Longreach, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Longreach Queensland
(From top to bottom) Qantas Founders Outback Museum Longreach Shire Hall and Water Tower Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame
Longreach Location in Queensland
Population	2,970 (2016 census)
• Density	0.12642/km2 (0.3274/sq mi)
Established	1888
Postcode(s)	4730
Elevation	191.0 m (627 ft)2209.5
Area	23,492.3 km2 (9,070.4 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	1,181 km (734 mi) NW of Brisbane 687 km (427 mi) W of Rockhampton 649 km (403 mi) SE of Mount Isa
LGA(s)	Longreach Region
County	Portland County
State electorate(s)	Gregory
Federal Division(s)	Maranoa
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 31.4 °C 89 °F 15.8 °C 60 °F 441.4 mm 17.4 in
Localities around Longreach: Corfield Bangall Tablederry Muttaburra Cornish Creek Opalton Longreach Sardine Stonehenge Isisford Ilfracombe

Near Civic Centre, Longreach, at mid-day of Summer solstice 2019. The town is on the Tropic of Capricorn (Shadow directly below the sign)

Longreach is a town and a locality in the Longreach Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Longreach had a population of 2,970 people. It is the administrative centre of the Longreach Regional Council, which was established in 2008 as a merger of the former Longreach, Ilfracombe, and Isisford shires. Longreach is a well known tourist destination due to its aviation history and importance.

Attractions

Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame in Longreach

The world's second oldest airline, Qantas, commenced operating in Longreach - from this hangar - now part of the Qantas Founders Museum.

Longreach is also the home of the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame, which was officially opened in 1988 by Queen Elizabeth II. The purpose of the centre is to showcase the history and the culture of life in rural Australia. Since its opening, over 1 million people have passed through its doors.

Longreach was one of the founding centres for Qantas, the Australian domestic and international airline. One of the airline's original hangars remains in use at the Longreach Airport and is listed on the Australian National Heritage List. The town is now the home of the Qantas Founders Outback Museum, which includes amongst its displays a decommissioned Qantas Boeing 747-200 aircraft, registration VH-EBQ, "The City of Bunbury." and Qantas's first jet aircraft VH-XBA (formerly VH-EBA), a Boeing 707, "The City of Canberra.". In recognition of the town's place in company history, as well as a play on the airliner's extended range, all of Qantas's Boeing 747-400s have "Longreach" printed on both sides of the first jetway entry/exit doors.

The town is home to the Australian Agricultural College's Longreach Campus, which prepares students for work in the agricultural and pastoral industries. It was known previously as the Longreach Pastoral College. The campus was opened in 1967. Adjacent to the college is the Longreach School of Distance Education, which provides lessons to remote students, formerly by HF radio but now using telephone lines.

History

Longreach Post Office opened on 1 October 1891. A Longreach Rail Post Office opened by April 1940 and closed in 1962.

In early April 2010, Longreach experienced a significant locust plague described by local residents as the worst in three decades.

Longreach State School opened on 22 May, 1893 with an enrolment of 102 students. Longreach State High School opened on 24 January, 1966. Longreach School of Distance Education opened on 27 January, 1987.

Facilities

Longreach has a public library, visitor information centre, swimming pool, Powerhouse Museum and parks.

Shopping facilities in the town include IGA, Foodworks and Prices Plus.

Heritage listings

Longreach has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Capricorn Highway: Longreach railway station
• 111 Ibis Street: Longreach Ambulance Centre
• Landsborough Highway: Qantas Hangar
• 12 Swan Street: former Longreach Powerhouse

Climate

Education

Longreach State School is a government primary (Early Childhood-6) school for boys and girls at 125 Ibis Street (23°26′29″S 144°14′43″E / 23.4413°S 144.2454°E / -23.4413; 144.2454 (Longreach State School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 197 students with 19 teachers (18 full-time equivalent) and 17 non-teaching staff (12 full-time equivalent).

Longreach State High School is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at Jabiru Street (23°26′18″S 144°15′43″E / 23.4382°S 144.2619°E / -23.4382; 144.2619 (Longreach State High School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 179 students with 24 teachers (22 full-time equivalent) and 16 non-teaching staff (10 full-time equivalent).

Longreach School of Distance Education is a government primary and secondary (Early Childhood-10) school for boys and girls at Sir James Walker Drive (23°26′29″S 144°16′57″E / 23.4413°S 144.2825°E / -23.4413; 144.2825 (Longreach School of Distance Education)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 181 students with 28 teachers (24 full-time equivalent) and 15 non-teaching staff (11 full-time equivalent).

Longreach State School Special Education Program is a primary and secondary (Early Childhood-12) special education program at Longreach State School at Kingfisher Street (23°26′27″S 144°14′39″E / 23.4408°S 144.2442°E / -23.4408; 144.2442 (Longreach SS - Special Education Program)).

Our Lady's Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 85 Eagle Street (23°26′22″S 144°15′04″E / 23.4394°S 144.2511°E / -23.4394; 144.2511 (Our Lady's Catholic Primary School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 91 students with 10 teachers (9 full-time equivalent) and 7 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent).

Notable residents

Notable residents of Longreach include:

• Carl Barron, stand-up comedian, born in Longreach
• Lobby Loyde, guitarist in the Purple Hearts and Coloured Balls, born in Longreach
• Bruce Saunders, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, born in Longreach
• Matthew Scott, rugby league footballer, born in Longreach
• Edgar Towner, Victoria Cross winner, died in Longreach and was buried in the cemetery there. His grave is a protected place.

Images for kids

• 

  Qantas Founders Outback Museum

See also

In Spanish: Longreach para niños