The artesian bore was drilled in 1891

Thargomindah (including Noccundra)
Strange outback town on the edge of the desert.
Located 1014 km west of Brisbane and 126 m above sea level, Thargomindah is the last hint of civilisation before the traveller heads off into the desert areas of far western Queensland.

Thargomindah was gazetted as a town on 31 December 1874 and by 1891 had a population of 338. The town's main activities at the time were to service the surrounding stations such as Bulloo Downs and Durham Downs. Later it became an important stopover for carriers taking wool from Queensland down to the steamers which sailed down the Darling River from Bourke.

No one knows what the word 'Thargomindah' means but the popular versions are 'porcupine' or 'cloud of dust'. Common sense would suggest that 'porcupine' is unlikely. They hardly abound in the area.

There is now a sealed road to Thargomindah and beyond to within 100km of the famous Burke and Wills Dig Tree and Thargomindah offers most services - motel, caravan and hotel accommodation and a range of eating options - although there is no LPG in the town.

Things to see:  

Thargomindah Visitor Information Centre
The sensible starting point for any visit to Thargomindah is the Visitor Information Centre in Eccles Street. Contact (07) 4655 3399. They will direct you to the local attractions and provide information on the roads in the area.

Artesian Bore
The town's main claim to fame is its artesian bore. The bore, which lies 2 km out of town on the Noccundra road, was drilled in 1891 and by 1893, having drilled to a depth of 795 metres, the water came to the surface. It was then that the town successfully attempted a unique experiment. The pressure of the bore water was used drive a generator which supplied the town's electricity. Enthusiasts have described this as Australia's first hydro-electricity scheme. The system operated until 1951. Today the bore still provides the town's water supply. The water reaches the surface at 84°C.

A Heritage Walk Around the Town
Leahy House, built in 1885 of locally made mud brick, was once owned by Sir Sydney Kidman. The Thargomindah Post Office, opened in 1870 and still standing, is one of only four mud brick buildings remaining in Thargomindah. The original Thargomindah Hospital, built prior to 1888, has been opened as a Visitor Information Centre. Desert Rose Haven, located next to the Old Thargomindah Hospital, was the original maternity section of the Hospital, (1924). It is open to the public for inspection. View the amazing garden of over 700 native species. The history of the area is also on display.

Noccundra Hotel
Some 141 km west of Thargomindah, on a sealed road, is the Noccundra Hotel. The hotel has been listed by the National Trust as it is one of the oldest buildings standing in south west Queensland and it has interesting stylistic similarities to buildings in South Australia. It is a single storey stone hotel with an iron clad roof and was built, probably in 1870 (although some sources say as late as 1882), to meet the needs of the local stockmen. The hotel offers cabin-style accommodation and has powered sites for caravans.

The Dig Tree
Beyond Noccundra Hotel, and strictly for 4WD enthusiasts, is the road to Innaminka in South Australia. On this road, near the South Australian border, is the famous 'Dig Tree' where William Brahe, left in command of Camp LXV by Burke and Wills, buried supplies and carved 'Dig' on 21 April 1861. The irony was that Brahe, after waiting for months for Burke and Wills to return from their expedition to the Gulf, left the camp the day the starving and exhausted explorers returned.

	Tourist Information
	Visitor Information Centre Eccles St Thargomindah QLD 4492 Telephone: (07) 4655 3399
	Motels
	Oasis Motel Dowling St Thargomindah QLD 4492 Telephone: (07) 4655 3155 Facsimile: (07) 4655 3155 Rating: **
	Hotels
	Bulloo River Hotel/Motel Dowling St Thargomindah QLD 4492 Telephone: (07) 4655 3125 Rating: **
	Caravan Parks
	Explorers Caravan Park 80 Dowling St Thargomindah QLD 4492 Telephone: (07) 4655 3307 Facsimile: (07) 4655 3308 Email: Thargocp@bigpond.net.au Rating: ****