The Black Stump

Located behind the Blackall State School on Thistle Street, the Black Stump is a historic monument commemorating the 1988 Australian bicentenary. This petrified wood stump marks the original Astro Station established in 1887, where surveyors conducted precise latitude and longitude observations to accurately map Queensland. The term "beyond the Black Stump" emerged, referring to areas west of Blackall considered remote. A mural by local artist Bob Wilson, depicting surveying equipment on the stump, was unveiled in 1993. Visitors can also view the original transit at Navena Homestead in Ram Park.