Муттабурра: История и география квинслендского поселения.

Muttaburra is in the central west of Queensland. The town is located on the banks of the Thomson River, which is part of the Lake Eyre drainage basin. The region is with a sub basin of the Great Artesian Basin. The Great Artesian Basin supplies water from bores to the towns of Muttaburra and Aramac. The area is well known for its good quality land that is used for sheep and cattle grazing. The main industry of the Muttaburra area is grazing. The undeveloped town of Scarrbury is within the locality Scarrbury is located on Aramac Creek along Vera Park Road.

Muttaburra lay on the traditional tribal lands of the Iningai. Iningai (also known as Yiningay, Muttaburra, Tateburra, Yinangay, Yinangi) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Iningai people. The Iningai language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Longreach Region and Barcaldine Region, particularly the towns of Longreach, Barcaldine, Muttaburra and Aramac as well as the properties of Bowen Downs and catchments of Cornish Creek and Alice River. The name of the town derived from an Iningai clan name, the Muttaburra, who were the traditional owners of this area. According to some sources, muttaburra meant "the meeting of waters" or "camping ground" or "meeting place". The area was once part of a vast inland sea. Muttaburra developed as a town in the 1870s. In the Brisbane Courier of 10 October 1877, the local correspondent noted that, "The Land Commissioner has been round this way lately, and surveyed the new township, one and a half mile from Mount Cornish; its name I do not know, and I don’t think anybody else does, as it is undecided. I hear there is a store open now, also a public house, and I suppose there will be other business places shortly. "The town was officially declared in 1878. Bruford Street, the main street, took its name from a saddler, Mr. Bruford, who established a saddlery repair shop there, in that same year. The need for other services, such as hotels, the Cobb & Co changing station, blacksmiths, banks and general stores were also soon accommodated. 50 allotments of Crown Land were made available to the public for sale by public auction at Aramac on 18 June 1878, at which "Mr Sword, Land Commissioner, disposed of forty six town allotments situated at Muttaburra. They were one acre divisions, upset price £10. Twenty three fetched the upset price, the remainder sold at a considerable advance, two of the lots realising £50 each." The first post office was built in 1887 and then replaced with a modern building in 1926. The government had set aside of land for the town in November 1876. The transcript of the delivery of the verdict reads, "Judge: What is your verdict? Foreman of the Jury: We find the prisoner 'Not Guilty'. Judge: What? Foreman of the Jury: Not guilty. Judge: I thank God, gentlemen, that the verdict is yours, not mine!" He was also Chairman of the Aramac Divisional Board (1882, 1886 1888, 1891, and 1902); a member of the Muttaburra Hospital Committee (1885); Muttaburra Jockey Club President (1891); Muttaburra Hospital Committee President (1891); and Marathon Pastoral Society President (1891). He died at Drummoyne, Sydney, on 14 August 1905. Wee Bimba: waltz, The Women of the West and the LC5 Waltz She was remembered as "the most kindly of kind hostesses and the wife of one of the most outstanding men of the pastoral industry in Australia". In 1884, a hospital was built with funds raised by the local community. The first doctor was Dr Overend from Melbourne and Mr Lawry was the first Wardsman. By 1901, the Muttaburra Hospital was equipped with one of the earliest x ray units to be installed in any country hospital. The Muttaburra Hospital closed in 1974 due to the small population. Muttaburra State School is one of the oldest schools in the district. The school was opened on 18 February 1884 with an enrolment of 17. Its highest enrolment was 112 students in 1903. In 1937, the new school building and teacher's residence were completed. The town dam was built in 1885 by Mr Hudson. For some years this dam was the source of water for the town and water carted into town in casks. Residents paid 2/6 per cask although double this amount was not uncommon. Later the dam was also used as the town's swimming pool. A new church was built in 1948. In May 1891, approximately 400 shearers camped near Muttaburra during the 1891 Australian shearers' strike. Union Hole is where the shearers drew water and carted it back to their camp by dray. There are still some remains of the campsite visible today. It was opened and dedicated on Wednesday 18 November 1903 by Bishop of Rockhampton, Nathaniel Dawes. He confirmed 70 young people as part of the visit. The Cassimatis Store opened in 1914 but was closed in 1978 having been a bank, green grocery, haberdashery, emporium, cafe, white goods merchant, and liquor store. They built their own general store in 1918, after renting local properties for a number of years. The Cassimatis became one of the oldest agents in Australia for Mobil Oil – Australia – previously known as The Vacuum Oil Company of Australia. They also bottled their own methylated spirits and kerosene, using their own label. However the shop and service station has now been rebuilt by A. E. Rose Constructions (Peter Rose), and is open for business again. Originally a drover's cottage was situated alongside the family's general store; it was built in 1903 and purchased by George Cassimatis in 1934. 90 men and women from the Muttaburra district served in some capacity in the First World War. In 2015 a new memorial was designed and installed by J. H. Wagner & Sons. The front face of the memorial has three bronze sculpture badges for Australian Army, Australian Navy and Australian Air Force. The Muttaburra branch of the Country Women's Association was formed in August 1927 with 34 financial members. The Ruby Bayliss QCWA Hostel opened in 1955 to provide accommodation for out of town expectant mothers. The Muttaburra Public Library building was opened in 1961. In 1963, Muttaburra was the discovery site of the Muttaburrasaurus, one of Australia's most famous dinosaurs, by Doug Langdon. The dinosaur is believed to have been long, high from the hip and weighing It was a herbivore, with rows of grinding teeth, and probably ate plants such as ferns, cycads and conifers. It may have lived in herds. Muttaburrasaurus lived around 100 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period. Several specimens of this dinosaur have been found in central and northern Queensland, and a few teeth have been found in New South Wales. At the , Muttaburra and the surrounding area had a population of 106. In the , Muttaburra had a population of 88 people. On 22 November 2019, the Queensland Government decided to amalgamate the localities in the Barcaldine Region, resulting in five expanded localities based on the larger towns: Alpha, Aramac, Barcaldine, Jericho and Muttaburra. Muttaburra was expanded to incorporate Bangall, Cornish Creek (western part), Sardine (western part), and Tablederry.

In 2017, the 4732 postcode (which includes Muttaburra) was one of the lowest 10 postcodes by income level in Australia, with an average income of $21,415.

Muttaburra State School is a government primary (Early Childhood 6) school for boys and girls at 42 Sword Street In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 8 students with 2 teachers (1 full time equivalent) and 4 non teaching staff (2 full time equivalent). There are no secondary schools in Muttaburra with the closest government secondary school being Longreach State High School in Longreach, 121.6 kilometres (75.5 mi) to the south west. Given the distance, alternatives are distance education and boarding school. The Muttaburra branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms at 33 Edkins Street. All Saints Anglican Church is at 25 Sword Street Muttaburra relies on the hospital in Longreach or Townsville plus the Royal Flying Doctor service.

Muttaburra has a range of sporting activities and facilities including fishing, rodeo, a swimming pool, shooting range, tennis courts and race course. There is an 18 hole golf course on the Cramsie Muttaburra Road It is open to the public. The Muttaburra Racecourse is on Racecourse Road .

Due to the small size of the town there is almost no public transport, however Longreach does run a bus service to the town one to two times a month. Muttaburra Airport is on Muttaburra Airport Road off the Cramsie Muttaburra Road It is operated by the Barcaldine Regional Council.

Muttaburra has a subtropical climate with very hot summers. Temperatures over and heat waves are common, however in winter the temperature can go as low as , if not lower. Frosts occur rarely. Most of the rainfall occurs in the summer months with falls around the , Flooding can occur most years and in the "big wets" large areas of the major watercourses are inundated. Droughts are not uncommon. The wettest month ever recorded was September 2010 when 162 mm fell.

Bush walking, water skiing and fishing are some of the main recreational activities in the area. The headwaters of the Thomson River and the camping area at Broadwater and the Muttaburra Pump Hole, is where species such as Yellowbelly and Black Bream can be caught. The museum is housed in what once was the Muttaburra Hospital. After its closure the building was converted into a historical display and museum and named in honour of Dr Arratta.

On the first Saturday of June each year the Landsborough Flock Ewe Show is held. The show has sheep and wool judging, cattle displays, trade displays, ladies pavilion, shopping, activities for kids, cattle drive plus dinner and entertainment. The Muttaburra Amateur Turf Club was established in 1919 and runs an annual race day called the Muttaburra Cup in August.