History and Culture

Thuringowa presents a rich history. In the early 1860s, the first pastoral leases were taken up on land at Woodstock, in what would become the division of Thuringowa. Much of the land now covered by the suburbs of Condon, Rasmussen and Kelso were taken up by pioneering families in the late nineteenth century. The names Condon, Rasmussen and Kelso belong to some of those pioneers who established farms where they ran diary cattle and grew small crops.

Bridges and roads have formed a vital role in connecting settlements throughout the Thuringowa area. The Eureka Hotel (1865) at Hervey Range was one of a number of hotels which existed on the inland road. Often these hotels had camping reserves nearby where stock could be rested, fed and watered before continuing the journey.

The rural area of Rollingstone and Balgal Beach played an important role in World War II as a coastal surveillance site when invasion by the Japanese was feared. After the war, Balgal Beach and other northern beaches became sought-after holiday destinations.

The beauty and climate of the Paluma rainforest has long been appreciated as a health retreat and tourist destination. Visitors were accommodated in the mountains in a series of guesthouses, long before the road was constructed in the 1930s and the Little Crystal Creek Bridge was built by hand from local stone.

The township of Paluma itself made a significant contribution to World War II. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operated radar stations and a medical rehabilitation unit in the village while the army used the surrounding rainforest for military training. Members of the United States Army 565th Signal Battalion also established a base in the township.

Today, after many boundary changes and urban progress, Thuringowa is a thriving, dynamic city made up of diverse economic and natural environments. More recently, the Queensland government has announced local government reform, which will see the Cities of Townsville and Thuringowa merged in 2008. Both cities are confident the amalgamation will bring new opportunities and prosperity to the region.