Julia Creek, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Julia Creek is a town in mid northern Queensland
, located on the Overlander's Way, the main road between Mount Isa and Townsville. It is 664 kilometres (413 mi) west of Townsville, and is located 123 m above sea level. At the 2006 census
, Julia Creek had a population of 368.
A one-room school
was established in 1911 with nine students, and was expanded in 1932 and again in 1934. A separate high school was constructed in 1963. A sixteen-bed hospital was established in 1972. The town did not receive an electricity supply until 1952.
and wool
industries), and mining, which is mainly centred around the BHP Billiton
mine at nearby Cannington. The town is a major centre for cattle sales and stock trucking, with a large saleyard and associated facilities. Prior to the expansion of the railway to the larger towns of Cloncurry
and Mount Isa
, the town was also a major transport hub for freight and passengers.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, located on the Overlander's Way, the main road between Mount Isa and Townsville. It is 664 kilometres (413 mi) west of Townsville, and is located 123 m above sea level. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Julia Creek had a population of 368.
History
The town was named after the niece of Donald McIntyre, the first white settler in the area. McIntyre took up a property called Dalgonally about 70 km north of the present site of the town in 1864, only a few years after the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition passed through the area. The township began life as a temporary terminus in 1907 when the railway was extended from Richmond to service the copper mines at Cloncurry.A one-room school
One-room school
One-room schools were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland and Spain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In most rural and small town schools, all of the students met in a single room...
was established in 1911 with nine students, and was expanded in 1932 and again in 1934. A separate high school was constructed in 1963. A sixteen-bed hospital was established in 1972. The town did not receive an electricity supply until 1952.
Economy
The town's main industries are farming, (especially the beefBeef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
and wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
industries), and mining, which is mainly centred around the BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
mine at nearby Cannington. The town is a major centre for cattle sales and stock trucking, with a large saleyard and associated facilities. Prior to the expansion of the railway to the larger towns of Cloncurry
Cloncurry, Queensland
-Notable residents:*Writer Alexis Wright grew up in Cloncurry.*Association Footballer Kasey Wehrman was born in Cloncurry . He went on to play domestically and in Scandinavia. His achievements include winning a NSL Championship in 1996-1997 with the Brisbane Strikers and being capped several times...
and Mount Isa
Mount Isa, Queensland
-Culture and sport:The local theatre group, the Mount Isa Theatrical Society, or MITS, often holds plays and musicals, at least once every few months or so....
, the town was also a major transport hub for freight and passengers.