# Drillham, Queensland

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Drillham is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Drillham had a population of 113 people.

## Geography

The town is on the Darling Downs and on the Warrego Highway, 358 kilometres (222 mi) north west of the state capital, Brisbane.
The Western railway line enters the locality from the east (Miles) and exits to the west (Dulacca) with the locality having a number of railway stations (from west to east):
* Palardo railway station, now abandoned (26°38′41″S 149°49′27″E﻿ / ﻿26.6447°S 149.8241°E﻿ / -26.6447; 149.8241﻿ (Palardo railway station (former)))
* Waituna railway station, now abandoned (26°38′37″S 149°51′15″E﻿ / ﻿26.6435°S 149.8541°E﻿ / -26.6435; 149.8541﻿ (Waituna railway station (former)))
* Ulimaroa cattle siding (26°38′15″S 149°54′27″E﻿ / ﻿26.6376°S 149.9074°E﻿ / -26.6376; 149.9074﻿ (Ulimaroa cattle siding))
* Ulimaroa railway station (26°38′17″S 149°54′55″E﻿ / ﻿26.6381°S 149.9153°E﻿ / -26.6381; 149.9153﻿ (Ulimaroa railway station))
* Drillham railway station, serving the town (26°38′30″S 149°58′55″E﻿ / ﻿26.6418°S 149.9820°E﻿ / -26.6418; 149.9820﻿ (Drillham railway station))

## History

Settlement in Drillham commenced with three pastoral stations: Dulacca, Binbian and Wallan Creek.
The town was established in 1878 to service the railway and was home to a camp for workers building the bridge over nearby Drillham Creek. Drillham Post Office opened by June 1910 (a receiving office had been open from 1895). The town and the creek were originally known as 'Delerium' due to the typhoid fever that struck this camp.
Drillham Provisional School opened on 28 Aug 1899, becoming Drillham State School on 1 January 1909.

### 1893 Drillham Creek tragedy

Four children from the same family died on 15 January 1893 when they were all accidentally drowned in Drillham Creek. Matilda Roehrig (aged 14), Isabella Roehrig (aged 12), Charles Roehrig (aged 11) and Jane Roehrig (aged 8) were the children of railway lengthsman Charles Roehrig and his wife Matilda. The news of the children's deaths was widely reported in newspapers around Australia. The site where the children's bodies were buried is located alongside the creek beside the Warrego Highway and is marked with a small monument with a commemorative plaque which was unveiled by the Miles and District Historical Society on 23 July 1966.

## Demographics

In the 2011 census, the locality of Drillham and the surrounding area had a population of 217 people.
In the 2016 census, the locality of Drillham had a population of 126 people.
In the 2021 census, the locality of Drillham had a population of 113 people.

## Economy

Drillham is a centre for the production of livestock and grains.

## Education

Drillham State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 13 Jardine Street (26°38′39″S 149°58′53″E﻿ / ﻿26.6443°S 149.9815°E﻿ / -26.6443; 149.9815﻿ (Drillham State School)). In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 29 students with 3 teachers (2 equivalent full-time) and 4 non-teaching staff (2 equivalent full-time). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 33 students with 4 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).
There is no secondary school in Drillham. The nearest secondary school is Miles State High School in neighbouring Miles to the east.