Allan, Queensland


Allan is a rural locality in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the, Allan had a population of 87 people.

Geography

The Cunningham Highway passes through the locality. So does Sandy Creek, a major watercourse which is a tributary of the Condamine River. A section of the eastern boundary is marked by the Condamine River.

History

The locality is named after botanist and explorer Allan Cunningham. The district was formerly known as Sandy Creek after the local creek.
A number of hotels were built at Sandy Creek in 1866. Adam Smith built the Darling Downs Hotel in 1875. It operated as a coach stop for changing horses from 1880 until the Allan railway station opened in 1904. In the 1920s, the old Darling Downs Hotel was replaced with the current building.
The Allan State School opened on 13 May 1872 as the Sandy Creek Provisional School. The school and residence were built by W. Wallace and H. Marshall for £304/10/0. In 1929 it became Allan State School. It closed in December 1967.

Heritage listings

The Southern Downs Local Heritage Register lists the following sites in Allan:
The land is used for agricultural purposes, both crops and grazing. The Condamine River forms the north-eastern boundary of the locality, while Sandy Creek flows from the locality.
The Cunningham Highway passes through the locality from the south-east towards the west. The South Western railway line runs roughly parallel to the south of the highway. Major arterial roads in the locality are Sandy Creek Road which runs from the highway north-west towards neighbouring Leslie. The Leslie Dam Road runs south from the highway towards the Leslie Dam.