Jandowae, Qld
There is much to see in and around Jandowae. The town has a population of around 740 and is located in the Western Downs Region, Queensland on the traditional lands of the Barunggam People. Jandowae provides the perfect base to explore the wider area.
Here are the Points of Interest we enjoyed during our stay:
Athlone Cottage Heritage Complex – the old slab hut here was originally built around 1890 and has been restored by volunteers. The old school building on the site is actually Jandowae’s second school building. And we loved the Comet windmill here which was still in working order.
Old Railway Station – Jandowae’s original railway station is located in the Lions Park. The railway came to Jandowae in 1914 – a branch line of 46km in length, linking the town to the larger town of Dalby. As with many Queensland branch lines this line stopped operating (2013) and remnants of the rail track are still visible throughout the town.
Dingo Sculpture – located on the main street, the dingo sculpture and a replica of the Dingo Fence were erected to commemorate this nearby landmark. The Dingo sits behind a sample section of the Dingo Barrier Fence (or Wild Dog Barrier Fence is it is correctly called), marking the start of longest fence in the world.
The Wild Dog Barrier Fence is one of the longest man-made structures in the world, approximately 5,600km in length. Above ground, the fence is close to two metres in height, and netting extends it 30cm underground. An area on both sides of the length of the fence is kept clear, being maintained by inspectors who repair sections as needed. The Dingo Barrier Fence commences between Jandowae and Jimbour, winding its way south to end at the Nullabor Plains cliffs in South Australia.
The Dingo Fence Tourist Drive is an unsealed road that follows the fence for a distance of around 110km, from where the fence starts its journey through the southern States (about 19km from town). We decided to travel the Tourist Drive, but somehow lost it along the way, only to discover other interesting spots. You can see these and the Dingo Fence in our video here – https://youtu.be/YosQJ9V-edQ
Coopers Gap Wind Farm was very impressive with its 123 wind turbines. The wind farm is in the locality of Cooranga North, between Dalby and Kingaroy. The project here commenced in 2017 and became fully operational in 2021. This is currently one of the largest wind farms in Australia.
Trumpeters Corner is a monument about 18km west of town, dedicated to the memory of the 21 World War II soldier settlers who were each given a parcel of land to work in this area. There is a very interesting and heart-warming story that goes with this – find out more in our website blog of Trumpeters Corner or in our video – https://youtu.be/v6_rT6EPRz0
Take a closer look at Jandowae here – https://youtu.be/QoCfpWH0bb0
