# Tara, Queensland

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Tara is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Tara had a population of 1,980 people.

## Geography

Tara is on the Darling Downs. The town is at the centre of the locality. Immediately surrounding the urban area of Tara, there are a number of rural subdivisions of 'lifestyle blocks'. The blocks are usually between 13 and 40 ha in area. The population of the 2000 Rural Subdivision blocks exceeds that of the town itself.
The Glenmorgan railway line traverses the locality from east (Goranba) to west (The Gums). There are two railway stations within the locality:
* Tara railway station, serving the town (27°16′39″S 150°27′24″E﻿ / ﻿27.2775°S 150.4566°E﻿ / -27.2775; 150.4566﻿ (Tara railway station))
* Tullagrie railway station, to the south-west of the town but now abandoned (27°16′49″S 150°23′09″E﻿ / ﻿27.2802°S 150.3858°E﻿ / -27.2802; 150.3858﻿ (Tullagrie railway station (former)))

## History

Baranggum people were and are the aboriginal people settled in the area of the town of Tara.
The town was surveyed in May 1910 by Leonard Shield, and named Tara after the local pastoral run of the same name gazetted on 25 March 1852. It is assumed that this is a reference to the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland.
Tara Provisional School opened on 23 January 1911 but was renamed the Laurndel Provisional School in 1912. It was subsequently renamed the Burrowes Provisional School in 1915, renamed the Burrowes State School in 1923, and closed in 1946. The school was located south-west of Tara just north of the Glenmorgan railway line at 27°17′29″S 150°21′05″E﻿ / ﻿27.2914°S 150.3515°E﻿ / -27.2914; 150.3515﻿ (Burrowes State School).
Tara State School opened on 21 August 1912. On 28 November 2004, it was renamed the Tara Shire State College,and celebrated its centenary in 2012.
In March 1943, the community requested that the school building, from the closed Goranba State School, be relocated to the Warra-Kogan Road near the Myra Meadows property, a site donated by Andrew Watt Adams. This request was approved in October 1943, and the subsequently relocated school building was opened as Myra State School in 1944 but closed on 2 February 1945. Its location was a 10-acre (4.0 ha) site on the eastern side of the Tara Kogan Road (27°13′29″S 150°31′27″E﻿ / ﻿27.22472°S 150.52411°E﻿ / -27.22472; 150.52411﻿ (Myra State School (former))).
In 1914, a Methodist Church was built in Tara.
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School was established in 1965 by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. From 1978, the school has had a lay principal.
Tara Library opened in 1987 and had a major refurbishment in 2009.
On 14 March 2011 a blockade against coal seam gas development began at a property called "Kenya" near Tara. The following day, a woman was arrested after she stopped the movement of a bulldozer working for the Queensland Gas Company. The next month Bob Irwin was arrested and fined for participating in a rally at the same location. He was protesting against plans to build a coal seam gas pipeline. Local landowner Dayne Pratzky, now an anti-coal seam gas activist, features in the 2015 movie-length documentary Frackman.
On 12 December 2022, Constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow were murdered at the nearby locality of Wieambilla. The two constables were based at Tara Police Station (27°16′29″S 150°27′31″E﻿ / ﻿27.2746°S 150.4585°E﻿ / -27.2746; 150.4585﻿ (Tara Police Station)) at the time of the incident.
In October 2023, more than 53 homes in the Tara region were destroyed by bushfires.

## Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Tara had a population of 2,297 people.
In the 2021 census, the locality of Tara had a population of 1,980 people.

## Economy

Important industries in the area around Tara include wheat, beef, wool and gas.

## Education

St Joseph's School is a Catholic primary (Preparatory to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 3 Fry Street (27°16′30″S 150°27′37″E﻿ / ﻿27.2751°S 150.4602°E﻿ / -27.2751; 150.4602﻿ (St Joseph's School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 26 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 4 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 23 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 4 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).
Tara Shire State College is a government primary and secondary (Early Childhood to Year 12) school for boys and girls at 22 Binnie Street (27°16′48″S 150°27′32″E﻿ / ﻿27.2799°S 150.4588°E﻿ / -27.2799; 150.4588﻿ (Tara Shire State College)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 359 students with 37 teachers (36 full-time equivalent) and 30 non-teaching staff (23 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 354 students with 39 teachers (38 full-time equivalent) and 28 non-teaching staff (22 full-time equivalent). The school includes a special education program.

## Amenities

Tara has a library at 31 Day Street operated by the Western Downs Regional Council.

## Attractions

Attractions near Tara include Southwood National Park, a remnant area of the southern brigalow belt.
The Commercial Hotel has two murals painted by artist Hugh Sawrey, from nearby Kogan. Painted in 1960, they are You’ll come a waltzing Matilda with me and Clancy’s gone to Queensland droving.

## Coal seam gas controversy

After the establishment of the Surat Basin Coal Seam Gas (CSG) development in 2011, a number of residents of Tara reported unusual health conditions which they believed to be related to the CSG development. While initially Queensland Health reported that living conditions were the likely cause, many of the reported symptoms (particularly in children) corresponded with typical symptoms of hydrocarbon exposure. Independent water analysis of private dam water has also shown excessive levels of lead and hydrocarbons, however a causal link between water analysis results and CSG activities appears to be a matter of ongoing debate.
In 2013, the Queensland Government conducted an inquiry into Coal Seam Gas in the Tara Region and a risk assessment on the health and environmental impacts, concluding that "a clear link can not be drawn between the health complaints by some residents in the Tara region and impacts of the local CSG industry on air, water or soil within the community."
In 2016, the Australian Government conducted a senate inquiry into unconventional mining. Many residents of Tara made submissions to this inquiry. Some residents have accused the state and federal government of attempting to brush these reports under the rug, and providing inadequate resources for testing in order to promote a pro-mining agenda.
Lock the Gate Alliance continue to lobby against coal seam gas in the area, and have produced a set of first-hand accounts in short film format called Voices from the Gaslands to highlight the ongoing struggles for the community.