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The town of Queanbeyan in New South Wales, Australia is overshadowed by its proximity to the Australian federal capital city of Canberra. Proclaimed a town in 1838, it grew from a squattage held by ex-convict inn keeper, Timothy Beard on the banks of the Molonglo River. The original name was Quinbean which means "clear waters".
Queanbeyan was officially proclaimed a township in 1838 with a population of approximately 50 persons. Some of the significant historic buildings still standing date from those early days. Traces of gold were discovered in 1851 and lead and silver mines also flourished briefly. Settlers were harassed by bushrangers, of which John Tennant, Jacky Jacky, Frank Gardiner and Ben Hall were some of the more notorious.
The "Golden Age" (now Queanbeyan Age) was Queanbeyan's first newspaper and was founded in 1860 by John Gale. Queanbeyan, prospering as a primary producing area, was proclaimed a Municipality in February 1885 containing an area of 5,700 acres (23 km²). William James Farrer, the wheat experimentalist, established
Queanbeyan's reputation as an agricultural district with his famous "Federation" rust-free strain, developed on his property "Lambrigg" at Tharwa. Farrer's work was only slowly recognised elsewhere in Australia, but local farmers supported him, particularly as his development of "Blount's Lambrigg" another strain which in 1889 gave hope to farmers after the disaster of 1887 when crops had failed after heavy Christmas rains.
At the height of its rural prosperity Queanbeyan boasted 16 public houses and six flourmills powered by wind, water, horse and steam.
By 1972 Queanbeyan had little difficulty in meeting the first basic requirement of city status; the population had risen to more than 15,000 and a future population of at least that number was assured. City status was accordingly granted on 7 July 1972.
With a population of just over 35,000, it has effectively become a de facto district of the nearby capital city about 10 km over the border in the Australian Capital Territory. The border itself is defined by a railway line.
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