Queensland Museum & Community Collections

I had the pleasure of visiting the town of Thallon in January (after a tyre hiccup) and let me tell you, if you’re in the region of Balonne, you must include Thallon in your travels. From the iconic William the Wombat to the award-winning Silo Art, Thallon is rich in culture and history.

For those of you not familiar with the whereabouts of Thallon, the Francis Hotel (where you must stop for a meal!) has a handy cheat sheet. Please see image for reference.

Fortunately, I was there to meet with Thallon’s Progress Association member Leanne Brosnan, and she was able to give me a tour of Thallon’s attractions, ensuring nothing was missed. We began by viewing Thallon’s War Memorial and paying our respects to local men who had served under the protection of the carved soldier atop a sandstone plinth. We then walked over to visit William the Hairy-Nosed Wombat, a tribute to the local wombat community found at the old Bullamon Station in the late 1800s. Driving past the Thallon Library and cricket club we arrived at the viewing platform of the Silo Art. Artists Joel Fergie and Travis Vinson have been quoted saying:

“We want the community to look up to the silos as the sun sets each day and be reminded of why they love the land they live in”. 

They are just awesome. It’s no wonder they won the 2019 Australian Street Art Awards Best of the Best and Best Rural Art.

Titled ‘The Watering Hole’ the mural portrays the Thallon district and its surrounding area. It features the Moonie River, an iconic Thallon sunset, and the area’s agricultural base. It also recognises members of Thallon’s indigenous community by the inclusion of a scarred tree. It was inspired by the photography of three locals in Thallon.

But wait, there’s more. Leanne then took me for a quick drive to visit the old railway bridge (relevant to our upcoming project) where we viewed more outstanding works by Fergie and Vinson – murals of locals in Thallon. Along the pillars of the railway bridge sit beautiful lifelike murals capturing the essence of the people depicted – I can say this for a fact as I later met one of them and was able to say I had been staring at his face earlier that day.

Next – onto Old Bullamon Homestead. An original homestead built along the banks of the Moonie River in the 1850s. Heritage listed; this homestead is a prime example of bush architecture to the region. A highlight for me was the double toilet – I imagine making the trek in the night was more pleasant with two. I must insist you visit if you’re in the region. It is not one to be missed!

There are also the sculptures scattered around Thallon by the artist Dion Cross, the local Francis Hotel which always has an exhibition on inside, the rustic water tower painted with the town name, the grain trains awaiting a nightly exit to avoid tracks being manipulated in the heat, and of course great yarns to be had by all.

I was visiting Thallon to scope out an old railway goods shed we hope to install an exhibition in, adding to this rich cultural experience. Fingers crossed we get the funding!

Until next time.