Baralaba is a rural town and

locality Locality may refer to: * Locality (association), an association of community regeneration organizations in England * Locality (linguistics) * Locality (settlement) * Suburbs and localities (Australia), in which a locality is a geographic subdivis ...

in the

Shire of Banana The Shire of Banana is a local government area located in the Capricorn region of Queensland, Australia, inland from the regional city of Gladstone. The shire was named after the first township in the region (Banana), which in turn was named ...

in central

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, Australia. In the , Baralaba had a population of 314 people.

Geography

The Dawson River forms the western boundary of the locality. The town is located in the north-west corner of the locality beside the river. The Neville Hewitt weir on the river at the town creates a wide river for irrigation and recreation. The town is located west of the

Leichhardt Highway The Leichhardt Highway is a major transport route in Queensland, Australia. It is a continuation northward from Goondiwindi of the Newell Highway, via a section of the Cunningham Highway. It runs northward from Goondiwindi for more than 600 ki ...

History

The town's name is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning "high mountain" referring to nearby Mount Ramsay. Baralaba Provisional School opened on 19 August 1918. It became a state school on 1 March 1922. In 1964, a secondary department was added. Baralaba Post Office opened by April 1924 (a

receiving office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional se ...

had been open since about 1919). Lily State School opened in 1925 and closed circa 1927. In May 1941, an Honour Board commemorating those who served in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

was unveiled at the Returned and Services League of Australia Memorial Hall in Stopford Street (). Outside of the Memorial Hall is a white cross commemorating those who served in all wars and conflicts. Two coal mines once operated in the Baralaba region. Both closed, but mining operations recommenced at one mine in 2005. The mobile library service commenced in 2004. In the , Baralaba had a population of 290 people. In the , Baralaba had a population of 479 people. In the , Baralaba had a population of 314 people.

Heritage listings

Baralaba has a number of

heritage-listed This list is of heritage registers, inventories of cultural properties, natural and man-made, tangible and intangible, movable and immovable, that are deemed to be of sufficient heritage value to be separately identified and recorded. In many i ...

sites, including: * Morgan Street and The Esplanade:

Dawson Valley Colliery Dawson Valley Colliery is a heritage-listed former coal mine at Morgan Street and The Esplanade, Baralaba, Shire of Banana, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1921 onwards. It is also known as Baralaba Coal Mine. It was added to the Qu ...

Economy

The local economy revolves around beef production and more recently coal mining.

Education

Baralaba P-10 State School is a government primary and secondary (Prep-10) school for boys and girls at 1 Power Street (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 90 students with 12 teachers (9 full-time equivalent) and 15 non-teaching staff (9 full-time equivalent). The nearest secondary schools offering Years 11 and 12 are located in Moura and

Biloela Biloela ( ) is a rural town and locality in Shire of Banana, Central Queensland, Australia. It is situated inland from the port city of Gladstone at the junction of the Burnett and Dawson highways. Biloela is the administrative centre of Ban ...

Amenities

Baralaba Golf Club has a 9-hole golf course and is located on Alberta Road.

Banana Shire Council The Shire of Banana is a local government area located in the Capricorn region of Queensland, Australia, inland from the regional city of Gladstone. The shire was named after the first township in the region (Banana), which in turn was named ...

operate a fortnightly mobile library service to Baralaba. Baralaba Uniting Church is at 43 Power Street (); the Anglican and Catholic churches are also in Power Street.

Events

Every March, there is a

campdrafting Campdrafting is a unique Australian sport involving a horse and rider working cattle. The riding style is Australian stock, somewhat akin to American Western riding and the event is similar to the American stock horse events such as cutting, ...

competition at Baralaba. The annual Baralaba agricultural show is held in May, while the Saratoga Fishing Competition is held each September.

References

External links

University of Queensland: Queensland Places: BaralabaBanana Shire CouncilTown map of Baralba, 1980
{{authority control Towns in Queensland Mining towns in Queensland Shire of Banana World War II memorials in Queensland Localities in Queensland