Cecil Brown holding some carved Emu eggs at the Emu Farm, Cherbourg via Murgon

Murgon (including Goomeri and Cherbourg)
Rural service centre near to Cherbourg Aboriginal community.
The tiny township of Murgon, which is located 321 m above sea-level and 251 km north-west of Brisbane via the Burnett, D'Aguilar and Bruce Highways, can make few claims to the attention of the passing traveller: an historical museum, a median strip named in honour of Flo Bjelke-Petersen (Queensland's well-known pumpkin scone cook and wife of a former state premier), a sign announcing that it is the home of Australia's champion cheese, and that just about covers its appeal. So enamoured with the ex-Queensland Prime Minister (Joh Bjelke-Petersen) is the town that there was a time when it proudly announced 'Come to Murgon - Gateway to Joh's Country'.

The naming of the town was a typical exercise in guesswork. Murgon probably means either 'spring', 'lily-covered pond' or a specific variety of lily in the language of one of the local Aboriginal groups. Mistakes rather than guesses are the problem in Cherbourg's case. Intended as 'Chirbury' it was, through a series of errors, changed firstly to 'Cherberg' and later to 'Cherbourg'.

The first European settlers were Ferriter and Uhr who arrived in the area in 1843 and took up land which they called 'Barambah'. They had pushed north looking for suitable land on which to graze sheep, though they later changed to cattle. By 1875, when the property was sold at auction,there were 7000 cows, 150 horses, 17 920 acres of freehold and 289 sq. miles of crown rental.

A house built on Barambah Station in 1905, with superb wide verandahs and an unusual hexagonal corner pavilion, has been listed by the National Trust. Although not the first house built on the property (which has long since disappeared) the current 'Barambah Homestead' is a fine example of Queensland timber architecture. It is not open to the public.

Development of the town did not occur until the early years of this century. The large properties were broken up into smaller units and the increase in the local population led to the survey and sale of town lots in 1906. The butter factory was opened in 1913 and a grain shed was built the following year.

Today the town is a quiet rural service centre. A very detailed and interesting book on the area, Wilderness to Wealth in the Shires of Nanango, Kingaroy, Wondai, Murgon, Kilkivan and Portion of Rosalie, which was published in 1950, is still available from the Nanango Shire Council offices. It is full of fascinating anecdotes about the district's early history. The Visitor Information Centre also has copies of Landscapes of Change and Murgon in Focus.

Things to see:  

The Queensland Dairy Industry Museum
Open seven days a week (contact ( 07) 4168 3864) it is located on the Gayndah road at the edge of Murgon. Displays include a three-bail dairy, laboratory displays and equipment used for making cheese and butter.

Cherbourg Aboriginal Community
Undoubtedly the town's highlight is the Cherbourg Aboriginal Community. Located 4.8 km from Murgon and clearly signposted, it was established in 1904 when Aborigines from 21 different groups were forced to live together, including the remnants of the decimated Aborigines of Fraser Island. Somehow, over the years, these widely differing groups have managed to work together so that now the town, with a population of 1600 and a school which has a student population of nearly 300, is a huge success.

Cherbourg's most famous son was the remarkable Harold Blair (1924-76) who, as a singer, music teacher and human rights supporter, did much to draw attention to the unfulfilled potential of many Aborigines. He established the Harold Blair Aboriginal Childrens' Project which took children from missions and reserves and provided them with holidays in Melbourne. He was widely respected both as a singer and as a fighter for the rights of Aborigines.

Cherbourg is a community of remarkable self-sufficiency with a successful dairy farm, an active town council, and, most interestingly, an Emu farm. There are conducted tours which take approximately 30-45 minutes and explain everything you need to know about emus. The great appeal of the emu is that it can be used for its skin and its feathers, its eggs can be carved, its oil can be extracted, its meat - a delicious red meat which is like beef but has less than one per cent fat - is a delicacy, and the animals are an obvious tourist attraction, contact (07) 4168 2655.

The community also produces boomerangs, spears and Aboriginal art, all of which are for sale.

Goomeri
19 km east of Murgon is the small township of Goomeri which was established in 1902 as a result of the arrival of the railway line. About 12 km out of the town are the beautiful Kinbombi Falls with a 200-step walk to the pool at the bottom. There are pleasant picnic facilities as well as barbeques and toilets.

	Tourist Information
	Murgon District Visitor Information Centre Lamb St Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 3864
	Motels
	Murgon Motor Inn 193 Lamb St Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 1400 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Australian Hotel/Motel 61 Lamb St Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 1077 Rating: *
	Royal Hotel Lamb St Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 1799
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Bridgeman Downs Bed & Breakfast Barambah Rd Moffitdale Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 4784
	Clovelly Cottage Steinhartdts Rd Moffatdale Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 4788
	Jacaranda Cottage Barambah Rd Moffatdale Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 4700
	Matupi Annings Rd Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 1442
	Rodericks Vineyard Cabins Goschnicks Rd Redgate Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 4768
	Yallakool at Bjelke Petersen Dam Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 4746
	Caravan Parks
	Barambah Bush Caravan Park Barambah St Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 1085 Rating: **
	Murgon Caravan Park Krebs St Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 1499 Rating: *
	Yallakool Tourist Park Bjelke Petersen Dam Lake Barambah Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 4746
	Restaurants
	Australian Hotel/Motel 61 Lamb St Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 1077
	Murgon Motor Inn & Restaurant 193 Lamb St Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 1400
	Sunflower Chinese Takeaway 114 Lamb St Murgon QLD 4605 Telephone: (07) 4168 1644