Bollon is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Balonne, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Bollon had a population of 174 people.[1]
Geography
Bollon is in South West Queensland, 634 kilometres (394 mi) west of the state capital, Brisbane. Bollon is situated on the Balonne Highway, between St George and Cunnamulla on the banks of Wallam Creek. A stand of River red gums along the creek is home to a large colony of koalas.
Climate
| Climate data for Bollon, Queensland (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1957–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 47.0 (116.6) |
46.5 (115.7) |
43.2 (109.8) |
37.7 (99.9) |
33.9 (93.0) |
30.0 (86.0) |
31.1 (88.0) |
37.1 (98.8) |
40.0 (104.0) |
42.4 (108.3) |
45.6 (114.1) |
45.7 (114.3) |
47.0 (116.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 36.2 (97.2) |
34.5 (94.1) |
32.6 (90.7) |
28.6 (83.5) |
23.7 (74.7) |
20.2 (68.4) |
19.9 (67.8) |
22.5 (72.5) |
26.9 (80.4) |
30.3 (86.5) |
33.1 (91.6) |
35.1 (95.2) |
28.6 (83.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 29.5 (85.1) |
28.0 (82.4) |
25.7 (78.3) |
21.2 (70.2) |
16.5 (61.7) |
13.3 (55.9) |
12.3 (54.1) |
14.3 (57.7) |
18.6 (65.5) |
22.5 (72.5) |
25.7 (78.3) |
27.9 (82.2) |
21.3 (70.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.8 (73.0) |
21.6 (70.9) |
18.8 (65.8) |
13.7 (56.7) |
9.2 (48.6) |
6.4 (43.5) |
4.7 (40.5) |
6.0 (42.8) |
10.4 (50.7) |
14.6 (58.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
20.7 (69.3) |
13.9 (57.0) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 10.3 (50.5) |
8.3 (46.9) |
7.2 (45.0) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
1.1 (34.0) |
5.2 (41.4) |
8.3 (46.9) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 66.6 (2.62) |
56.9 (2.24) |
45.5 (1.79) |
18.8 (0.74) |
21.0 (0.83) |
28.5 (1.12) |
22.7 (0.89) |
15.8 (0.62) |
21.6 (0.85) |
36.7 (1.44) |
54.4 (2.14) |
52.8 (2.08) |
441.2 (17.37) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 41.4 |
| Source 1: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration[4] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Bureau of Meteorology[5] | |||||||||||||
History
Gunya (Kunya, Kunja, Kurnja) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Gunya people. The Gunya language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Paroo Shire Council, taking in Cunnamulla and extending north towards Augathella, east towards Bollon and west towards Thargomindah.[6]
The town is thought to be named after the Mandandanji language word balun or balonn meaning water or a running stream.[2]
On 26 June 1879 the Queensland Government auctioned 40 town lots and 12 suburban lots in Bollon.[7] By June 1880, the town had a hotel (the Great Western), a store and a postal receiving office.[8]
Bollon Provisional School opened on 27 July 1885. On 1 January 1902 it became Bollon State School.[9]
On Sunday 16 February 1936, St Mary's Anglican Church was officially opened and dedicated by Bishop Horace Dixon.[10][11]
In 2010, Narkoola National Park was established in the west of the town's boundaries to preserve plant communities of the Mulga Lands bioregion.[12]
On Saturday 22 February 2025, the Bollon Hotel was burned down. It was the only hotel in Bollon.[13]
Demographics
In the 2011 census, the locality of Bollon had a population of 334 people.[14]
In the 2016 census, the locality of Bollon had a population of 221 people.[15]
In the 2021 census, the locality of Bollon had a population of 174 people.[1]
Education
Bollon State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Main Street (28°01′53″S 147°28′32″E / 28.0315°S 147.4756°E).[16][17] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 23 students with 5 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).[18]
There are no secondary schools nearby Bollon. The alternatives are distance education and boarding school.[19]
Amenities
Bollon has the Bollon Civic Centre, showground and a park.[20]
Balonne Shire Council operates a library in Main Street, next to the Civic Centre.[21][22]
The Bollon branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms at 17 Main Street.[23]
St Mary The Virgin Anglican Church is at 25-27 Belmore Street (corner of George Street, 28°02′02″S 147°28′48″E / 28.0339°S 147.4799°E).[24][11]
Attractions
Bollon Heritage Centre is a local history museum at 23 Main Street (28°01′54″S 147°28′50″E / 28.0316°S 147.4806°E).[25]
References
- ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Bollon (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Bollon – town in Shire of Balonne (entry 3505)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- ^ "Bollon – locality in Shire of Balonne (entry 42679)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- ^ "BOLLON Climate Normals for 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ "Climate statistics for Australian locations". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ "Gunya". State Library of Queensland. 21 January 2020. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Official Notifications". The Brisbane Courier. Queensland, Australia. 19 May 1879. p. 3. Archived from the original on 12 June 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2020 – via Trove.
- ^ "THE SKETCHER". The Queenslander. Queensland, Australia. 19 June 1880. p. 780. Archived from the original on 12 June 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2020 – via Trove.
- ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
- ^ "Advertising". Balonne Beacon. Vol. 32, no. 6. Queensland, Australia. 6 February 1936. p. 4. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b "St Mary's Anglican Church". Churches Australia. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Narkoola National Park and Narkoola National Park (Recovery) Management Statement 2013" (PDF). Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ^ Johnson, Emma (23 February 2025). "'Part of history going up in flames': Fire destroys town's only pub". ABC News. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Bollon (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Bollon (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ "Bollon State School". Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
- ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "Bollon". Balonne Shire Council. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
- ^ "Library location and hours". Balonne Shire Council. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Bollon Library". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
- ^ "Branch locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- ^ Blake, Thom. "St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church". Queensland religious places database. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Bollon Heritage Centre". Explore St George Region. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
Further reading
- Brettell, Ernest W (1978), The Bollon story, Downs Printing
- Powne, Eric Charles (2002), The Bolion or Bollon on the Wallam in the 1900s, Eric Charles Powne, ISBN 978-0-9581370-0-3
- The Bollon star special centenary edition, 1885-1985 : Bollon State School centenary, The School, 1985
