Muttaburra, Queensland
Encyclopedia
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...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The town is located on the banks of the Thomson River
Thomson River (Queensland)
The Thomson River is situated in western Queensland, Australia, and forms part of the Lake Eyre Basin. The river was named by the explorer, Edmund Kennedy, in the 1840s....
, approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of the town of Longreach and 84 kilometres (52.2 mi) north of Aramac
Aramac, Queensland
Aramac is a small town in Western Queensland, Australia, lying north of Barcaldine, and by road from the state capital, Brisbane. It is situated on Aramac Creek, which flows into the Thomson River west of town. At the 2006 census, Aramac had a population of 341.The predominant industry is grazing...
. Muttaburra is located within the Barcaldine Region. 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,...
, Muttaburra and the surrounding area had a population of 106.
Muttaburra also has claims to fame, it was the discovery site of the Muttaburrasaurus
Muttaburrasaurus
Muttaburrasaurus is a genus of herbivorous ornithopod dinosaur, living in what is now northeastern Australia between 100 and 98 million years ago during the early Cretaceous Period. It has been recovered in some analyses as a member of the iguanodontian family Rhabdodontidae...
, one of Australia's largest dinosaurs in 1963. The creature is believed to have been 12 metres (39.4 ft) long, 2 metres (6.6 ft) high from the hip and weighing 15 tonnes (16.5 ST). There is a full size replica in the town. The main industry of the area is grazing.
The Great Dividing Range
Great Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
is the main feature to the east of the Aramac Shire. The region is a sub-basin of the Great Artesian Basin
Great Artesian Basin
The Great Artesian Basin provides the only reliable source of freshwater through much of inland Australia. The basin is the largest and deepest artesian basin in the world, stretching over a total of , with temperatures measured ranging from 30°C to 100°C...
. The Great Artesian Basin supplies water from bores to the towns of Muttaburra and Aramac
Aramac, Queensland
Aramac is a small town in Western Queensland, Australia, lying north of Barcaldine, and by road from the state capital, Brisbane. It is situated on Aramac Creek, which flows into the Thomson River west of town. At the 2006 census, Aramac had a population of 341.The predominant industry is grazing...
. The area is well known for its good quality land that is used for sheep and cattle grazing.
History
Muttaburra developed as a town in the 1870s. The name derived from an Aboriginal word meaning "meeting of the waters" and was once part of a vast inland sea. The town was officially declared in 1878. The first post office was built in 1887 and then replaced with a modern building in 1926.Muttaburra was also the scene of one of the most daring acts of cattle duffing ever performed in Australia. Henry Radford stole cattle from Bowen Downs station and drove them 1300 km through the mostly unexplored Central Australia
Central Australia
Central Australia/Alice Springs Region is one of the five regions in the Northern Territory. The term Central Australia is used to describe an area centred on Alice Springs in Australia. It is sometimes referred to as Centralia; likewise the people of the area are sometimes called Centralians...
region to the Blanche Water station in northern South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. He sold the livestock for £5000, was later charged with theft and despite overwhelming evidence a jury found him not guilty.
Sport
Muttaburra has a range of sporting activities and facilities including fishing, rodeo, golf course, a olympic size swimming pool, shooting range, tennis courts and race course.Transport
Due to the small size of the town there is almost no public transport, however Longreach does run a bus service to the town one to two times a month. The town also has a small airport, Muttaburra AirportMuttaburra Airport
Muttaburra Airport is a small airstrip in the remote town of Muttaburra in the state of Queensland, Australia. The airport is located about from the town and is near the golf course....
.
Health
The Muttaburra Hospital closed due the small population however there is a Primary Health Care Centre for minor treatments and care. Muttaburra relies on the hospitals in Longreach or Aramac plus the Royal Flying Doctor serviceRoyal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is an emergency and primary health care service for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia...
.
Education
Muttaburra State School is one of the oldest schools in the district. The school was opened in 1884 and currently operates as a one-teacher school. Principals tend to stay for about one to two years and then relocate. The staff demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and provide a high quality learning environment. There is strong support from the parents involved in the P&C and sub-community groups such as the SES and Rural Fire Brigade.Climate
Muttaburra has a subtropical climate with very hot summers. Temperatures over 37 °C (98.6 °F) and heat waves are common, however in winter the temperature can go as low as 8 °C (46.4 °F), if not lower. Frosts occur rarely. Most of the rainfall occurs in the summer months with falls around the 400 to 550 mm (15.7 to 21.7 in), Flooding can occur most years and in the "big wets" large areas of the major watercourses are inundated. Droughts is not uncommon. The wettest month ever recorded was September 2010 when 162 mm fell.Attractions
Bush-walking, water-skiing and fishing are some of the main recreational activities in the area. The headwaters of the Thomson RiverThomson River (Queensland)
The Thomson River is situated in western Queensland, Australia, and forms part of the Lake Eyre Basin. The river was named by the explorer, Edmund Kennedy, in the 1840s....
and the camping area at Broadwater and the Muttaburra Pump Hole, is where species such as Yellowbelly and Black Bream can be caught.
Other attractions are found in Muttaburra itself, including the Memorial Medical Museum displaying medical history from the early 1900s and the Cassimatis Store. The Cassimatis Store opened in 1914 but was closed around 1974, until it was reopened in 2001 after a full renovation. Fire destroyed the general store in the morning of January 6, 2009.
The Muttaburra rest area provides the first two nights' stay free plus meals and accommodation are also available at the Exchange Hotel on the main street and the Caravan Park has powered sites, barbecues and a washing machine. Hot food, groceries and fuel were available at the local store until the fire destroyed the store.
On the first Saturday of June each year the Landsborough Flock Ewe Show is held. The show has sheep and wool judging, cattle displays, trade displays, ladies pavilion, shopping, activities for kids, cattle drive plus dinner and entertainment.