BLACKALL has long been known as Jack Howe country.

Although not born in Blackall, the gun shearer of the late 19th Century chose Blackall as his town. It was his home base when he was shearing sheep, and where he went on to become a publican and leading citizen.

Even today, you can see reminders of Jack Howe’s life. See his grave at the Blackall Cemetery. In the main street of town is a bronze statue of Jack carrying a sheep - a reminder of the days when sheep were considered so valuable that they were carried to the board. The statue stands outside a building named the Universal after the pub that once stood on the same piece of ground in Shamrock Street. Jack Howe, when he retired from shearing, bought the Universal Hotel in Blackall and the “new” Universal built 13 years ago by Barry and Jenny Muir is in the image of that hotel.

Today’s Universal has a different commission to fulfil - that of a garden centre run by Barry and Jenny Muir. It is a favourite with visitors to the town for its quaint exterior and for the Jack Howe memorabilia inside. For a small admission charge, people can see historical photographs, documents and even items from the old hotel dining room.

Barry Muir’s interest in the gun shearer started years ago, probably because Jenny is a daughter of Jack Howe’s youngest son, Henry. In fact, Jenny and Barry initiated the project to have Blackall’s bronze statue made, and Jenny put $15,000 towards its creation.

Jack Howe was most famous for the incredible shearing record of 321 sheep in seven hours and 40 minutes with blade shears at Alice Downs in 1892, but he was also the only shearer ever to set a blade and machine shearing record in the same year, for a few weeks after his stint at the Alice Downs shed, he set a mach­ine shearing record of 237 sheep in eight hours at the Barcaldine Station. Just to make it more impressive, it was the first time he had used the new, hot, and hard to handle, machine shears.

Jack was influential in the form­ation of a shearers’ union which eventually developed into the Australian Workers Union. He was also instrumental in having T.J. Ryan elected to the seat of Barcoo. Ryan went on to become Premier of Queensland.

The Universal Garden Centre and Gallery offers Jack Howe souvenirs such as pewter figurines of Jack Howe carrying a sheep, exclusive Jack Howe framed prints and Jack Howe singlets. Buy a copy of the book, “Jack Howe - the Man and the Legend.”

The story behind the Jack Howe singlet is an interesting one. Jack decided he needed more freedom of movement from his flannel shirts so he asked his wife, Victoria, to sew short-sleeved shirts for him. Eventually, the shirts ended up with no sleeves at all. Jack’s shirts were never navy. That came later.

The centre also has an information area plus an expanding section on Blackall history. Another section of the centre features a small display of rocks and fossils.