Killarney is a rural town and locality in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia.
Killarney is a rural town and locality in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It borders New South Wales. In the 2016 census, the locality of Killarney had a population of 954 people.
History
The Githabal (also known as Gidabal, Kitabal) language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Southern Downs Regional Council, particularly Warwick, Killarney and Woodenbong extending into New South Wales.Killarney bordered on the northern boundaries of the Yetimarala. Originally part of Canning Downs, established by the Leslie brothers in 1840, the development of the town was largely based on primary production and forestry.
The name of the district was chosen by the Hon. Peter Murray, who was visiting George Leslie at the Canning Downs pastoral station and commented that the scenery reminded him of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland.Killarney State School was established on 17 August 1874. However, it was not until 1 January 1876 that teacher Gwyther Hill was appointed and students enrolled.The South Killarney town site was first surveyed in 1878, but the town already boasted several shops and services by this time.Many early settlers to Queensland selected land in the Killarney area with the first of these arriving in 1863. During the 1880s Killarney was described as "one of the most flourishing towns in Southern Queensland".The first Killarney Post Office opened on 1 July 1877 (a receiving office had been open from 1875). Killarney North Post Office opened on 26 June 1889 (replacing Killarney North Railway Station receiving office open from 1887) and was renamed North Killarney in 1897. In 1905 the Killarney office was renamed Killarney South, and the North Killarney office became the second Killarney office, due to the town having moved to near the railway station.A branch railway was built from Warwick in 1885. The line closed in 1964.Mountain View Provisional School opened circa 1886 and closed in 1892. In 1895 it reopened as Mountain View State School, finally closing on 4 July 1965.A Methodist church opened in 1902. In 1919 the church building was relocated to Brighton (near Sandgate).Melrose State School opened on 1910 and closed on circa 1931.Wynola State School was established in 1935 at River Bank 7 miles (11 km) from the town of Killarney, following the discovery that several families in that district were illiterate. It is presumed the school was in the vicinity of the Wynola pastoral station (28.313°S 152.350°E? / -28.313; 152.350? (Wynola pastoral station)) to the north-east of the town on the Condamine River Road. The school building from the closed Melrose State School was relocated to establish the new school. The school was officially opened on 19 October 1935 by John Healy, the Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Warwick. The school closed circa 1941.The town was hit by a destructive tornado on Friday 22 November 1968, which destroyed many of the original buildings. The main street buildings that survived the storm: the Butter Factory, the Co-op Building, Mackenzie’s Emporium (now a St Vincent de Paul boutique), former Commercial Bank (opposite the Post Office), the Post Office and the Killarney Hotel, hint at the town's former glory.The former National bank building did survive the storm but was relocated to a suburb of Brisbane in 1977. The old Bank Vault foundation stones remain on the vacant block in the buildings original location adjacent to the St Vincent de Paul boutique. November 2008 marks the 40th anniversary of this storm.At the 2011 census, the town of Killarney had a population of 773 people, while the locality as a whole had a population of 984 people.
Weather
Killarney has a cool subtropical climate, like most of inland south-east Queensland. Winters can be cold and frosty, while summers are warm but rarely hot.
Things to do
The five waterfalls surrounding Killarney make this area a popular scenic destination, the Teviot Falls, Queen Mary Falls, Dagg's Falls, Browns Falls and Upper Brown's Falls. During wet weather there are two additional falls, Black Fella Falls and Jack Brunton's Falls, which can be seen tumbling down the cliffs surrounding Killarney at the bottom of the Cambanoora Gorge.
The annual agricultural show, rodeos, various horse-related events and the annual Border Ranges Trail Ride are major events that attract substantial numbers of visitors to the town.