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Stanthorpe is a rural town and locality in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia, located roughly 60km southwest of Warwick. As of 2016, Stanthorpe had a population of 5,406 people. The area surrounding the town is known as the Granite Belt.
Southern Cross are proud to have been installing windmills Stanthorpe can depend on since 1903.
With the support of Australia’s oldest windmill manufacturer, people of Stanthorpe can sleep easy, knowing they’re supported by over 100 years of expertise.
Queensland families know how important reliable water harvesting systems are in the Australian outback, and this is why people all across the nation continue to count on a Southern Cross windmill.
Our windmills are available in a range of sizes. The Southern Cross Windmill can be fitted with a windwheel between 6′ and 14′, and mounted on a tower between 20′ and 60′.
Our experts can help determine what wheel and tower sizes would best suit your windmill, based upon the landscape you wish to have it built on, and the amount of wind your property receives.
The Southern Cross “FA” Series Windmill Towers are available in the following heights:
The minimum recommended tower height for each windwheel size, is as follows:
Wind power is the oldest renewable energy source mankind has harnessed, and for thousands of years it has been used to power our boats and mill our grain.
Windmills have been a part of rural living in Australia for well over a century, and is a great renewable energy source, in addition to being an Australian icon. Windmills have been a part of rural living in Australia for well over a century, and is a great renewable energy source, along with being an Australian icon.
Windmills can be constructed anywhere there is access to water, whether it be a bore, a well, a river or dam, the windmill continues to be one of the most reliable and greenest water harvesting solutions.
Australia is a famously arid and tough country, and water has always been difficult to come by for rural Australians – so much so that 85% of Australia’s population lives within 50km of the coast.
Before the arrival of the modern windmill to rural Australia, many pastoralists and graziers were restricted by water supply, but when these windmills were introduced, they were able to develop large stations and pastoral runs well inland.
While most rural properties use their windmills to draw water from bores or wells, windmills can also pump water from rivers and creeks, or into and out of dams.
As technology consistently advances, there have been a range of challengers to the humble Windmill pump, the most recent of which being solar pumps.
While solar pumps look promising, they certainly aren’t as tried and tested in the long run as the conventional windmill, with many properties across Australia featuring windmills that have been pumping water for more than 50 years.
Windmill accidents account for less than 1% of all accidents on rural properties, so while solar pumps are often regarded as a safer option, they contain a dangerous current, and also pose risk of injury or death.
For over a century, Southern Cross has been supplying windmills that Australian families can rely on. Each of our Windmills come with a 30+ year design life.
Our windmills are hot dip galvanised, and backed by more than 100 years of successful windmill design, and Australian innovation. Since 1903, we’ve built over 250 000 of our iconic windpumps.
All Southern Cross Windmills include a 3-year warranty.
At Southern Cross we pride ourselves in the design and integrity of our Windmills. We specialise in the design, manufacture, installation and servicing of top-notch windmills, across Australia and around the world.
We design and engineer all of our windmills in house, and they are designed to be hardy enough to survive in even the harshest of Australian climates.
Genuine Southern Cross parts for all current range windmills are available, as well as other parts for A, J, R & Z Pattern Windmills”, “J” Series Windmill Pumps, Troughs, Check Valves, Pump Heads and Pump Jacks may still be available upon request.
Southern Cross Windmills has unparalleled experience in dealing with towns like Stanthorpe’s water storage needs, with the very first Southern Cross branded windmill being produced at the Toowoomba Foundry all the way back in 1903.
The Griffiths family produced their first windmills in 1876, which were based on blueprints from American inventor Daniel Halladay, and improved upon for durability and performance
Many inland towns began to spring up and prosper thanks to these first windmills allowing rural Australians to move to drier and previously uninhabitable areas, grazing sheep and cattle, and even inland crops and plantations.
Unlike another Aussie classic, the lamington, Southern Cross Windmills origins in Toowoomba are not up for debate, however, both have certainly gone on to become recognisable Australian icons.
Southern Cross still operates out of Queensland to this day, and is an Australian owned and operated company, servicing Australians all across the country, helping graziers, irrigators, families and more access reliable water harvesting infrastructure.
This Southern Cross windwheel – a massive 7.3 m – now takes up residence at the Gilgandra Museum and Historical Society, and was initially supplied by Southern Cross Windmills in 1924.
The stunning windmill is now used solely for display purposes, but it pumped water reliable for 73 years before it was donated to the Gilgandra Museum and Historical Society by the Payne family.
This timeless windmill is now closing in on 100 years old, and provides a testament to the durability and reliability of a Southern Cross windmill. At its last service, all that was required was an oil top up to keep it operating smoothly.
The cold dry climate of Stanthorpe was seen as an asset to public health in Queensland, and many tuberculosis sufferers were located there to help ease their symptoms.
This was so successful, that after the First World War, many soldiers who were suffering from mustard gas exposure were resettled in the area, and eventually went on to buy up much of the land and relocate permanently. Due to this there are many areas around Stanthorpe named after WWI battlefields.
If you’re a fan of hiking, head to Girraween National Park, and then drive around to see the waterfalls. There’s plenty of scenery to keep you going.
If you’re more a fan of food and drink, you won’t be missing out here either, head over to Stanthorpe Cheese or the Hidden Creek Windery to indulge in the finer things.
Not in Stanthorpe? For Windmills Inglewood click here.
