Petford
Petford is a rural locality in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2016 census Petford had a population of 32 people.[1]
Petford Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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Petford | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 17.3666°S 144.9125°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 32 (2016 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 0.0457/km2 (0.1185/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4871 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 699.7 km2 (270.2 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | Shire of Mareeba | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | |||||||||||||||
Federal Division(s) | Kennedy | ||||||||||||||
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History
The locality takes its name from the railway station which was named after John Joseph Petford, an official of Queensland Railways Department for many years.[2] The railway station was on the Chillagoe Railway & Mining Co. line from Mareeba to Mount Garnet which opened its first section from Mareeba to Lappa, just south-west of Petford, in 1900. The station no longer operates, but the line still exists, with the Savannahlander tourist train passing through Petford on its way between Cairns and Forsayth.[3]
Lappa Lappa Provisional School opened in 1900 and closed circa 1901.[4]
Koorboora Provisional School opened on 1903. On 1 January 1909 it became Koorboora State School. It closed circa 1926.[4]
Bamford Provisional School opened on 23 January 1905. The school closed in 1907 but reopened in 1908. On 1 January 1909 it became Bamford State School. It closed on 2 August 1935.[4]
Emuford Provisional State School opened circa 1910 and closed circa 1921.[4]
Petford State School opened on 5 August 1935 and closed in 1962. It reopend on 27 January 1976 and closed finally on 15 December 1995.[4]
In the 2016 census Petford had a population of 32 people.[1]
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Petford (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- "Petford – locality in Shire of Mareeba (entry 48840)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- The Savannahlander - Forsayth to Cairns Thomas, A. Australian Railway History, July 2004 pp255-258
- Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0