Boulia, Queensland

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Boulia
Queensland

Location of Boulia in Queensland (red)

Population:

288 (2001 census)

Established:

1879

Postcode:

4829

Elevation:

161.8 m (531 ft)

Location:

1721 km (1069 mi) from Brisbane
289 km (180 mi) from Mount Isa
363 km (226 mi) from Winton
812 km (505 mi) from Alice Springs, (N.T.)

LGA:

Boulia

State District:

Mount Isa

Federal Division:

Kennedy

Mean Max Temp	Mean Min Temp	Rainfall
31.7 °C ^{89 °F}	16.6 °C ^{62 °F}	264.3 mm ^{10.4 in}

Boulia is a town in Central West Queensland, Australia. It is located approximately 296 kilometres by road south of Mount Isa, and lies on the Burke River, which was named after the explorer Robert O'Hara Burke who passed through the area with the Burke and Wills expedition in 1860. The township was gazetted in 1879, and has a population of approximately 300. Boulia is the administrative centre of the Boulia Shire, population approximately 600, which covers an area of 61,176 square kilometres.

The town is the home of the famous Boulia Desert Sands Camel Races, one of the most important events on the Australian camel racing circuit. However, extensive grazing of beef cattle is the predominant industry.

The climate is very hot and dry, with on average over 200 days per year over 30 °C (86 °F). Although even in June and July the average maximum is a very warm 24 °C (75 °F), frosts are not unknown in the morning during these months. Annual rainfall is extraordinarily erratic: it has been as low as 24mm in 1905 and 51 mm in 1963. However, when the monsoon is strong rainfall can be heavy: in January 1974 Boulia received 465 mm (over 18 inches) of rain and in March 1950 over 330 mm (13 inches). Maximum annual rainfall totals are 799 mm (31.4 inches) in 1950 and 774 mm (30.5 inches) in 1974, but the median annual rainfall is only 210 mm (just over 8 inches),

The area is chiefly known for the unexplained phenomena of the Min Min light. Travellers in the area have often reported being followed for some distance by a ball of light, which eventually disappears. No scientific explanation has yet been discovered for the lights.