Roma, Queensland

Roma is a town in the Maranoa district of South West Queensland, Australia, 515 km by rail WNW of Brisbane. It is situated at the junction of the Warrego and Carnarvon highways. It is the centre of a rich pastoral and wheat-growing district, The town was incorporated in 1867 and is named after Lady Diamantina Bowen (née Roma), the wife of Sir George Ferguson Bowen, the Governor of Queensland at the time. Beef, grain and wool are its chief industries. It is in the Maranoa electoral district. It also serves as a centre for the larger Maranoa Region. At the 2011 census, Roma had a population of 6,906.

Bore water for the town is obtained from the Artesian Basin.

In 2010, a SANTOS project study investigated the possibility of introducing treated CSG waste water into Roma’s existing underground aquifer which supplies the town’s water needs, including drinking water

The groundbreaking study, known as the Roma Managed Aquifer Recharge Study, is the first of its kind in Australia. It is also considered experimental in nature as the risks are largely unknown. The Roma CSG Field pilot trial (Hermitage) Stage 4 is in operation (Completed Q4 2012) and Roma CSG Field (The Bend) Stage 4 operation is due to commence Q3/Q4 2014. The project will allow for the injection of up to 24 ML/d of treated coal seam gas water into the Gubberamunda Sandstone aquifer for up to 20 years

Many homes have a tank for rainwater delivered by a third tap at the kitchen sink as the town water has a strong taste.

Water bores have been shut down at nearby Wallumbilla due to methane being detected in the Gubberamunda Sandstone aquifer (2014).

Hotels, pubs, and churches feature prominently near the centre of town. The ten hotels are within easy walking distance with most adjacent to another hotel. St Paul's Anglican Church is a copy of a 13th Century English Church in the shape of crucifix.

History
Roma was named after Lady Diamantina Bowen (Contessa Diamantina di Roma), wife of the first Governor of Queensland, George Bowen in 1867. In 1863 Samuel Symons Bassett brought Queensland's vine cuttings to Roma and established the Romaville Winery and a century later, Roma was the site of Australia's first oil and gas discoveries.

Captain Starlight, a cattle rustler, was tried and acquitted in the Roma Courthouse in February 1873. No successful conviction for cattle rustling has been made in Roma.

Heritage listings
Roma has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
 * 75 Arthur Street: State Butchers Shop
 * 42 Bungil Street: Roma Government Complex
 * 38–44 Hawthorne Street: Hibernian Hall, Roma
 * McDowall Street: Roma Court House and Police Buildings
 * 86 McDowell Street: Hunter's Emporium
 * 77 Northern Road: Romavilla Winery
 * Warrego Highway: Mount Abundance Homestead
 * Wyndham Street: War Memorial and Heroes Avenue

Climate
Roma has a humid subtropical climate, which gets enough precipitation to avoid the semi-arid climate. Its location on the far south of the Carnarvon Range at an elevation of 299 meters above sea level means that it is cooler and wetter than the plains to the south and west, while being warmer and drier than areas to the north and east. Temperatures in Roma range from 34 °C in summer to 20 °C in winter and winter minimums can drop below freezing; however, it seldom gets colder than −3 °C. Rainfall is mild and distributed fairly evenly throughout the year, with an annual average of 587.9 mm (23.15 in), however it peaks in summer due to frequent showers and thunderstorms. Roma is usually too far inland to experience the influence of tropical cyclones and associated rain depressions, however there are exceptions, and these systems have caused significant flooding in the town. Extremes have ranged from 45.8 °C (114.4 °F) to −5.8 °C (21.5 °F).

Flooding
The town is situated on Bungil Creek, a tributary of the Condamine River. In March 2010, Roma experienced its worst floods in over 100 years. Flooding also occurred in April 2011, a year of record rainfall in Roma. In early February 2012, Roma was devastated by its worst floods in history, eclipsing the level reached in 2010; 444 homes were inundated, twice as many that were flooded in the two previous years.

Having experienced three successive years of flooding, in May 2012, one insurer, Suncorp, announced it would not issue new policies to Roma residents, unless action was taken to mitigate the flood risk in Roma.

Agriculture
The Maranoa's agriculture industry is worth approximately $620 million annually, 64.3% being generated from crops. 58.7% of businesses in the Maranoa are in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector, which employs 32.7% of the region's workforce. 2005 was a record year for Roma saleyards processing 390,000 head of cattle. Roma is home to Australia's largest cattle saleyards. Forestry plantations include Hardwood and Cypress Pines. Roma and the Maranoa region is home to Australia's most active native Cypress Pine sawmilling.

Oil and Gas
In 1906 natural gas was used for lighting in Roma. The industry has expanded as more reserves were discovered.

Origin Energy's Spring Gully Coal Seam Gas Development is about 80 km north of Roma and its projects include an 87 km gas pipeline to Roma's neighbour town of Wallumbilla to connect with the 434 km Roma-to-Brisbane gas pipeline hub there, (see portfolio map of Queensland projects). Origin Energy is proposing Spring Gully Power Station as an $870 Million, 1,000 MW power station that will provide electricity to South-East Queensland. With a base at the Spring Gully CSG site, the power station will have the benefit of being close to the source of gas and able to use the waste-water left over from the other CSG operations.

Santos GLNG, is developing CSG fields in the district and is undertaking the project on behalf of a joint venture arrangement with Santos Limited, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), Total, and Korean Gas Corporation (KOGAS). The projects are spatially intensive and include production and monitoring wells, underground gas storage, injection wells, fixed above-ground gas field facilities, water management infrastructure, and above and below-ground gas and water pipelines.

The size and scale of the "massive industrialization of the landscape" by CSG companies, largely hidden from public view, has alarmed farmers from NSW who are contemplating hosting similar gas field developments.

Employment
Roma has a relatively low unemployment rate of 2.9% in 2004. However, only 68.5% of the people living in Roma are employed full-time, with 21.9% working on a part-time basis only. The town has quite a large service industry. With a number of restaurants and bars opening up in recent years. It is estimated that the population of the town has doubled since the last census due to all the mining work and support industries. The area is also becoming a large manufacturing hub for the mining industry with a large number of businesses opening up in the area.

Media
4ZR Roma is the local radio station. 4ZR 1476am has 3 Transmitters covering Roma, St George and Mitchell. The Western Star is the local paper.

Tourist attractions
Local tourist attractions include the Big Rig and Oil and Gas Museum, Romavilla Winery and Roma Saleyards. The winery is the oldest in Queensland. To the north of the town is Carnarvon Gorge in Carnarvon National Park. Over the Easter period, Roma holds an Easter in the Country event. The Roma Show is also held around Easter.

Public facilities
Roma has a range of facilities open to the general public. These include a public library, swimming pool, golf course, bowling green, Bassett Park showground, visitor information centre and a number of sporting clubs and civic facilities.

Education
There are two schools in Roma, one is a state government school called Roma State College, the other one is non-government religious school called St. John's School.

Roma State College
Roma State College is located in Roma, the major provisional centre for the Maranoa District, South West Queensland for government and industry business. It is on the western fringe of the Surat Basin energy / resources "boom". Roma State College is a co-educational Prep to Year 12 College operating from three separate campuses: Junior Campus; Middle Campus and the Senior Campus. A Special Education Program embracing the full range of disabilities operates across all campuses.

St. John's School
St John's School, a Year P to 12 co-educational Catholic School, was established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1881.

Sport
'Cities' is a rugby team that has been in Roma. Darren Lockyer was captain of this team, and it was in this team that he was then scouted for the Brisbane Broncos. The 'Roma Tomatoes' mixed-gender Touch Rugby team was founded in 2009.

Notable people

 * Arthur Beetson, Australian rugby league captain and an "Immortal"
 * Willie Carne, Australian rugby league international
 * Albert Fuller Ellis, phosphate prospector
 * Malcolm Farr, Political journalist and commentator
 * Wally Fullerton-Smith, Australian rugby league international
 * Ray Higgs, Australian rugby league international
 * Patrick Holland, novelist
 * Darren Lockyer, Australian rugby league captain
 * Fabian "Fabe" McCarthy, Australian rugby union international
 * Ray Meagher, actor, and amateur rugby player
 * Bruce Scott, politician
 * Brent Tate, Australian rugby league international