Julia Creek, Queensland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Julia Creek () is a town in northern Queensland, located on the Overlander's Way, the main road between Mount Isa and Townsville. It is 632 km west of Townsville, and is located 411 m above sea level[1].
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[edit] History
The town was named after the niece of Donald McIntyre, the first white settler in the area[2]. McIntyre originally built a property about 70 km north of the present site of the town in 1862, only a year after the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition passed through the area. The small town that built up around the property began to grow around 1908 when the first railway was built in the region, connecting the town to the cities on the coast.
A one-room school was established in the school in 1911 with nine students, which was expanded in 1932 and again in 1934. A separate high school was constructed in 1963[3]. A sixteen-bed hospital was also established in 1972[4]. The town was only electrified in 1952.
[edit] Economy
The town's main industries are farming, (especially the beef and wool industries), and mining, which is mainly centered 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 onto the larger towns of Cloncurry and Mount Isa, the town was also a major transport hub for freight and passengers.
[edit] References
- ^ SMH Travel Guide - Julia Creek, retrieved March 9, 2007
- ^ Towns - Julia Creek, James Cook University, retrieved March 9, 2007
- ^ Towns - Julia Creek, James Cook University, retrieved March 9, 2007
- ^ Queensland Health Facility Profile - Julia Creek Hospital, retrieved March 9, 2007.
