November 4, 2015
The Blackbutt and District Tourism & Heritage Association will be running a tag-a-long tour of historic Taromeo, near Blackbutt this Friday, November 6.
The tour will depart from the Association’s headquarters at Nukku Nook at the end of Hart Street, Blackbutt at 9:15am.
The first stop on the tour will be historic Taromeo Station, which is believed to be one of the first stations settled in the South Burnett (by Simon Scott in 1842).
This station also has one the two privately-owned stone walled cemeteries in Australia. This cemetery was almost washed away in the 2011 floods, but has since been restored to its original design.
The tour will also include:
- A visit to the site of the former Taromeo School
- An optional visit to Ralph and Liz Tenant’s Vintage Tractor and Car Museum ($5 admission or $8 with a Devonshire Morning Tea)
- A visit to Jesse’s Well, a historic watering spot, which will include a viewing of the Taromeo Sawmill, one of the area’s pioneering logging and sawmilling companies
- A visit to the Sandy Fire Tower No. 5 – a timber forestry tower on a hill in the Blackbutt Range, followed by a visit the site of the former Taromeo Pub nearby
- A visit to Benarkin State Forest’s Hill 60 Memorial, which is in the form of the forestry look-out post; a small cairn at the base of the structure displays a bronze plaque which dedicates the memorial to the courageous soldiers who fought in the “Battle of Hill 60” at Gallipoli in August 1915, as well as the pioneering forestry workers whose vision and hard work is responsible for today’s hoop pine plantations in the area; the monument is a joint commemorative effort between the Queensland Department for Primary Industries and the RSL
- A visit to Harry’s Hill, where timber cutter Harry Vine lived in his meagre shanty
- A tour around historic Benarkin, where early pioneers settled in the 1880s; Benarkin was known as “Well Holes” prior to 1912, and Benarkin is an aboriginal word for “Blackbutt tree”
Members of the public are very welcome to come along and enjoy a free and informative morning with Association.
However, for planning purposes, an RSVP to Noeleen Bird on (07) 4163-0413 or by email would be greatly appreciated.
