The railway town of Landsborough provides the south-east gateway to the
green hills of the Blackall Range that beckon invitingly above. Originally
called Mellum Creek ("mellum is Aboriginal for "volcano"), it dates from
1871 when Isaac Burgess erected a slab hut with bark roof as "port of call"
for Cobb and Co coaches stopping for refreshments and a change of horses.
The first train steamed into Mellum Creek in February 1890, bringing with
it a name change in honour of William Landsborough, a native Scot and the
first explorer to cross Australia from north (Carpentaria) to south (Melbourne).
He was the man who uncovered the ill-fated journey of explorers Burke and Wills.
Today Landsborough is a vibrant, growing town. Its museum and interesting
array of traditional "Queenslander" homes help make it worthy still as a
"port of call" en route to the hills.
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