Womalilla, Queensland

Town in Queensland, Australia
26°29′59″S 147°49′02″E / 26.4997°S 147.8172°E / -26.4997; 147.8172 (Womalilla (town centre))Population72 (2021 census)[1] • Density0.0591/km2 (0.1530/sq mi)Postcode(s)4465Area1,219.0 km2 (470.7 sq mi)Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)LGA(s)Maranoa RegionState electorate(s)WarregoFederal division(s)Maranoa
Localities around Womalilla:
Tyrconnel Tyrconnel Forestvale
Mungallala Womalilla Mitchell
Mungallala South V Gate Eurella

Womalilla is a rural town and locality in the Maranoa Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Womalilla had a population of 72 people.[1]

Geography

Womalilla Creek rise through the locality in the north-west and flows south-east to become a tributary of the Maranoa River.[4]

The Warrego Highway runs through from east to west.[5]

The Western railway line runs from east to west, south of the highway.

Ooline railway station was in the north-west north of the locality and is the highest point on the Western Railway Line west of Kingsthorpe (26°28′58″S 147°38′13″E / 26.48278°S 147.63694°E / -26.48278; 147.63694 (Ooline railway station (former))).

It was named by the Queensland Railways Department on 11 May 1916 and is an Aboriginal word describing a particular species of tree.[6]

History

The town's name is derived from a pastoral run name used from 1862, reportedly an Aboriginal word group for trees by a creek (from womal meaning tree/timber and illa meaning creek).[2]

Womalilla Creek No 1 Provisional School and Womalilla Creek No 2 Provisional School were to be opened together in 1913 to operate as a pair of part-time schools (meaning they would share one teacher between the two schools. However, the No 2 school opened on 24 August 1913 but it was not until 3 July 1914 that the No 1 school opened. Both schools closed in 1929 due to low student numbers.[7]

On 17 April 1935, the new Womalilla Provisional School opened and operated on a full-time basis. In 1937, it became Womalilla State School. The school closed in 1954.[7][8]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Womalilla had a population of 39 people.[9]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Womalilla had a population of 72 people.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Womalilla (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ a b "Womalilla – town in Maranoa Region (entry 37849)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Womalilla – locality in Maranoa Region (entry 47469)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  5. ^ Google (1 October 2021). "Womalilla, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Ooline – locality unbounded in Maranoa Regional (entry 39305)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  7. ^ a b Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  8. ^ "Agency ID 9280, Womalilla State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  9. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Womalilla (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Edit this at Wikidata

External links

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Towns and localities in the Maranoa Region, South West Queensland