ADAVALE, QUEENSLAND

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A once thriving township on Blackwater Creek. Graves dating from the early 1800s are testament to the harsh outback lifestyle and daily struggle of the early settlers. Annual events include the Fishing Carnival and the Bull Ride and Gymkhana.
Location: 85 km north of Quilpie.
Origin of name: Mrs. Ada Stevens lost her veil here in 1870 while crossing Blackwater Creek. The name became corrupted and stuck.
Brief history: nearby Listowel Downs, on the Blackall Road, was the site of Australia's first recorded opal finds in 1872. The gems run in a belt from the NSW border to the north of Winton. The town was a thriving until the 1930s when the shire headquarters were moved to Quilpie.
Heritage features: memorial to Sir Ross and Keith Smith at the place where they were forced to make an emergency landing during their flight of 1919 in which they became the first Australians to fly from London to Australia in less than 30 days.