thebulloo

Page 21 of the Queenslander Pictorial supplement to The Queenslander, 5 May 1917

from State Library of Queensland

• Vesna Verencevic said:

  The Quilpie Shire has a long railway history with Quilpie being at the end of the Western railway line. The line was destined for the township of Adavale, but this did not eventuate instead, it was redirected to the settlement now know as Quilpie. Construction on the new railway line commenced 1911 and reached the site of Quilpie in 1917. The first passenger service commenced in 1935 and by 1951 two passenger trains per week ran between Charleville and Quilpie. In the late 1950’s “The Flying Flea” as they called it, was an engine and a couple of coaches, to Quilpie. It was supposed to be the fastest timed passenger train in Queensland. Older residents have told stories of how they used to catch this train for sporting events in Charleville. Prior to 1930, Quilpie was within the Shire of Adavale, headquartered at Adavale. However, the decision to route the railway line through Quilpie rather than Adavale had led to a population drift away from Adavale making Quilpie the larger town. On 17 July 1930, there was a re-organisation of local government in the district, resulting in the abolition of the Shire of Adavale and the creation of the Shire of Quilpie with Quilpie as its headquarters. Source: www.outbackqueensland.com.au/attractions/quilpie-shire-ra...