Taroom Shire contains a number of substantial assets on which to base its increasing tourism activities.The Shire, in Queensland’s Central Highlands, benefits from the sought after history of enigmatic explorer Ludwig Leichhardt, the Leichhardt Highway, spectacular sandstone parks, the life giving Dawson River and successful restoration of one of the first station runs in the area.
Wandoan’s Juandah Heritage Society restored the original station store, built with slab walls and hand made nails and officially opened the landscaped site to the public this year.
The 698 kilometre Leichhardt Highway, named after the explorer in 1937, links Goondiwindi and Rockhampton and runs through the centre of Taroom Shire.
Taroom Township proudly displays a veteran Coolabah tree on the side of the highway on which 30 year old Leichhardt blazed his initials. The Shire recently celebrated the pioneering efforts of Leichhardt and the early settlers of the area, with a preview tour of the recently acquired 46,000 hectare ‘Amphitheatre’ section of Expedition National Park.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Council are combining resources to prepare the landscapes for public use from 2003.
Council is seeking State Government funds to improve the road into the area. It has called on its eight adjoining Shires to endorse its road building proposal so they can share the benefits from increased visitor traffic.
The Leichhardt Highway’s path through the Shire is already a valuable source of visitors for the area, including the annual winter pilgrimage of caravanners from the southern states, many of them arriving at Goondiwindi via the Newell Highway in New South Wales.
