History
The explorer Alan Cunningham discovered the Macintyre River during an expedition in 1827. He named it after Captain Peter MacIntyre of the Hunter River. The MacIntyre family had provided Cunningham with horses and drays for the expedition, and Captain MacIntyre had also guided Cunningham across the Liverpool Range.
Years before Goondiwindi existed, three grazing properties joined at a spot near where the town now stands. They were Callandoon, Umbercollie and Old Goondiwindi, all settled between 1838 and 1846. The original property of Old Goondiwindi was owned by the Marshall Brothers, a partnership of Sampson, Purvis & Harry. Food and mail for these remote unfenced runs came by bullock team from Maitland in New South Wales. Rather than return without a load, the teamsters would work through to fill in time until enough wool had been shorn to provide backloading to Maitland.
The owners of the three properties allowed the teamsters to camp on the river where the runs met. Gradually the tents and makeshift huts gave way to small cottages until 1862, when several people had permanently settled at the camping site. By the 1870's the tiny settlement had acquired a store, court house, blacksmith shop, Chinese market garden, boarding house and even a private school.
The name Goondiwindi comes from the Aboriginal word 'Goonawinna' which means "resting place of the birds". It would appear that this name was first given by the Aboriginals to a spot near the present site of the Goondiwindi Hospital. Before the Macintyre River was weired, the river was little more than a chain of waterholes connected only in good seasons. These waterholes were favourite resting places of hundreds of wild birds, hence the name.
On 12th April 1856 a petition was forwarded to the Minister for Lands and Public Works by the inhabitants of the Macintyre and surrounding country, begging that the Minister would survey the area for building purposes. As a result of this petition a public auction was held on 7th August 1860. Four country blocks and 56 residential blocks were offered for sale.
The Council at that time was known as the Council of the Bourough of Goondiwindi. It consisted of a Mayor and six Alderman, with the first election being held on 17th November 1888. It is interesting to note that the boundaries of this local authority area were not ever altered until amalgamation with Waggamba and Inglewood Shire Councils on 15th March 2008.
For many years after the town was formed, there was no bridge over the river. All traffic coming from New South Wales (unless it crossed near Boggabilla) was pulled over by Mr Brennan in a punt, a rope being stretched across the river. The first old wooden bridge built at Goondiwindi was a blessing, as it was constructed prior to the 1899 flood which it withstood. It appears that this bridge was built between 1875 and 1878. It was replaced by the present structure in 1914.
Some other interesting dates:
First birth recorded: 1863
First death recorded:1863
Bank Of New South Wales opened (first bank in Goondiwindi): 1877
Railway line:1908
Reticulated town water: 1925
Electricity: 1925
Civic building opened: 1937
Paul Hilton Weir: 1941
Sewerage: 1941
Levee bank construction: 1957
Olympic swimming pool: 1963
Implementation of master drainage scheme: 1967
Town Plan: 1970
First Local Authority to carry out TV survey of sewerage system: 1970
Sewerage rehabilitation scheme as a result of the above survey: 1971
New water tower and reticulation to western portion of town: 1973
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