Tambo, Queensland

A sleepy country town with a history of mixed fortunes.
Location: 200 km from Charleville; 208 km from Barcaldine; 398 m above sea level.
Origin of name: derived from the name of a pastoral run used from 1869 by pastoralist Frederick Fanning. It is not known how Tambo was named. Possibilities include: an Aboriginal word for shady waters, hidden waters, hidden place, secluded spot, native gum resting place or fish; Tambo in Peru, South America; or Tambo in Victoria.
Brief history: the oldest town in central western Qld, it was surveyed and gazetted in the early 1860s and settlement began in 1863. It became a stopping place for carriers, shearers and drovers who shared their experiences here. The town is today a mix of old and new - buildings from the Victorian era standing alongside those from the post-World War II years.
Natural features: Barcoo River; Salvator Rosa National Park; Marsden Cave
Built features: Influenza Memorial (recalls an epidemic which was rampant in 1919)
Heritage features: new Post Offices (1904); old Post Office (1876); Black's Palace Reserve Aboriginal art sites (70 km north)