Ravenshoe, Queensland

Ravenshoe
Queensland

Ravenshoe Town Hall
Ravenshoe
Coordinates 17°36′33″S 145°29′01″E / 17.60917°S 145.48361°E / -17.60917; 145.48361Coordinates: 17°36′33″S 145°29′01″E / 17.60917°S 145.48361°E / -17.60917; 145.48361
Population 860 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 4888
Elevation 930 m (3,051 ft)
Location
LGA(s) Tablelands Region
State electorate(s) Dalrymple
Federal Division(s) Kennedy
Localities around Ravenshoe:
Tumoulin Tumoulin, Evelyn Beatrice
Millstream Ravenshoe Maalan
Millstream Koombooloomba Koombooloomba

Ravenshoe (/ˈreɪvənz.hoʊ/ RAY-vənz-hoh)[2] is a town and locality on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is located 123 kilometres (76 mi) south west of the regional centre, Cairns. At the 2011 census, the town of Ravenshoe had a population of 860.[3] This figure refers to the immediate township area only. The locality has a population of 1,442.[3]

At 930 metres (3,050 ft) above sea level, Ravenshoe is the highest town in Queensland, with Queensland's highest pub "The Ravenshoe Hotel" and highest railway station. It also has the Millstream Falls, the widest waterfall in Australia. Traditionally the main industry in Ravenshoe was timber, but since 1987, when the government made 900,000 hectares (2,200,000 acres) of surrounding rainforest world heritage listed, the main industries have been tourism, beef and dairy farming.[4][5]

History

Lumber yard at a Ravenshoe sawmill, 1934

The traditional owners of the land in the Ravenshoe district are the Jirrbal people who speak a dialect of the Dyirbal language.[6] The site of the present day Ravenshoe was first settled by pastoralists prior to 1881 but when stands of red cedar (Toona ciliata) trees were found at nearby Cedar Creek, the mining entrepreneur, John Moffat purchased the pastoral properties in 1897. A village called Cedar Creek was established. By 1910, the nearby mining town of Herberton has been connected by railway to Cairns and Cedar Creek had been renamed Ravenshoe. The name is supposed to have been chosen because a copy of Henry Kingsley's novel Ravenshoe was found discarded nearby.[4]

By 1912, Ravenshoe had a store, a school, the Club Hotel and a population of 1,000 people. The timber industry was by now supplying Queensland maple (Flindersia brayleyana), oak (Argyrodendron peralatum) and black walnut (Endiandra globosa) but it was not until 11 December 1916 that Ravenshoe was finally connected with Cairns by railway.[4][7]

Roads connected Ravenshoe with Atherton and Innisfail by 1936 and by 1949 there were three sawmills, two hotels, two cinemas, a guest house and two churches.[4]

2015 cafe explosion

Ravenshoe became national news after a vehicle ran into a gas cylinder at the Grigg Street 'Serves You Right Cafe' on 9 June 2015. In the resulting explosion and fire 20 people were hospitalised, 8 critically injured. Two people, the manager of the cafe and an 82-year-old Silver Valley resident, later died from their burns.[8] As of 16 June 2015 there were still 7 people listed as critical with burn injuries. Five of them were females aged 43, 51, 59 and 75, and three males aged 56, 59 and 69. All were being treated in Brisbane, while the driver of the vehicle that caused the explosion, with a broken spine and burns, was also listed as critical and being treated in Cairns.[9]

Attractions

Natural attractions

Ravenshoe is located close to waterfalls, crater lakes, swamps, water holes, rainforests and historical landmarks. There is also a diverse variety of plants and animals, including 12 species of possum, 8 species of kangaroo and abundant bird life.[6] In 2005, Malaan National Park was declared over forests which were previously known as Dirran State Forest.[10]

Bushwalking

Misty Mountain Wilderness trails are a network of extensive walking tracks that traverse Tully Gorge National Park and Wooroonooran National Park. There are bushwalks to the Millstream Falls as well as Little Millstream Falls.[11]

Steam railway

From time to time, a steam train runs between Ravenshoe and the nearby town of Tumoulin, carrying locals and tourists to and from the local markets.[12]

Other attractions

Windy Hill Wind Farm near Ravenshoe

Ravenshoe has a number of galleries and creative industries, reflecting the nature of the locals. The Windy Hill Wind Farm owned by Queensland Government's Transfield Services Infrastructure Fund (together with the Koombooloomba hydroelectric dam) generates enough electricity to power several towns.

Local industries

Ravenshoe has a butcher, bakery, two supermarkets, an IGA and Foodworks, two cafes, several craft shops, a Vinnies op shop, a post office, a medical centre, a chemist, a video store, a Home hardware store, two pubs, two tyre shops , 3 fuel outlets, two caravan parks, two schools - Ravenshoe State School (with primary school and high school campuses)[13] and St Teresa's Primary School[14] and a community kindergarten.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Ravenshoe (Urban Centre)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  2. ↑ Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-876429-14-3
  3. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Ravenshoe (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Ravenshoe". Centre for the Government of Queensland. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Ravenshoe, Innot Hot Springs and Mt Garnet". Tropical Tablelands Tourism. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Ravenshoe Visitors Centre". Ravenshoe Visitors Centre. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  7. ↑ Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, May 1988, pp108-117
  8. ↑ "Ravenshoe cafe explosion: Second person dies in Brisbane hospital from blast injuries". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  9. ↑ Purtell, Meg; and, staff (13 June 2015). "Ravenshoe cafe explosion: Eighth person in critical condition in Brisbane hospital". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  10. ↑ "Malaan National Park Management Statement 2013" (PDF). Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  11. ↑ Dungey, Kym; Whytlaw, Jane (2007). Tropical walking tracks of North Queensland. Kuranda, Qld.: Footloose Publications. pp. 84–146. ISBN 9781876617141.
  12. ↑ "Ravenshoe Railway Company". Ravenshoe Railway Company Ltd. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  13. ↑ "Ravenshoe State School". The State of Queensland (Department of Education and Training). Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  14. ↑ "St Teresa's Primary School". St Teresa's Primary School. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "C&K Ravenshoe Community Kindergarten". C&K. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
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