Windorah

Located 35 kilometres (22 mi) downstream from where the Thomson and Barcoo Rivers join to form the multi-channelled Cooper Creek, the Shire covers an area of 60,901 km². The town has a population of 60 people, with a further 40 living at surrounding stations.

A landscape of rocky outcrops, multiple sand hills and black soil flood plains make up most of the area surrounding the town. Water in the town follows the outback cycle of boom and bust. During a wet year Cooper Creek may flood more than a half a dozen times, during the dry it becomes a chain of waterholes. Downstream of the town stretches the Cooper Floodplain below Windorah Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for waterbirds when flooded.[5]

Before the onset of British colonisation, the area around Windorah was inhabited by the Kulumali people, who spoke the Birria (Pirriya) language.[6] The men of this group were circumcised, cut cicatrices on their chest and had one or two of their upper central incisors removed as part of their initiation rites. They also chewed pituri as a stimulant. The population upon first contact with the British was estimated to be under 1,000 people.[7][8]

The British first entered the region in August 1847 with the arrival of the expedition led by Edmund Kennedy. He encountered hundreds of Kulumali people living in the region and had several tense interactions with them over the ability to pass through their land and have access to their waterholes. Near the present town of Windorah, the situation was further inflamed with the Aboriginal people tampering with the expedition's cache of flour and by Kennedy twice attempting to force a negotiation in which he would take an Aboriginal child. A nulla nulla was thrown, and on two occasions Kennedy's men charged their horses at a group of resident Kulumali, whipping them and firing pistols above their heads to disperse them.[8]

George Fitzwalter established a shop and a hotel in 1878 on a stock route which became the town of Stoney Point. The name was changed to Windorah in 1884.[9][10] Cobb & Co once ran a stage coach service between Windorah and Adavale. It is stated that the town is named after the local Aboriginal word for "Big Fish",[10] although according to an account of the Durack settlers, the name means high, stony place.[11]

On 5 January 1884, police constable Nathaniel Roberts stationed at Windorah died from thirst while lost in the bush near Connemarra Station.[12][13]

Windorah Provisional School opened on 30 July 1888. In 1897 it became a half-time school, sharing a teacher with Cooper's Creek Provisional School, but reverted to a full-time school in 1903. In 1907, it became a half-time school with Cooper's Creek school again, and then closed in 1915. However, it reopened in 1916, only to close again in 1918. In 1926, it reopened and remains operating as Windorah State School.[14] It celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2013.[15][16]

On 30 November 1888, police constable Thomas Joseph Callaghan was died while on patrol near Whitula pastoral station when he became lost in the bush without water and died of thirst. The temperature at the time was up to118 °F (48 °C) in the shade. He was buried in an unmarked grave 40 miles (64 km) west of the town of Windorah.[17][18]

Windorah Solar Farm, 2019

The town was completely isolated by floodwater in 1949 after surrounding areas were inundated by heavy rainfall. Low cloud and more rain prevented relief food supplies from being delivered by air from a RAAF Dakota.[19]

In 2009, Ergon Energy establised its first solar farm in Windorah. The Windorah Solar Farm provides electricity to the town of Windorah and surrounding rural areas.[20][21]

At the 2006 census, Windorah had a population of 158 people.[22]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Windorah had a population of 115 people, with 20.5% of the population identifying as Indigenous.[23]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Windorah had a population of 104 people.[4]

Windorah is diverse in many aspects. The temperature may range from maximums in summer that approach 50 °C or 122 °F to minimums in winter that are below 0 °C or 32 °F. The annual rainfall has recorded falls between a low of 86 millimetres or 3.39 inches and a high of 988 millimetres or 38.90 inches. Other weather extremes include 25 morning frosts in 1977, 10 dust storms in 1987 and four hailstorms in 1985.

Cattle crossing the Thomson Developmental Road, north of Windorah, 2019

Sheep and cattle grazing are the mainstay of the district; however, recently oil and gas industries have developed in the area. Many locals also work on the Shire Council and the Dingo Barrier Fence.

Windorah State School is a government primary (Early Childhood-6) school for boys and girls at 8 Victoria Street (25.4202°S 142.6542°E / -25.4202; 142.6542 (Windorah State School)).[24][25] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 7 students with 3 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 3 non-teaching staff (1 full-time equivalent).[26] In 2022, the school had 10 students.[27]

Sunrise at Windorah

Windorah has been described as "The Heart of the Channel Country".[28]

Every year since 1998 Windorah hosts the Windorah International Yabby Races on the street outside the hotel. In each race, up to 10 yabbies are placed in the centre of a ring; the winner is the first yabby to reach the perimeter of the ring, a distance of 2 metres (6 ft 7 in). It is held on the Wednesday before the Birdsville Races (first weekend in September) to take advantage of the many people travelling through Windorah to Birdsville. The event raises money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, community facilities and other charities.[29][30][31]

The Windorah Library is operated by the Barcoo Shire Council and located in Maryborough Street.[32]

Windorah also has a racecourse, shire hall, information centre and museum.[33]

Windorah Cemetery, 2019

Windorah Primary Health Care Centre has nurses who help manage chronic conditions and provide emergency care. It is at 25 Cecil Street (25.4209°S 142.6561°E / -25.4209; 142.6561 (Windorah Primary Health Care Centre)).[34][35] It coordinates air ambulance transport with the Royal Flying Doctor Service.[36]

Windorah Cemetery is managed by the Baroo Shire Council.[37] It is on Cecil Street to the north of the town (25.4153°S 142.6534°E / -25.4153; 142.6534 (Windorah Cemetery)).[38]

Windorah has the following emergency services:

• Windorah Police Station on the eastern corner of Maryborough Street and Victoria Street (25.4216°S 142.6570°E / -25.4216; 142.6570 (Windorah Police Station))[39][40][41]
• Windorah Ambulance Station at the health care centre (25.4209°S 142.6558°E / -25.4209; 142.6558 (Windorah Ambulance Station))[39]
• Windorah SES Facility (25.4206°S 142.6521°E / -25.4206; 142.6521 (Windorah SES Facility))[39]

• Windorah Airport
• Windorah Solar Farm
• Canterbury, a small settlement in the locality of Windorah

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Windorah.

• Windorah State School centenary 1888-1988. Windorah State School. 1988.