History of Ilfracombe

Ilfracombe was originally called Wellshot after the famous station headquarters 60 kilometers south of the town, but this was changed in 1890 to what we now know as Ilfracombe. Wellshot station is entered in the Guinness Book of records for having the largest number of sheep on a single station (460,000 in 1892).

The town came into prominence as a shipping point for the railway and was "the end of the line" until 1892. The line was opened to traffic on the 14th of September 1891, putting an end to the era of the great wagon haul to and from the coast.

Ilfracombe lays claim to the first motorised mail service in Australia which operated between the towns of Ilfracombe and Isisford in 1910.

For further information about Ilfracombe history, "A Rush for Grass" was written by Peter Forest, which is the history of Ilfracombe being one of Australia's great wool growing districts. This  publication also records the realities of the settlement of the inland and gives valuable new insights into how the wool industry has developed in this country.

To order a copy of "A Rush for Grass" please email: admin@ilfracombe.qld.gov.au  or contact the office on (07) 4658 2233.