Springsure, Queensland

An attractive country town situated in the Capricorn Highlands, which services the surrounding rural area and operates as a gateway to Carnarvon National Park.
Location: 66 km south of Emerald; 975 km north of Brisbane (via Rockhampton).
Origin of name: recalls an early station which was thus named as it had an all-year fresh water spring.
Brief history: Ludwig Leichhardt was the first European through the area on his 1844-45 journey through central Queensland. His glowing reports of the area around the Comet River prompted many graziers to move into the area. Resistance to the encroachment of Europeans on their land was particularly strong by the Aborigines of this region. One group of Kairi warriors killed 19 people at Cullin-la-ringo in the largest recorded massacre of whites in Australian history. It is likely that the massacre was prompted by a combination of frustration at the loss of their hunting grounds and as revenge against both the whites and the native police who stole tribal women. The mass grave in which the victims were buried still exists on Mount Helmut station.
Natural features: Capricorn Highlands; Mt. Zamia Environmental Park; Virgin Rock; Carnarvon National Park (71 km south, caves; cliff walls; waterfalls; Carnarvon Gorge); Comet River.
Built features: Pattern Comet Windmill (1935); township of Rolleston.
Heritage features: Old Rainworth Fort (1856); Old Rainworth Station (includes Cairdbeign School 1896) and Cairdbeign Homestead (1870s); Fly'n Horse Shoe Museum; Historical Association Museum; Carnarvon National Park Aboriginal cave and rock art galleries including fine examples of hands, axes, emu tracks and boomerangs.