The Great Wall of Jimbour: Heritage and the Cultural Landscape

Abstract

On the Darling Downs in Queensland stands one of the most majestic and charming homestead residences from the nineteenth century called Jimbour House. Best known for its homestead complex, comprising heritage listed buildings and ancillary structures, the property at Jimbour has a lesser known but equally significant relic: an expansive dry-stone wall. Built during the 1870s, this wall was recently listed separately on the Queensland Heritage Register and it stands as lasting testimony of the skills and tenacity of our European forebears. It is a rare and significant reminder of nineteenth-century land management techniques, a technology that has few examples in Queensland. This article looks at the story behind this truly fascinating landmark, revealing its importance as a reminder of our past and as a symbol of the rise of the modern-day heritage industry.