Wieambilla

Wieambilla is a rural locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2] This locality and its surroundings are extensively used for coal seam gas harvesting.^[3] In the 2021 census, Wieambilla had a population of 78 people.^[1]

Wieambilla Queensland
Wieambilla
Coordinates	26.9675°S 150.4097°E / -26.9675; 150.4097 (Wieambilla (centre of locality))
Population	78 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	0.2945/km2 (0.763/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4413
Area	264.9 km2 (102.3 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	37.3 km (23 mi) SW of Chinchilla 63.1 km (39 mi) N of Tara 103 km (64 mi) NW of Dalby 186 km (116 mi) NW of Toowoomba 314 km (195 mi) WNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Western Downs Region
State electorate(s)	Warrego
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Suburbs around Wieambilla: Nangram Crossroads Crossroads Condamine Wieambilla Montrose The Gums Tara Tara

Geography

The Condamine State Forest is in the west of the localty, extending into neighbouring Condamine to the west.^[4]

History

The locality takes its name from the name of a parish, which in turn was named after a pastoral run operated by Charles George Temple Chauvel in the 1850s, which may have been named after the Wieambilla Creek.^[2]

Wieambilla Sawmills Provisional School opened in 1915 and closed circa 1926.^[5]

Shootings

Main article: Wieambilla shootings

Police constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, and a neighbour, Alan Dare, were murdered on 12 December 2022 at a rural property in Wieambilla. The perpetrators, brothers Gareth and Nathaniel Train, and Gareth's wife, Stacey Train,^[6] were later shot and killed by Queensland police.^[7] Gareth was a known conspiracy theorist who alleged the Port Arthur massacre was a false flag operation^[6] and that Princess Diana was killed in a 'blood sacrifice'.^[8] Nathaniel was a former school principal.

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Wieambilla had a population of 93 people.^[9]

In the 2021 census, Wieambilla had a population of 78 people.^[1]

Education

There are no schools in Wieambilla. The nearest government primary schools are:^[10]

• Condamine State School in neighbouring Condamine to the west
• Chinchilla State School in Chinchilla to the north-east
• Kogan State School in Kogan to the east
• Tara Shire State College in Tara to the south

The nearest government secondary schools are Tara Shire State College in Tara to the south and Chinchilla State High School in Chinchilla to the north-east.^[10]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Wieambilla". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
2. "Wieambilla – locality in Western Downs Region (entry 47759)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
3. "Environmental health". The State of Queensland; Queensland Health. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
4. "Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use; Sugarcane areas". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
5. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
6. Smee, Ben (13 December 2022). "Wieambilla shooting: property owner Gareth Train posted regularly on online conspiracy website before police killed". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
7. Read, Chloe; Wuth, Robyn; Cosoleto, Tara (13 December 2022). "Six dead, including two police officers, after shooting and siege at rural property". Brisbane Times. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
8. Chamberlin, Thomas (13 December 2022). "Three shot dead by police after two officers, member of public killed in ambush". The Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
9. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Wieambilla (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
10. "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2024.