Cabarlah, Queensland

Cabarlah is approximately {{convert|15|km|mi}} north of the Toowoomba city centre and has an area of approximately {{convert|20|km2}}. It is situated on the Great Dividing Range with views to the east of the Lockyer Valley through to Brisbane and to the west across the Darling Downs. Traditionally the area has been used for farming however in recent years the expansion of the Toowoomba Regional Council has led to acreage and other residential development.{{cite web |url=http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/destinations/queensland-locations/cabarlah/index.cfm |title=Cabarlah |publisher=Tourism Queensland |access-date=16 September 2010}}

Geengee is a neighbourhood in the west of the locality ({{coord|-27.4333|151.9833|type:city_region:AU-QLD|name=Geengee (neighbourhood)}}). It is based around the former Geengee railway station which operated from 1886 to 1961 on the now-closed Crows Nest railway line. The name Geengee is an Aboriginal word meaning green vegetation along a creek.{{cite QPN|13549|Geengee|locality unbounded in Toowoomba Regional|accessdate=29 December 2020}}{{Cite web|last=Gray|first=Judi|date=2016-12-29|title=Geengee Reserve Cabarlah: History of Geengee Railway Station 1886-1961|url=http://geengeereserve.blogspot.com/2016/12/history-of-geengee-railway-station-1886.html|access-date=2021-04-15|website=Geengee Reserve Cabarlah}}

In the 1860s to 1883 the area was called Five-Mile Camp. The name Cabarlah was used after Crows Nest railway line (from Toowoomba to Crows Nest) was built. It is thought that the name Cabarlah derived from an Aboriginal expression describing the ring-tailed possum.{{Cite web|url=http://queenslandplaces.com.au/cabarlah|title=Cabarlah {{!}} Queensland Places|website=queenslandplaces.com.au|language=en|access-date=2017-04-05}} However, a 1930 newspaper article claims it is a "Native name of the mountains in the neighbourhood".{{Cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35931764|title=NOMENCLATURE OF QUEENSLAND.—69 - (Compiled from Records in the Oxley Memorial Library) - The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954) - 18 Dec 1935|newspaper=Courier-Mail|date=18 December 1935 |access-date=2017-04-05}}

The Queensland Government set aside land for the Geham Cemetery (now the Cabarlah Cemetery) on 11 September 1878. Trustees were appointed on 2 January 1880 with the first burials occurring in 1881.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/cemeteries/cemetery-locations/3227-drayton-a-toowoomba|title=Location, open hours and interment options for all Toowoomba Regional Council cemeteries|publisher=Toowoomba Regional Council|access-date=5 April 2017}}

Highfields No 2 State School opened on 27 March 1871. In 1875 it was renamed Geham State School in 1875.{{Citation|author1=Queensland Family History Society|title=Queensland schools past and present|publication-date=2010|edition=Version 1.01|publisher=Queensland Family History Society|isbn=978-1-921171-26-0}}

The Borneo Barracks were originally established as a World War I training area.{{Cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/id/_Master/docs/NCRP/QLD/0143BorneoBarracksCabarlahQLD.pdf|title=BORNEO BARRACKS, CABARLAH, QUEENSLAND|website=Department of Defence|publisher=Australian Government|access-date=5 April 2017}}

Cabarlah Post Office opened on 1 July 1927 (a receiving office had been open from 1884).{{Cite web | last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | publisher = Premier Postal Auctions | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=QLD&country= | access-date = 10 May 2014}}

Since the Second World War, Cabarlah has also had a significant role as a base for the Australian Army. It was home to elements of the 7th Brigade early in the war. Later in the war it became a hub for signals and other training. Cabarlah is now home to the 7th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) and other Australian Defence Force signals facilities.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/07/2562980.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101026160000/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/07/2562980.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 October 2010 |title=Defence cools talk of Cabarlah closure |date=7 May 2009 |work=ABC News |access-date=16 September 2010}}

St Martin's Anglican Church was opened at the Cabarlah Barracks in 1959 but closed circa 1961.{{Cite web|last=Anglican Church of Southern Queensland|title=Closed Churches|url=https://anglicanarchives.org.au/churches/#C|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403003329/https://www.anglicanarchives.org.au/churches/#C|archive-date=3 April 2019|access-date=3 April 2019}}

The Cabarlah Community School opened in Wirraglen Road, Highfields, on 23 January 2006. It used the Reggio Emilia teaching philosophy. In March 2008 it was closed when the Queensland Government's Non-State Schools Accreditation Board refused to accredit the school, claiming it did not meet the requirements of the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act 2001. Although the school appealed the decision, the Queensland Education Minister, Rod Weldford, upheld the board's decision.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/school-shuts-after-failing-government-examination/6104/|title=School shuts after failing government examination|last=Searle|first=Susan|date=11 March 2008|work=Toowoomba Chronicle|access-date=5 April 2017}}

In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, the locality of Cabarlah had a population of 1,075 people. 83.6% of people were born in Australia and 93.2% of people only spoke English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 26.3%, Catholic 22.5% and Anglican 18.2%.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC30473|name=Cabarlah (SSC)|accessdate=20 October 2018|quick=on}}

In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Cabarlah had a population of 1,307 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL30470|name=Cabarlah (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}

There are no schools in Cabarlah. The nearest government primary schools are Geham State School in neighbouring Geham to the north and Highfields State School in Highfields to the west. The nearest government secondary school is Highfields State Secondary College in Highfields.{{Queensland Globe|access-date=15 April 2021}}

The Borneo Barracks are at 10046 New England Highway ({{Coord|-27.4436|151.9787|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Borneo Barracks}}).{{Cite web|title=Borneo Barracks, Cabarlah, Queensland|url=https://www.defence.gov.au/id/_Master/docs/NCRP/QLD/0143BorneoBarracksCabarlahQLD.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=15 April 2021|website=Australian Department of Defence|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406020334/http://www.defence.gov.au/id/_Master/docs/NCRP/QLD/0143BorneoBarracksCabarlahQLD.pdf |archive-date=6 April 2017 }} The Defence School of Signals is within the barracks ({{coord|-27.4460|151.9825|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Defence School of Signals}}).{{Cite web|date=17 November 2020|title=Building areas - Queensland|url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/536da964-19d2-42fb-9dd8-b46f15c4fb6f|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023081052/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/536da964-19d2-42fb-9dd8-b46f15c4fb6f|archive-date=23 October 2020|access-date=17 November 2020|website=Queensland Open Data|publisher=Queensland Government}} Borneo Barracks Sewage Treatment Plant is also on the barrack's site ({{coord|-27.4425|151.9865|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Borneo Barracks Sewage Treatment Plant}}).{{Cite web|date=18 November 2020|title=Landmark Areas - Queensland|url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/db9c913b-b7e2-4d88-9a5e-32cbb1470f12|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121195536/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/db9c913b-b7e2-4d88-9a5e-32cbb1470f12|archive-date=21 November 2020|access-date=21 October 2020|website=Queensland Open Data|publisher=Queensland Government}}

Cabarlah Rural Fire Station is at 9918 New England Highway ({{coord|-27.4318|151.9905|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Cabarlah Rural Fire Station}}).{{Cite web|date=18 November 2020|title=Emergency services facilities - Queensland|url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/923a4139-4a79-4744-8955-d73230796bd6|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124224500/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/923a4139-4a79-4744-8955-d73230796bd6|archive-date=24 November 2020|access-date=24 November 2020|website=Queensland Open Data|publisher=Queensland Government}}

The Cabarlah Cemetery is located at 10148 New England Highway ({{Coord|-27.4512|151.9876|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Cabarlah Cemetery}}). It is operated by the Toowoomba Regional Council.

The Cabarlah Golf Club is located at Borneo Barracks ({{coord|-27.4431|151.9865|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Cabarlah Golf Club}}). It is open to the public, but visitors must present their drivers licence for identification to enter the site.{{Cite web|date=17 November 2020|title=Building points - Queensland|url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/buildings-queensland-series/resource/7f713bcb-e884-4edc-a292-9b6dfa955d71|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125050838/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/buildings-queensland-series/resource/7f713bcb-e884-4edc-a292-9b6dfa955d71|archive-date=25 November 2020|access-date=25 November 2020|website=Queensland Open Data|publisher=Queensland Government}}{{Cite web|title=Welcome to the Cabarlah Golf Course|url=http://www.borneobarracksgolfclub.com.au/|access-date=5 April 2017|website=Carbalah Golf Course}}

Black Forest Hill Clock Centre is at 9917 New England Highway ({{coord|-27.4323|151.9916|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Black Forest Hill Clock Centre}}). It specialises in grandfather clocks and cuckoo clocks.{{Cite web|title=Black Forest Hill Grandfather and Cuckoo Clock Centre|url=https://www.weekendnotes.com/black-forest-hill-grandfather-and-cuckoo-clock-centre/|access-date=2021-04-15|website=www.weekendnotes.com}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Citation | author1=Richelson, Jeffrey | author2=Ball, Desmond, 1947-2016 | author3=Richelson, Jeffrey T | author4=Ball, Desmond, 1947- | title=The ties that bind : intelligence cooperation between the UKUSA countries : the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand | year=1990 | publication-date=1990 | publisher=Unwin Hyman | edition=2nd | isbn=978-0-04-520009-2}} — discusses Defence Signals Directorate and other ADF installations

{{Commons category|Cabarlah, Queensland}}

• {{cite web|url=http://queenslandplaces.com.au/cabarlah|title=Cabarlah|publisher=Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland|website=Queensland Places}}
• {{cite web|title=History of Cabarlah|url=https://sites.google.com/site/historyofcabarlah/home}}

{{Toowoomba Region}}

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Category:Toowoomba Region

Category:Localities in Queensland