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54 CUNNAMULLA, EULO AND YOWAH
Yapunyah Craft Group
The Yapunyah Craft Group meets monthly. Please contact Mary Haig on (07) 4655 4750 for more information.
Located 160 kms west of Cunnamulla (bitumen road all the way), the township of Yowah is Australia’s bestkept secret. It is home to ironstone matrix and boulders called Yowah Nuts, which are cracked or sliced to reveal the “kernel” – hopefully one of solid opal, Australia’s gemstone.
The Acacia Cambagei (the gidyea or gidgee) occurs naturally and is a good timber tree. Acacia Aneura (mulga) grows abundantly in this area and is an excellent source of fodder in dry seasons.
2 Yowah Gallery 7 Whitewood Drive Yowah Ph/Fax (07) 4655 4714
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The Bluff
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Eulo (100k) Airport (3k???)
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Fauna The kangaroo, emu and a large variety of lizards are native to the area. There is also huge variety of birds including Burkes Parrot and Halls Babbler. Enthusiasts travel from all over Australia to view these birds. Due to dams and watering areas built by graziers, the kangaroo population flourishes in the area. They have become a nuisance by invading paddocks and damaging fences. They are also dangerous for travellers as they feed alongside the road and move unpredictably when startled by vehicles.
Tours can be arranged for any size group including private vehicles, buses and fly-ins however all bookings must be made prior to arrival. All catering requirements can arranged for any time of day, but bookings are essential.
Yowah Gallery
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The Eulo Polocrosse Club welcomes members and guests. A full adult membership is approx $300 per year (adjusted annually, including Affiliation Fees payable to the Queensland Polocrosse Association). Other categories include sub juniors, juniors, intermediates with casuals and trial players always welcomed.
Another good yielding honey tree is the Bimble Box (euc popilnea), which has glossy green, broad leaves. Other eucalypt trees are the Coolibah (euc coolabahs), River Red Gum (euc camadulensis) and Blood Wood (uuc terminalis).
Early miners have often missed such boulders, to the delight of visitors who benefit from “noodling” the old dumps. Some boulders have superbly intricate patterns without being opalised. Why not take a tour to the free fossicking area and search for your very own opals that you can take home with you. Cutting and polishing services are available for your find.
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In 1993 enrolments hit an all-time low, with only 4 students attending. The Department of Education threatened closure of the school unless numbers could be increased considerably – and those numbers maintained. The Eulo community rallied and a Student Hostel was built beside the school with accommodation provided for 20 students and a House Mother. This provided an opportunity for children from properties in the district to attend the local school.
The Yapunyah Tree (euc ochrophloia) is native to south-west Queensland. It grows to a height of 20m. The tree has weeping branches with a reddish trunk. The honey produced by this tree has a unique flavour.
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A Provisional School was opened in Eulo in 1888. In 1909 it became a State School. Attendance for the first year was 28 pupils. It rose to 59 in 1913, then varied from anywhere between 22 and 46. It is difficult to find a reason for these changes.
Practice days are held regularly at the Eulo Polocrosse Club, please contact the Club Sectretary Rob Newsham on (07) 4655 4067 for more information. The annual Eulo Polocrosse Carnival is held in July each year and features evening entertainment, a canteen and bar and camping facilities.
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School
Polocrosse is a fantastic spectator sport so you don’t need to be a rider to come along and enjoy the fun. For those who participate it is a great sport that the whole family can enjoy.
Flora and Fauna of the Eulo Area
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The last lizard races were held in 2004.
Polocrosse is a combination of polo, lacrosse and netball. It is played on horseback, each rider using a cane stick, made up of a polo stick shaft to which is attached a squash racquet type head with a loose twisted-thread net, in which the ball is carried. To play you need a horse, helmet, riding equipment, polocrosse racquet, club saddlecloth and uniform.
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At the side of the race track there is also the famous Destructo Monument which commemorates the death of the famous cockroach Destructo, who was accidentally trodden on after challenging and beating, the champion lizard.
Today the Eulo Hall is used by art and craft groups, for meetings and Flying Doctor Clinics.
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Eulo Polocrosse Club
Take a tour of a real open cut opal mine and learn the intricacies of how the mine works. Then back to Trafford & Val’s Opal Gallery for a display of cutting and polishing the gems. (Tourists should note that any opal found at this location is the property of the mine leasee and can only be taken by agreement of the leasee of that mine.) The Gallery features a range of cut and uncut opals for sale as well as souvenirs available as a token of your experience.
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Prior to the races, suitable lizards were auctioned – the record being $1065 paid out by a syndicate in 1983. The World Record for the race is 2.5 seconds, set by “Herbie”, a Cunnamulla shingleback, in 1972. After the day of races all lizards were returned to the exact site from which they were found.
Trafford and Val’s Open Cut Mine Tour
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Lookout/view
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The Hall was built on land donated by local grazier P.R. Beresford. The Hall was the venue for the first Opal Festival Ball, held in 1968.
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Eulo Hall
Started in 1968, the World Lizard Racing Championships were held in conjunction with the Cunnamulla/Eulo Opal Festival. Each year, on or about the last week in August, people came from all over Australia and overseas to witness these races.
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Eulo Lizard Races
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Fossicking Area 500 ft 200 m
INFORMATION GUIDE 2010/2011 55