Barakula, Queensland

Barakula
Queensland
Barakula; Queensland
	Timber cutter with a large log in Barakula
	Barakula
Coordinates	26°19′52″S150°35′52″E / 26.3311°S 150.5977°E
Population	0 (2021 census)
• Density
Postcode(s)	4413
Area	1,639.4 km2 (633.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	41.3 km (26 mi) N of Chinchilla ; 122 km (76 mi) NW of Dalby ; 204 km (127 mi) NW of Toowoomba ; 332 km (206 mi) NW of Brisbane ;
LGA(s)	Western Downs Region
State electorate(s)	Callide
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
	Suburbs around Barakula:

Last updated July 18, 2025

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Barakula is a rural locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia.^[3] In the 2021 census, Barakula had "no people or a very low population".^[1]

Geography

The Great Dividing Range enters the locality from the west (Pelham), briefly forming part of the western boundary of the locality and then goes east through the locality. It then forms part of the north-east boundary before exiting to the north-east (Kragra / Durah). The area north of the range is within the North East Coast drainage basin (specifically within the Burnett River catchment), while the area south of the range is within the Murray Darling drainage basin (specifically the Balonne-Condamine Rivers catchment).^[4]

Almost all of the locality, apart from a small area in the south of the locality, is within the Barajula State Forest, which extends into neighbouring localities. The area in the south of the locality is used for grazing on native vegetation.^[5]

History

In 1911 the Queensland Railway Department built a tramway from Chinchilla to Wongongera (now Barakula) to transport railway sleepers made from logs taken from the state forest at Barakula and milled at the Barakula sawmill (approx 26°25′40″S150°30′16″E / 26.4279°S 150.5044°E / -26.4279; 150.5044 (Barakula sawmill (former)) ). The route of the Barakula tramway was based on an earlier plan to construct a railway line from Chinchilla to Taroom that was subsequently abandoned in favour of a railway line from Miles to Taroom.^[6]^[7] Originally established to supply sleepers for the Great Western Railway, the sawmill and the tramway operated intermittently depending on demand. The sawmill was mothballed in August 1928 but a caretaker, F. Brooks, was retained. The line reopened in 1942.^[8] The tramway operated until 1970.^[9] It was a 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge tramway.^[10]

Wongongera Sawmill Provisional School opened on 25 July 1912. In 1914, it was renamed Barakula Provisional School. It closed and re-opened a number of times due to low student numbers. In 1927, it became Barakula State School. It closed on 31 December 1982.^[11] It was located within Barakula State Forest (approximately 26°25′38″S150°30′10″E / 26.4273°S 150.5027°E / -26.4273; 150.5027 (Barakula State School (former)) ).^[12]^[13]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Barakula had a population of 13 people.^[14]

In the 2021 census, Barakula had "no people or a very low population".^[1]

Heritage listings

Barakula has the following heritage-listed sites:

Waaje Fire Tower No.4, Barakula State Forest ( 26°12′33″S150°22′49″E / 26.2092°S 150.3803°E / -26.2092; 150.3803 (Waaje Fire Tower No.4) )^[15]

Education

There are no schools in Barakula. The nearest government schools are Chinchilla State School and Chinchilla State High School, both in Chinchilla to the south. There are also non-government schools in Chinchilla.^[16]

References

1 2 3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Barakula (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
1 2 Barakula Postcode Archived 15 November 2021 at the Wayback Machine Australia Post
↑ "Barakula – locality in Western Downs Region (entry 47662)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 14 December 2020.
↑ "Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourses; Drainage boundaries". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
↑ "Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use; Sugarcane areas". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
↑ "RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT". The Brisbane Courier . No. 16, 643. Queensland, Australia. 16 May 1911. p. 5. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "DOWNS RAILWAYS". Darling Downs Gazette . Vol. LIV, no. 9853. Queensland, Australia. 16 September 1911. p. 5. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021– via National Library of Australia.
↑ Knowles, John (June 2010). "Re: Tall Timber and Tramlines in Queensland" (PDF). Light Railways (213): 26. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
↑ "From Charley's Creek to Chinchilla" (PDF). The railway through Queensland's south and west. Queensland Rail. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
↑ Houghton, Norman (June 2008). "Queensland Rail Tales" (PDF). Australian Forest History Society Inc. Newsletter (49): 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
↑ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
↑ "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m83" (Map). Queensland Government. 1951. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
↑ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 6 November 2021.
↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Barakula (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
↑ "Waaje Fire Tower No.4 (entry 650070)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
↑ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2025.