Chinchilla/Boonarga

Barangun people, name der. from local word for Cypress Pine, Jinchilla

This is easily one of the best ‘hall-stories’ on the tour – the only hall in the world known to be dedicated to a moth. Still the best example of bio-control ever, a South American moth rid the Aussie outback of evil cacti from the genus Opuntia before continuing all over the world to a number of exotic and chic sounding destinations where its services were required. If you’re multi-tasking, a quick skim of the history of the Moth alongside Chinchilla’s recreational activities yield the following fantastic word combos: sheep-bagging, melon capital, new world monkeys and pip-spitting – all just delightful dressing on a comfortable town that is busy but relaxed. The main street stars great bakeries, a well-patronized corner pub built in the old fashioned manner, the centre-point to sprawling farms growing wool, beef and pork. It’s also very close to Barakula State Forest, the largest State Forest in the Southern Hemisphere, which is home to over 60 varieties of Wattle in the Barakula Forest including the rare Hando’s Wattle (Acacia handonis, named for local amateur botanist Val Hando).

Population: 1,887