Aloomba, Queensland

Aloomba
Queensland
Looking south down Nielsen Street, Alloomba, 2018
Aloomba is located in Queensland
Aloomba
Aloomba
Coordinates17°06′36″S 145°49′56″E / 17.11°S 145.8322°E / -17.11; 145.8322 (Aloomba (town centre))
Population576 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density5.199/km2 (13.464/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4871
Area110.8 km2 (42.8 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Cairns Region
State electorate(s)Mulgrave
Federal division(s)Kennedy
Localities around Aloomba:
Gordonvale Green Hill Yarrabah
Wooroonooran Aloomba Yarrabah
Wooroonooran Fishery Falls Deeral

Aloomba is a rural town and a locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Aloomba had a population of 576 people.[1]

Geography

Looking east along Bennett Road, 2018

Aloomba is a long thin locality hemmed in east and west by mountain ranges. It is bounded to the north by the Mulgrave River which then passes through the west of the locality. The Bruce Highway passes through the west of the locality but not through the town which is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the highway but about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) away by road. The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the south immediately to the west of the highway but then veers to the east in order to pass through the town, after which the railway veers back towards the highway but does not rejoin it within the locality.[4]

Looking west along Hesp Road across the North Coast railway line, 2018

The mountainous western part of the locality is within the Malbon Thompson Forest Reserve. The remainder is relatively flat freehold land used predominantly for farming, particularly growing sugarcane. There is a network of cane tramways to deliver the harvested sugarcane to the Mulgrave Sugar Mill in Gordonvale.[4]

History

Aloomba Hotel, Aloomba, circa 1925
Aloomba State School, circa 1914

The town name is a corruption of the Yidinji word "Ngalumba", indicating hard milkwood tree (Alstonia muelleriana).[2]

Aloomba Provisional School opened on 15 May 1899, becoming Aloomba State School on 1 January 1909.[5][6]

On 20 April 1916, the Cane Beetles March commenced at Mooliba (now Mirriwinni). It was a snowball march to recruit men into the Australian Imperial Force during World War I at a time when enthusiasm to enlist had waned after the loss of life in the Gallipoli campaign. The march began at Mooliba with 4 men, passing through Babinda, Aloomba, Gordonvale, and Edmonton, and ending in Cairns 60 kilometres later with 29 recruits.[7][8]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Aloomba had a population of 529 people.[9]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Aloomba had a population of 576 people.[1]

Education

Aloomba State School, 2018

Aloomba State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Nielsen Street (17°06′35″S 145°49′55″E / 17.1098°S 145.8319°E / -17.1098; 145.8319 (Aloomba State School)).[10][11] In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 88 students with 7 teachers (6 full-time equivalent) and 8 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).[12] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 91 students with 7 teachers (6 full-time equivalent) and 9 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).[13]

There are no secondary schools in Aloomba. The nearest government secondary school is Gordonvale State High School in neighbouring Gordonvale to the north-west.[14]

Amenities

Aloomba Community Hall is at 13-15 Anderson Road (next to Robert Rossi Park, 17°06′30″S 145°49′56″E / 17.10846°S 145.83214°E / -17.10846; 145.83214 (Aloomba Community Hall)). It is capable of seating up to 80 people and is operated by the Cairns Regional Council.[15]

Notable people

References

  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Aloomba (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ a b "Aloomba – town in Cairns Region (entry 458)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Aloomba – locality in Cairns Region (entry 48495)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  6. ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  7. ^ Clarke, Harry (24 April 2015). "'Cane Beetles March' mobilised farmers from Babinda to Cairns to join Australian Imperial Force in WWI". The Cairns Post. Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  8. ^ "CAIRNS NEWS". Daily Standard. No. 1011. Queensland, Australia. 1 April 1916. p. 5 (SECOND EDITION). Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Aloomba (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  10. ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Aloomba State School". Aloomba State School. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Aloomba State School. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  13. ^ "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Community Halls". Cairns Regional Council. 30 May 2022. Archived from the original on 29 March 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
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