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Gowrie Shire Gowrie Shire (1879-1913) was immediately north-west of Toowoomba. It was named after the Gowrie pastoral station (1847). The name is thought to have derived from an Aboriginal expression referring to Gowrie Creek or indicating freshwater mussels. The creek's headwaters are in Toowoomba's northern suburbs and it flows westwards through Gowrie Junction to the Oakey Creek. When the Gowrie local government division was formed in 1879 it had an area of 67 sq miles. The 1881 census recorded 2038 residents. Although reduced to 24 sq miles in 1887, the division's population surpassed its original figure by 1901 as Toowoomba expanded beyond its borough-size 6 sq miles. The Gowrie Council's offices were in Toowoomba. Gowrie Junction was in the division's rural part, and was the intersection of the Western and Wallangarra railway lines until 1915 when the more direct Drayton deviation line was opened. In 1913 Gowrie Shire (it had been a shire since 1902) was abolished. Its rural part was added to Jondaryan Shire and the urban part placed in the newly created Town of Newtown (1913-17). Newtown is now an older suburb of Toowoomba. Source: queenslandplaces.com.au/gowrie-shire

The Bishop's Lodge was constructed in 1897 to the design of Tunbridge and Tunbridge, an important Townsville architectural firm, as the residence of the Anglican Bishops of North Queensland, it has continued as the official residence ever since. Of the bishops who have resided at the Lodge, John Oliver Feetham is particularly well known, partly because of his 35 years in office. Feetham was an attractive and eccentric personality, born in England in 1873 as the son of a vicar. Intelligent and well-educated himself, he took an interest in the provision education which was to be a focus for much of his work in North Queensland. The Lodge, like many buildings in Townsville, has suffered damage from cyclones, notably in 1903 and 1971, followed by extensive repair work. In the 1970s a bathroom was added on the south west verandah and the Feetham chapel was created on the north east verandah by glassing in this area. This has preserved a view across the bay seen beyond the altar of the chapel. During the 1970s, a considerable portion of the Lodge's land was subdivided. The house is still the official residence of the Bishops of North Queensland. The Bishop's Lodge is a large timber building situated on an exposed northerly ridge of Castle Hill. The ground falls away from the house on three sides and the Lodge is visible from the surrounding suburb and from the sea. In turn the house has splendid views of Cleveland Bay towards Magnetic Island from its verandah. The architect has used this position to advantage, creating a striking house which is a flamboyant blend of Victorian Gothic and vernacular architecture; perhaps appropriate for an English church transplanted to tropical Australia. It also responds well to the climate with wide verandahs right around the house to obtain the best of both breeze and view. A terrace at the front of the house has a lawn with trees and flowering shrubs. Source: apps.des.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/detail/?id=600883#:...

Something mysterious about Royal Hotel. CHARTERS TOWERS' RICH HISTORY TOLD THROUGH GHOSTLY TALES The gold rush brought out the best and the worst in people according to history buff Jack Sim. Jack runs ghost tours in Brisbane and has recently brought the business to Charters Towers. He was attracted to the north Queensland town because of its rich and prosperous history; he says the town is full of ghost stories. Hotel home to grizzly tales The Royal Hotel is one of the stops on the ghost tour - a grand old building with a dark past. "It was here in 1901 that there was a dramatic and terribly violent incident that took place," Jack said. An estranged couple, the Cordays, met at the hotel. That was despite the fact that Mrs. Corday, and her friend who accompanied her, knew that Mr. Corday had violent intentions toward his wife following their separation. "He was unhappy with her extra-marital relationships," Jack recounted. "After leaving them to come into the bar here to get some drinks for his partner... he re-entered the room [but] instead of having drinks in his hand he held a revolver. "He shot her at virtually point-blank range in the head, and then took his own life in the bar." As the years went on it became well known around town that the dead couple haunted the pub. They are joined by one of the hotel's former proprietors, Mrs. McDonald, who owned the pub for 50 years. "The current owner of the hotel, she tells me that when she comes up the staircase she feels Mrs. McDonald walking right beside [her] as she comes up the stairs each day," he said. "Not in a bad way, she just feels like the lady that was her predecessor is just there with her, helping her to manage the hotel." Source: www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2015/05/11/4233354.htm