| Betoota Queensland |
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Betoota
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| Population: | 1 |
| Established: | 1887 |
| Location: |
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| LGA: | Diamantina Shire Council |
| State District: | Mount Isa |
| Federal Division: | Maranoa |
Betoota is a small town in Diamantina Shire, in the Channel Country of far south west Queensland, Australia which has a seasonal population; the last permanent resident, Sigmund Remienko, died in 2004. Betoota is situated on a gibber plain, 170 kilometres east of Birdsville and 227 kilometres west of Windorah.
The town has been designated as Australia's smallest town.[1] The only facilities in Betoota are a racetrack and a dry weather airstrip.[2] Visitors are drawn to the town during the annual Simpson Desert Carnival which is held in September.[2][3]
The town was surveyed in 1887.[2] Only three streets were ever named.[4] The Betoota Hotel was built in the late 1880s and is now the last remaining building in town.[2] The building is constructed of sandstone and has timber floors. The hotel operated until 1997 when its owner Sigmund (Simon) Remienko retired at 82 years of age. Originally from Poland, Sigmund worked as a grader driver until he bought the Betoota Hotel in 1957.[1] Owning the hotel for 47 years, Simon was Betoota's sole resident until ill health forced him to move. In October 1997, the hotel closed.[4]
In 1885, the Queensland Government opened a customs post to collect a toll for stock travelling the stock route.[2] Betoota was once a Cobb & Co change station.[1][2]
In 1895, a police presence was established in the town as construction of a rabbit-proof fence in the region was attracting many "undesirable characters" to the town.[4] A police station with a court was built in 1915 but was closed in 1930 because an inspection in 1928 found no-one had been taken into custody or placed before the court in more than five years.