Charleville History, Australia

It was the year 1847 when a European Exploration under the leadership of Edmund Kennedy stopped on the land on which Charleville is now situated. It was this European presence which gave birth to the hopes of a town being started and by the year 1865 a hotel was running successfully in this newly built town. Charleville had started to flourish as a town by this time.

The first hotel mentioned above was built in the proximity of Gowrie’s Crossing which was a permanent waterhole during those year. Currently this waterhole is located on the outskirts of today’s town. During those years Gowrie Station was started in the proximity of natural stock route to facilitate grazing by cattle and sheep.

In 1868 Charleville had with wide streets. Later on, in 1872 a skinner family from Roma opened a store in this town which later on became famous by the name of Warrego Store.

By the year 1886 a coach manufacturing unit was running successfully in Charleville. It was the famous Australian coach making company namely Cobb and Co. which had started this business in Charleville. Finally by the year 1888, railway lines were laid down in Charleville.

In 1902 Charleville was struck by drought and during that time Clement Lindley Wragge fired cannons high into the clouds with dreams of breaking the drought but this attempt failed miserably. The cannons used for this purpose are still on display.

The proximity of Charleville to River Warrego brought only misfortunes. The first flood hit the city in the year 1990 with the flood water rising to 8.5 meters. Around 1000 houses were inundated while over 3000 inhabitants were asked to leave the city during these floods. Another flood hit the city in 1997 and again in January 2008.