Staff of the Central Cafe Blackall in1929

Cafes, along with hotels, played an important role in the social life of Blackall. Opened by the Cominos family in the early 1920s, the cafe was bought by the Logothelis

(Logos) Brothers. In this 1929 photograph we see the staff of the Central Cafe.

A visit to the cafe was a social highlight with its silver table settings, printed menus and waitresses in starched green uniforms. Patrons were introduced to American style food such malted milks, ice cream sundaes and sodas at the same time as these treats were being introduced in the
larger coastal cities such as Sydney.

The Logos brothers incorporated a newsagency on one side of the cafe. The Venardos and Aloysious families continued the traditions of the Greek cafe. These Greek families moved to larger cities to give their children educational and social opportunities. At the same time fast food became popular and the role of the Central Cafe in Blackall changed. The Central Cafe closed in the 1990s.

View download a copy of the history of the Central Cafe, from a plaque created by the Blackhall City Council, here:
Blackhall Plaque Central Cafe.pdf

Blackall is a small town and rural locality in the Blackall-Tambo Region in central west Queensland, Australia. Named after Sir Samuel Blackall, the second Governor of Queensland, it lies approximately 960 kilometres (600 mi) by road from the state capital, Brisbane. The town is situated on the Barcoo River and Landsborough Highway (Matilda Highway). At the 2011 census Blackhall had a population of 1,588. It is the service centre for the Blackall-Tambo Region. The dominant industry in the area is grazing.