Drayton was originally known as The Springs and was a camping place near the pastoral stations established in 1842. An early settler , Thomas Alford , named his house , store and post office Drayton after his birthplace in Somerset , the name ultimately being adopted to the emergent township. Drayton was the main settlement in the area for some time until an area to the northeast was settled. That site is now Toowoomba.

The Bull’s Head Inn remains as a tangible reminder of Drayton’s history . Erected in 1847 , the historic building is listed on the National Trust Register and regularly opens to the public.

One of Drayton’s most well known residents was Arthur Hoey Davis who wrote under the name Steele Rudd, related stories of the Darling Downs settlers and farmers. He is most famous for his novel, On Our Selection and the characters Dad and Dave. A monument in his honour still stands in Drayton. We have taken advantage of this history by naming the new streets at Southern Skies after characters and places in Steele Rudd’s books.