MORVEN, situated on the Warrego Highway, is home to a collection of miniature marvels and is also close to an unusual nature walk.
The town forms a point in a triangle linking it to Augathella and Charleville and is about an hour’s drive from each of these towns and from Mitchell. Even though Morven has a population of just 250 people, it services a large rural area.
Recent improvements to town facilities include garden beds and picnic tables in the main street park and an old time mural on the public toilet block, beautifying the rest area and creating a large fenced children’s playground.
Visit an area of native ooline country on the Nebine Road about 10km south of town. The Tregole National Park has picnic tables and toilets and is worth a visit for its unusual flora. Many different species of trees can be seen on the attractive walking track, but predominant among them are the eyecatching and stately ooline trees. They are even more magnificent when the native orchids which inhabit them are in flower.
Morven was originally known as Sadleir’s Waterhole after an early settler in the district called Captain T. J. Sadleir, who camped with his wife at this waterhole on Hamburg Creek. It became a convenient stopping place for early travellers.
An interesting trail to follow is the Stock Route. Ask at the information centre for more information.
Also see the Rabbit Board Gate replica, a reminder of when the rabbitproof fence was standing and you had to go through the gate on the Roma to Charleville road. The replica is situated near the railway crossing east of town.
For a taste of history, see the numerous treasures at the Morven Historical Museum. Among the memorabilia is a unique collection of miniature buildings created by local resident Bobby Johnson. All together, the replicas form a town, with a settlers homestead, bush tent camp and bough shed, cattle yards and stables, bush shanty, mail changing station, slaughter pens, sheep dip and trough and a “depression” hut replicating kerosene tins. An old building has been restored to house the collection.
Morven is serviced by a modern school, historic railway station and commercial businesses including a cafe, newsagency, gift and clothes shop, grocery store, post office and information centre, hotel/motel, garage and produce store and roadhouse. The town has a pool, golf course, race club, tennis facilities and is developing a modern caravan park. The hospital is serviced by a live-in matron.
