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In the early evening of 21 November 1936 the Bundaberg Rum Distillery was struck by lightning. The resulting explosion caused a raging inferno within minutes, as the contents of the rum vats fed the flames. There were 63 vats of rum and spirits each containing 10,000 gallons.[1] This spectacular fire drew a large crowd of spectators and police cordoned off the area due to the intense heat. The glow from the flames could be seen as far away as Childers and Gin Gin. By midnight the flames were brought under control but the building itself was in ruins. The damage was estimated to have been approximately £200,000. No deaths or injuries were reported. The fire also had a devastating effect on the wildlife in the adjacent Burnett River with thousands of dead fish washed up on the river bank including sharks, cod, salmon and barramundi.[2] The general manager of the distillery, which was owned by the Millaquin Sugar Company stated it was "one of the biggest fires in the history of the State".[3] Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1936_Bundaberg_distillery_fire

WINTON HOSPITAL. MAIN BUILDING DESTROYED. WINTON, June 16. About half-past two o'clock the afternoon the alarm was given that the Winton Hospital was on fire. Before the Fire Brigade arrived on the scene efforts were made with buckets and a small hose to combat the flames. The fire made its way above the ceiling and quickly spread throughout the main building. The water mains only reach the edge of the Hospital reserve at the top of Oondooroo-street, about 300 yards from the building. After a delay, sufficient lengths of hose was coupled to reach the fire, but all efforts to save the building were futile, although a good pressure was obtained and the Brigade worked strenuously. Attention was given to confining the fire and saving the nurses' quarters and isolating the Hospital. This was successfully done after the patients had been conveyed to safety. Almost all the furniture, fittings, drugs, and instruments were saved. There were about twenty patients in the Hospital, all of whom can be accommodated in the isolation ward. The fire originated in the kitchen. The property was insured with the State Insurance Company; the building for £48.000, the furniture and contents for £800, and the Delco lighting plant for £600. Source: Morning Bulletin, 19Jun 1922 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/54021469#

Allan Cunningham was responsible for the exploration of the region in 1827, and this was followed by European settlement in the 1840s. Established in 1848, the town of Chinchilla was named after Chinchilla Station which was an extension of Wongongera Station. The name chinchilla is believed to be derived from the aboriginal word “tintinchillla” or “Jinchilla” indicating cypress pine possibly recorded by an explorer Ludwig Leichardt. The history of the Commercial Hotel dates back to 1877, and since that time the hotel has been reconstructed four times due to fires. The first took place in 1904, after just 27 years of trading. In 2020 Waymark Hotels, a privately-owned Australian hotel and property group acquired the Commercial Hotel Motel Chinchilla. Built over a period of more than 60 years and with a heritage originating in the Northern Territory and Queensland outback, the group has been leading projects that have brought vital infrastructure and amenities to communities since the 1950s. ​ The style of the Commercial Hotel logo encompasses a contemporary edge for an otherwise historic venue, and its chosen color palette draws on earthy tones from the Chinchilla region including petrified wood. Source: www.thecommercialchinchilla.com.au/about-us/history/