EXPLORER". The Queenslander. Vol. XVI, no. 214. Queensland, Australia. 20 September 1879. p. 372. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
^ abc"ARAMAC TOWNSHIP". Morning Bulletin. Queensland, Australia. 28 September 1933. p. 13. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
^Black, J. (Jane); Queensland Country Women's Association (1930), North Queensland pioneers, Queensland Country Women's Association, archived from the original on 2 February 2017, retrieved 27 January 2017
^"ARAMAC". The Longreach Leader. Queensland, Australia. 7 December 1938. p. 20. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
^"History of Aramac, QLD". Tilbury Lineage A journey through time. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
^"General News". The Queenslander. Vol. XXXVI, no. 721. Queensland, Australia. 27 July 1889. p. 170. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"NEW ARAMAC CHURCH OPENED". Morning Bulletin. No. 29, 170. Queensland, Australia. 19 December 1952. p. 11. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Aramac Notes". The Longreach Leader. No. 68. Queensland, Australia. 17 April 1924. p. 12. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Aramac Notes". The Longreach Leader. Queensland, Australia. 27 June 1924. p. 18. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Aramac Affairs". The Western Champion. Queensland, Australia. 30 August 1924. p. 14. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
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