The name
Barringun is derived from the local Aboriginal word for the lower part of the
Warrego River variously transcribed as
Barronga,
Burringun or
Barrongun. The 1859 exploration of the river from its junction with the
Darling River by Matthew De Rinzy showed that Aboriginal people lived at all the waterholes along the lower reaches of this river. They were also combative to the European incursion, with De Rinzy being wounded by a spear during one of the skirmishes on his journey. An early British settlement (possibly a pastoral station) on the
Warrego River was named Barringun, which can be seen on an 1887 map as being just south of the New South Wales border. Barringun is also possibly an Aboriginal word meaning
fish die in the water. In June 1884, the
Queensland Government sold approximately 100 town lots in Wooroorooka. In 1885, discussions were being held between the New South Wales and Queensland colonial parliaments about a
rabbit-proof fence to prevent the spread of the pest. From 1885 when the railway was constructed to
Bourke in
New South Wales, farmers in south-western Queensland began to send their wool to markets via Bourke rather than the
Charleville, then the terminus of the
Western railway line in Queensland, as the
New South Wales Government offered more competitive rail freight rates than the
Queensland Government.
Queensland Railway Commissioner James Thallon responded by negotiating with the Carrier's Union which carried goods to the Charleville railhead to make the cost of transporting the goods via Charleville more attractive. However, strikes by the carriers in support of the
1891 Australian shearers' strike meant that goods continued to be travel via New South Wales, further encouraged by new lower freight rates in New South Wales announced in June 1893. The Queensland Government responded the following month by introducing the Railway Border Tax Act which taxed wool and sheepskins crossing the border into New South Wales to make it too expensive to freight the wool via New South Wales. However, this could only be a temporary measure as the anticipated
Federation of Australia was expected to introduce
free trade between the states of Australia removing the ability to tax goods at the border crossing. Therefore, on 3 December 1895, the
Queensland Parliament approved the construction of the extension of the Western railway line from Charleville to Cunnamulla. It was opened on 10 October 1898. A
magistrate court operated in Wooroorooka from 12 June 1891 to 11 May 1944. Until the
Federation of Australia in January 1901, Wooroorooka served as the
Colony of Queensland border customs office, and across the border, Barringun was the
Colony of New South Wales border customs office. At this time, Wooroorooka had one customs officer, three police officers, a school teacher, and a post master. The Wooroorooka customs house, a cottage raised up on stumps, became the Border fence ranger's residence. Wooroorooka had a police station. The local creek was able to support the town even during periods of low rainfall. Recreational activities including fishing on the
Maranoa River and
cricket with the nearby Belalie Station. A rail line from Bourke to Barringun was proposed in the late 1920s to the 1940s, to eventually connect with Cunnamulla for freight. The Queensland Government opposed the New South Wales initiative as it would draw trade (and state revenue) away from the south-west Queensland area. The road to the New South Wales border from Cunnamulla was sealed in bitumen by 1952. The road was considered part of the 'death knell' to the rail line proposal. The Barringun–Bourke section of the Mitchell Highway was expected to be bitumen sealed by 1971. Some properties in the area included Rostella, Winrae, Tinnenburra, Thurulgoona, Owengowan, and Amenda. During 2020 and 2021, the Queensland border was closed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Some border crossing points had
Queensland Police checkpoints to confirm eligibility to enter Queensland, while other border crossing points were closed. At Barringun, there was a police border checkpoint on the Mitchell Highway. == Demographics ==