Ward, Queensland
# Ward, Queensland

Ward is a rural locality in the Shire of Murweh, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Ward had a population of 74 people.

## Geography

The Ward River enters the locality from the north (Bayrick) and then flows south through the locality becoming a tributary of the Langlo River in the south of the locality.

Glengarry is a neighbourhood in the south of the locality (26°18′S 146°06′E﻿ / ﻿26.3°S 146.1°E﻿ / -26.3; 146.1﻿ (Glengarry (neighbourhood))).

Meecha is a neighbourhood in the far south of the locality (26°29′54″S 146°06′13″E﻿ / ﻿26.4983°S 146.1036°E﻿ / -26.4983; 146.1036﻿ (Meecha (former town))).

Castle Hill is in the centre of the locality (25°54′00″S 146°13′00″E﻿ / ﻿25.9°S 146.2166°E﻿ / -25.9; 146.2166﻿ (Castle Hill)).

The land use is almost entirely grazing on native vegetation.

## History

Meecha was surveyed for a town site by A. T. Macfarlane on 17 March 1891. Two of the 20 town lots were purchased on 30 January 1894 and were held until ownership was transferred to Murweh Shire Council on 30 July 1968 and then became Crown land on 15 September 1977.

The locality was named and bounded on 28 March 2002.

## Economy

There are a number of homesteads in the locality:

* Aubigny (25°37′56″S 146°15′25″E﻿ / ﻿25.6323°S 146.2570°E﻿ / -25.6323; 146.2570﻿ (Aubigny (homestead)))
* Balmacarra (25°47′48″S 146°05′01″E﻿ / ﻿25.7967°S 146.0837°E﻿ / -25.7967; 146.0837﻿ (Balmacarra (homestead)))
* Barford (25°37′06″S 146°18′10″E﻿ / ﻿25.6182°S 146.3027°E﻿ / -25.6182; 146.3027﻿ (Barford (homestead)))
* Binga Minor (26°27′45″S 146°06′26″E﻿ / ﻿26.4626°S 146.1072°E﻿ / -26.4626; 146.1072﻿ (Binga Minor (homestead)))
* Brumich (25°42′13″S 146°13′47″E﻿ / ﻿25.7035°S 146.2296°E﻿ / -25.7035; 146.2296﻿ (Brumich (homestead)))
* Buckeys Creek (25°45′06″S 146°18′18″E﻿ / ﻿25.7517°S 146.3050°E﻿ / -25.7517; 146.3050﻿ (Buckeys Creek (homestead)))
* Calowne (26°09′24″S 146°09′11″E﻿ / ﻿26.1568°S 146.1530°E﻿ / -26.1568; 146.1530﻿ (Calowne (homestead)))
* Conargo (26°29′27″S 146°05′51″E﻿ / ﻿26.4908°S 146.0974°E﻿ / -26.4908; 146.0974﻿ (Conargo (homestead)))
* Gleneden (25°46′10″S 146°13′41″E﻿ / ﻿25.7694°S 146.2281°E﻿ / -25.7694; 146.2281﻿ (Gleneden (homestead)))
* Laguna (25°34′25″S 146°18′31″E﻿ / ﻿25.5737°S 146.3085°E﻿ / -25.5737; 146.3085﻿ (Laguna (homestead)))
* Maxvale (26°18′36″S 146°05′25″E﻿ / ﻿26.3099°S 146.0904°E﻿ / -26.3099; 146.0904﻿ (Maxvale (homestead)))
* Millie (26°11′44″S 146°06′18″E﻿ / ﻿26.1956°S 146.1050°E﻿ / -26.1956; 146.1050﻿ (Millie (homestead)))
* Molonga (26°16′36″S 146°08′54″E﻿ / ﻿26.2766°S 146.1482°E﻿ / -26.2766; 146.1482﻿ (Molonga (homestead)))
* Newholme (26°04′15″S 146°14′20″E﻿ / ﻿26.0708°S 146.2388°E﻿ / -26.0708; 146.2388﻿ (Newholme (homestead)))
* Oak Park (26°03′28″S 146°07′53″E﻿ / ﻿26.0578°S 146.1314°E﻿ / -26.0578; 146.1314﻿ (Oak Park (homestead)))
* Oakwood (25°40′43″S 146°08′09″E﻿ / ﻿25.6787°S 146.1357°E﻿ / -25.6787; 146.1357﻿ (Oakwood (homestead)))
* Old Gowrie (26°29′09″S 146°04′31″E﻿ / ﻿26.4859°S 146.0753°E﻿ / -26.4859; 146.0753﻿ (Old Gowrie (homestead)))
* Oxford Downs (25°24′43″S 146°12′54″E﻿ / ﻿25.4119°S 146.2151°E﻿ / -25.4119; 146.2151﻿ (Oxford Downs (homestead)))
* Perola Park (25°42′27″S 146°19′19″E﻿ / ﻿25.7075°S 146.3219°E﻿ / -25.7075; 146.3219﻿ (Perola Park (homestead)))
* Southampton Downs (25°19′39″S 146°18′44″E﻿ / ﻿25.3275°S 146.3121°E﻿ / -25.3275; 146.3121﻿ (Southampton Downs (homestead)))
* Thurlby (26°21′53″S 146°09′32″E﻿ / ﻿26.3648°S 146.1588°E﻿ / -26.3648; 146.1588﻿ (Thurlby (homestead)))
* Wansey Downs (25°51′05″S 146°11′22″E﻿ / ﻿25.8513°S 146.1894°E﻿ / -25.8513; 146.1894﻿ (Wansey Downs (homestead)))
* Wardsdale (26°23′40″S 146°04′16″E﻿ / ﻿26.3944°S 146.0712°E﻿ / -26.3944; 146.0712﻿ (Wardsdale (homestead)))

## Transport

Wanko railway station is on the Western railway line (26°34′43″S 145°53′29″E﻿ / ﻿26.5786°S 145.8915°E﻿ / -26.5786; 145.8915﻿ (Wanko railway station)), but on the section from Westgate to Quilpie which has not been used since 2011. A small refreshment stand operated at Wanko station in the era when passenger rail travel to these Western locations was common.

## Education

There are no schools in Ward. The nearest primary schools are Augathella State School in neighbouring Augathella to the east and Charleville State School in neighbouring Charleville to the south. The nearest secondary school is Charleville State High School.

In the 2016 census Ward had a population of 74 people.

## Amenities

There is a boat ramp into the Langlo River on the Diamantina Developmental Road, 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Charleville (26°29′37″S 146°05′57″E﻿ / ﻿26.4935°S 146.0992°E﻿ / -26.4935; 146.0992﻿ (boat ramp)). It is managed by the Murweh Shire Council.

