Adavale Shire was the forerunner of Quilpie Shire. It was named after the town of Adavale in south-west Queensland, 170 km west of Charleville.
The Adavale township was situated in pastoral country mostly comprised of large grazing properties. The shire offices were described as a commodious building in the Australian handbook (1903) and there were four hotels, a courthouse, four tradespeople's premises and a twice-weekly coach service from Charleville:
Opal mining in the shire centred around Eromanga (also known as Eurongella). It was described as 'Opalopolis' in the 1903 Australian handbook:
In 1917 the rail line was extended from Charleville to Quilpie, making that town a railhead for regional livestock movements. Adavale township subsequently declined, and in 1930 the shire's administrative centre was moved to Quilpie and the name changed accordingly.
Adavale Shire's census populations were:
Census Date | Population |
---|---|
1911 | 1358 |
1921 | 1447 |
Later figures are found under the entry for Quilpie.
Quilpie Jubilee 1917-1967, Quilpie, Quilpie Shire Council, 1967
Quilpie and Quilpie Shire and Charleville entries