Blackall is a small town located in Western Queensland, Australia, approximately 1100 kilometres by road from the state capital, Brisbane. The town lies on the Barcoo River, and has a population of 1833. It is the service centre for the Blackall Shire, which covers an area of almost 16,400 square kilometres.
The dominant industry in the area is grazing.
In Australian folklore, the best known citizen of the town was the legendary shearer, Jackie Howe. In 1892, he sheared a total of 321 sheep in 7 hours and 40 minutes, a record for hand shears that still stands.
Located 1127 km north-west of Brisbane and 284 metres above sea-level, Blackall is a rather attractive country town with trees down the centre of the main street, lots of old-style pubs and a lazy air which is in keeping with its location.
Blackall died three year later in Brisbane but not before he had inspected a new cemetery at Toowong and chosen the site with the greatest elevation for his remains.
Looking at the countryside around Blackall it would be fair to think that some wit coined the phrase to describe the hopelessness of life in Central Queensland.
The Blackall Woolscour, an historic wool washing plant which operated on steam from 1908 to 1978, is believed to be the only complete operation of its kind left in Australia, with the original steam machinery still in place.
Blackall was named after Sir Samual Blackall, Queenslands second Governor, and was discovered in 1846 by explorer Thomas Mitchell.
Blackall is the home of the original Black Stump, which is the exact centre of a meridian square used by surveyors to align the borders of Queensland back in 1887.
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