Barakula Sawmill

The Barakula Sawmill, located within the Barakula State Forest, was built in 1911. The construction of the 25-mile tramway from Chinchilla to the sawmill occurred the same year.

The sawmill was constructed by the Queensland Railway Department specifically to supply the millions of timber sleepers required for the Great Western Railway, and by 1912 the sawmill was fully operational. Hundreds of workers and their families moved to the district , and lived in a densely populated settlement consisting of tents and basic timber huts. The mill was so central to the local community that a State School was opened on-site to educate the children of the sawmill workers.

Due to the living conditions, and limited access to clean water, a serious typhoid outbreak occurred at the Barakula Sawmill settlement in January 1916, and was a defining period of hardship for the community. Like many isolated industrial camps of the era, the combination of unsanitary conditions and communal living made the site highly vulnerable to water-borne diseases. The school recorded high rates of illness, with teachers noting "fever" affecting children, who were particularly susceptible to the bacteria from contaminated food and water.

While records show a widespread outbreak of typhoid across Queensland in 1913, the situation at Barakula was especially severe due to its isolation. The nearest doctor was in Chinchilla, and seriously ill workers had to be transported via the timber tramway, a slow and painful journey. The struggle with disease continued intermittently until 1928, when the sawmill was mothballed due to a decline in sleeper demand.

In 1942 the sawmill was re-opened to meet the urgent timber demands of World War II.

The Barakula Sawmill and the Barakula Tramway officially closed in 1970. This was due to improvements in road transport, and the processing of timber shifting to larger sawmills in regional centres. The closure of the sawmill led to the eventual abandonment of the Barakula township. The Barakula State School closed in 1982.