The Channel Country is an inland region of Australia mostly in the state of Queensland, but also in parts of southern Australia, Northern Territory and New South Wales. The name comes from the many intertwined streams that run through the region, covering 150,000 km². The country of the channel is on the geological basins Cooper and Eromanga and basin drainage basin of the Lake Eyre. Further east is theless arid district of Maranoa.
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| Channel Country Australia |
History
Indigenous Australians have inhabited the area for approximately 20,000 years, with more than 25 tribal groups living in the Channel Country area. A vast trade network had been established that ran from north to south with goods such as ocher shipped north with shells and pituri moved south. Birdsville was once an important gathering place for ceremonies and commerce.
The Innamincka station was established in 1872 by Robert Bostock and grew to cover more than 15,000 square kilometers (5,792 square miles) and by 1881 was supporting a herd of 8,000 head of cattle. It is the first station and permanent settlement established along Cooper Creek. The bid was accepted for the race named Caryapundy by JC Myers in 1872. Myers also had his bids accepted for other races such as Bollwarry, Mount Wood, Teriwinda, and Torrens Creek.
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| Channel Country Australia |
Annandale Station was established when Patrick Drinan took the initiative in July 1876. Other properties were established soon after, including Kaliduwarry and Glengyle Stations. The Pandie Pandie station was established in the same year by Robert Frew as were Alton Downs and Planet Downs. The nearby Haddon Downs station was also occupied by Frew in 1877. The Diamantina Lakes station was also established in 1876 with a partnership between John Arthur Macartney and Hugh Louis Heber-Percy, who initially took over the contract.
Birdsville was originally known as Diamantina Crossing since 1881. but in 1882, the current name was in common use and was formalized in the proclamation of the city in 1887.
Channel Country Map
