Clifton - Where it is and some interesting facts and sites to see
Clifton is a small town 50km north of Warwick, 50km South of Toowoomba, approx. 150 km west of Brisbane and 8km off the New England Highway.
The 2011 Census Population of Clifton was: 1376
Clifton is known to be in the Fertile area of the Darling Downs with the town motto once being "Clifton is Tops for its Crops" which it is still renown for even through tough drought conditions. Today the rich black soils around Clifton are used for growing corn, barley, sorghum, sunflowers, wheat, canola, oats, mung beans, peanuts.
Historically Clifton has always been a farming area and in 1928/9 Clifton was called the “Million Bushels of Wheat District”. This wheat harvest produced one million bushels in this season – unheard of, a record!!! All of this grain was despatched from Clifton station.
"Acres of Opportunity" Is also Clifton's calling card due to the many opportunities that exists for those living in the area both agriculturally and culturally. Clifton has good educational facilities with a Child Care centre, State Primary School Prep-year 6, St Francis De Sales Catholic School, State High School Year 7 to Year 12. There is a Doctors surgery and Hospital and Nirvana Hostel an aged care facility is also apart of the Hospital. The town has several churches. There is banking facilities, post office, butchery, hairdressers, newsagents, haberdashery store, cafes, Hotels, Real Estate Agents, Foodworks and more. There are several clubs and sporting teams.
Some Interesting Facts
We hold the Guinness World Book of Records
The record for the longest road train is 1,474.3 m (4,836 ft 11 in) where a single Mack Titan prime mover, driven by John Atkinson (Australia), towed 113 trailers for a distance of approximately 150 m (490 ft) in an event sponsored by Hogs Breath Café, in Clifton, Queensland, Australia on 18 February 2006
Clifton has been used as a backdrop in several Australian Films
Films shot in Clifton featuring local landscapes, buildings, churches, & railway station - Films include; The Thornbirds, The Light of Lionel's Life, Finding Hope and recently a French movie crew were filming
Places to See -Things to Do
The Clifton Historical Museum is a worthy tribute to the district's pioneering past. Housed in the old butter factory, you can take a step back in time and visit a 1930s dining room, a pioneer bedroom, an early hospital ward, kitchen and children's room. The Heritage room allows access to original records of local businesses and schools. Read the memoirs of long-time residents, browse through the photographic collection, or look for your forebears on the database. An extensive range of early agricultural tools and machinery will evoke memories of yesteryear. Old movie memorabilia, communication, history, musical pieces; there's something for everyone, discover it for yourself
The Darling Downs Zoo is only 14km from Clifton in the Pilton Valley. This new zoo is being developed in a garden format centred on the geographical areas of Australia, South-east Asia, Africa and South America. Already the zoo features the only pride of African Lions in Queensland, baboons, monkeys, marmosets, serval, rare Sumatran Tiger, tropical birds, kangaroos and white wallabies, camel, deer, crocodiles and alligator, boa constrictors, the world's most venomous snakes, pythons and much, much more. The zoo is also home to the only White Lions in Queensland and the largest herd of Zebras and Giant Tortoises in this State
The Nobby Railway Station Craft and Memorabilia situated in Tooth Street, opposite the hotel, is the original Railway Station building located in the park at Nobby. The craft shop has been stocked with locally hand made arts and crafts, and is operated by volunteers.
The memorial of Sister Elizabeth Kenny, Sister Kenny lived in Nobby and received world recognition for her revolutionary treatment of polio victims in the early to mid twentieth century. This memorial in Nobby chronicles her life and gives an account of the battles she had with the medical establishment of the day.
Other Community Events
Lone Eagle Flying School Fly In- March - for further details - https://www.facebook.com/LoneEagleFlyingSchool
Clifton Polo Club Carnival - May
Clifton Country Week - October Ran by the Progress Association Featuring Art Exhibitions, Photo Competitions, and much more go to Clifton Progress Association Webpage for further details
Clifton Iris & Rose Show - October - Further details see Clifton Progress Association web page
Clifton Races - October - Check out their facebook page for further details -
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clifton-Races/258216914197682
A Quick Historical Overview
Before the arrival of Europeans the area around Clifton was inhabited by the Aboriginal Keinjan language group.
* Like many Darling Downs townships, Clifton came into existence in the early 1840s when the government allowed settlement to occur relatively close to the penal colony at Moreton Bay. The first settlers were Joseph King and John Sibley who lived in a bark humpy on the bank of Kings Creek, halfway between Clifton and Nobby
* In 1868 the area was opened up for closer settlement and in 1869 the railway from Toowoomba provided good access to the sea. This led to the creation of the town of Clifton which, at the time, amounted to nothing more than a hotel, the railway station and a couple of stores.
* The township was surveyed and lots sold in 1875. A school was opened the following year and by 1888 te town had both Catholic and Church of England churches.
* The town prospered between 1890 and1920 with the success of the local wheat and dairy industry.
* The Dairy factory opened in 1908
* The 1891 census recorded a population of 278 which had grown to 992 by the census of 1921. By 1903 town had three hotels, two banks and four churches.
*Tivoli picture theatre opened in 1921
* 1928-29 local wheat crop yielded one million bushels (25,450,000 kg) which led to the town being dubbed "the million bushel town".
* Dairy factory closed in 1966.
* In 1972 passenger trains stopped running for the railway station and in 1998 the station was closed for goods trains
Clifton became a popular place for workers commuting to Toowoomba and Warwick to settle their families. due to close proximity but a relaxed country lifestyle.