Hughenden – A Potted History

Welcome to the Hughenden region, with over 41,000 km² of diverse landscapes and history dating back over 100 million years. Explorers William Landsborough and Frederick Walker were the first to lay their eyes on the vast open grassland downs to the south and the harsh basalt country north of Hughenden. These explorers were on a rescue mission for the ill-fated Burke and Wills. Reports from Landsborough’s journal sparked much interest in the rolling grasslands that seemed to go on forever.

A blazed historical coolabah tree stands proud as a testimony to the discovery of this region by these two famous explorers.

First settlement was on Hughenden Station by Ernest Henry in 1863, so named from the Tudor Manor house of his grandfather in Buckinghamshire, England. Hughenden Station was later sold to Ernest Henry’s cousin Robert Gray in 1865 for £4,999. Gray stocked Hughenden Station with 3,000 sheep.

Mrs Gray, who came to live on the property, was the first European woman on the Flinders River.

The establishment of the township of Hughenden itself did not take place until 1876. In that year, Robert Gray allowed a friend by the name of William Mark to build a hotel to cater for the travellers passing through to the Cloncurry mining area.

By the following year, a store, a blacksmith and a butcher shop joined the hotel. After 1887, Hughenden began to grow again, as it became an important railhead for the Great Northern Railway.

Settlement on the banks of the Flinders River, Queensland’s longest river, would have been a feat in itself. The river, which flows into the Gulf

HUGHENDEN

of Carpentaria, is often a dry river and only runs in the wetter months of the year. Water was sourced through wells in the river base until the discovery of the Great Artesian Basin, where underground bores were installed. History for this area goes back hundreds of years, with prehistoric history of over 100 million years telling a very different story. Hughenden is situated on the edge of a vast prehistoric inland sea, once home to many terrestrial dinosaurs as well as marine reptiles. The first fossil to be found was in 1865 on a property west of Hughenden and so the discovery of a greater past was made. The streets of Hughenden are adorned with a unique series of sculptures from local artists depicting fossils, dinosaurs and history adding a touch of outback heritage. The wide welcoming streets give easy access to local businesses, parks and picnic spots. The Population 1,136 (town) | 1,536 (shire) Latitude | 20°85°’ S Longitude | 144°21.1’ E Metres above sea level | 324 m Average rainfall | 493 mm (19”) Temperature Min. average winter | 9.6°

Max. average summer | 35°

opening of the Hughenden Recreational Lake has expanded the town’s existing recreational areas and has created new opportunities for boating, fishing, water sports or just relaxing on the beach!

Enjoy the relaxed small town way of life, with a smile and a friendly wave on every corner.