Roma, Queensland

Roma
Queensland
Roma; Queensland
	Location of Roma in Queensland (red)
Population	6,763 (2004)
Postcode(s)	4455
Elevation	299.4 m (982 ft)
Location	479 km (298 mi) from Brisbane ; 355 km (221 mi) from Toowoomba ;
LGA(s)	Roma
State electorate(s)	Warrego
Federal division(s)	Maranoa

Roma (26°33′S 148°48′E / 26.550°S 148.800°E / -26.550; 148.800) is a town in the western Darling Downs area of Queensland, Australia, 515 km (318 miles) by rail WNW of Brisbane. It is situated at the junction of the Warrego and Carnarvon highways. It is the centre of a rich pastoral and wheat-growing district, in which oranges and vines are grown and much wine is produced. ^{[citation needed]} The town was incorporated in 1867 and is named after Lady Diamantina Roma Bowen, the wife of Sir George Ferguson Bowen, the Governor of Queensland at the time. Beef, grain and wool are its chief industries. ^{[citation needed]} It has a population of 6763 ^[1] and is in the Maranoa electoral district. It also serves as a centre for the larger Roma Regional Council area.

Industry and Economy

The Maranoa's agriculture industry is worth approximately $620 million annually, 64.3% being generated from crops. 58.7% of businesses in the Maranoa are in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector, which employs 32.7% of the region's workforce ^[2].
Beef. 2005 was a record year for Roma saleyards processing 380,000 head of cattle. Roma is home to Australia's largest cattle saleyards. ^[3]
Forestry (Hardwood and Cypress Pine).
- Roma and the Maranoa region is home to Australia's most active native Cypress Pine sawmilling ^[4].
Wool

In 1906 natural gas was used for lighting in Roma. The industry has expanded as more reserves were discovered.

Origin Energy's Spring Gully Coal Seam Gas Development is located about 80km north of Roma and its projects include an 87km gas pipeline to Roma's neighbour town of Wallumbilla, Queensland to connect with the 434km Roma-to-Brisbane gas pipeline hub there [1], [2] (see portfolio map of Queensland projects).
The Proposed Spring Gully Power Station is an $870 Million, 1000MW power station that will provide electricity to South-East Queensland. ^[5] Being based at the Spring Gully CSG site, the power station will have the benefit of being close to the source of gas and will also be able to use the waste-water left over from the other CSG operations. ^[6]

Roma has a relatively low unemployment rate of 2.9% in 2004. ^[7]

The Sports Field where the footballers played was called the REC for Recreation Reserve. The surface was hard clay. Two ambulances were needed to deal with the injuries occuring in the Sunday Football Matches. The REC is no longer in use as a sport field.
Captain Starlight, cattle rustler was tried and aquitted in the Roma Courthouse. No successful conviction for cattle rustling has been made in Roma.
Bore water is obtained from the Artesian Basin. Many homes have rainwater tanks delivered by a third tap at the kitchen sink as the town water has a strong taste.
Hotels, Pubs, after Public Bar, and Churches feature promanently near the centre of town. The ten hotels are within easy walking distance with most adjacent to another hotel. St Paul's Church of England is a copy of a 13th Century English Church in the shape of crucifix.
Campbells Park and Campbells Lake were two projects initiated by a local engineer. Campbells Park featured a waterfall which operated every seven minutes. Campbells Lake was built using volunteer labour as a community project. This remained dry for several years due to the intermittant rainfall but eventually filled.
4ZR Roma is the local radio station. The Western Star is the local paper. ^[8]