Almaden is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Almaden had a population of 41 people.[1]

Almaden
Queensland
Railway Hotel at Almaden
Almaden is located in Queensland
Almaden
Almaden
Coordinates17°20′26″S 144°40′37″E / 17.3406°S 144.6769°E / -17.3406; 144.6769 (Almaden (town centre))
Population41 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density0.0514/km2 (0.1331/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4871
Area797.6 km2 (308.0 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Mareeba
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Kennedy
Localities around Almaden:
Chillagoe Chillagoe Chillagoe
Crystalbrook Almaden Petford
Crystalbrook Barwidgi Barwidgi

Geography

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Almaden Railway Station

Almaden is on the Mareeba-to-Chillagoe railway line (part of the Tablelands railway line) which runs between Mareeba and the mining and cattle town of Mungana. Almaden railway station serves the town (17°20′18″S 144°40′41″E / 17.3384°S 144.6780°E / -17.3384; 144.6780 (Almaden railway station)).[4] The Etheridge railway line branches off at Almdaden towards Forsayth, with Ootann railway station, in the south of the locality of Almaden (17°25′59″S 144°38′19″E / 17.4331°S 144.6385°E / -17.4331; 144.6385 (Ootann railway station)).[4]

The Burke Developmental Road passes through from east to north-west. Ootann Road exits to the south. [5]

History

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The town is named after the town of Almadén in Cuidad Real Province, Spain, which is known for its mercury mine. The mineral deposits in Queensland's Almaden are tripolite (diatomite).[3]

Tate Tin Mines Provisional School opened on 17 October 1894. On 1 January 1909 it became Tate Tin Mines State School. It closed on 31 Jan 1924 but reopened on 3 February 1930. It closed permanently on 31 December 1940.[6]

Almaden Provisional School opened on 6 July 1906 on a 5-acre (2.0 ha) site.[7][8][9] On 1 January 1909 it became Almaden State School. It closed on 12 December 1997.[6][10] It was at 22 Almaden Second Street (17°20′32″S 144°40′44″E / 17.3421°S 144.6789°E / -17.3421; 144.6789 (Almaden State School (former))). It is now a tourist park.[11][12]

Ootann Provisional School opened on 23 May 1929 and closed circa 1933.[6]

Demographics

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In the 2016 census, the locality of Almaden had a population of 71 people.[13]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Almaden had a population of 41 people.[1]

Education

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There are no schools in Almaden. The nearest government primary school is Chillagoe State School in neighbouring Chillagoe to the north-west. The nearest secondary school is Dimbulah State School (to Year 10) in Dimbulah to the north-west. For secondary education to Year 12, the options are distance education and boarding schools.[14]

Attractions

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The town is an overnight stop for the Savannahlander which operates twice weekly between Cairns and Forsayth.[15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Almaden (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  2. ^ "Almaden – town in Shire of Mareeba (entry 447)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Almaden – locality in Shire of Mareeba (entry 48494)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  5. ^ Almaden, Queensland (Map). OpenStreetMap. Archived from the original on 17 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b c 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. ^ "TELEGRAMS". Morning Post (Cairns). Vol. 19, no. 330. Queensland, Australia. 19 January 1906. p. 2. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "CHILLAGOE NOTES". Morning Post (Cairns). Vol. 19, no. 347. Queensland, Australia. 8 February 1906. p. 4. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "RURAL INTERESTS". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. LXII, no. 15, 103. Queensland, Australia. 8 June 1906. p. 2. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Queensland state school - centre closures" (PDF). Queensland Government. 20 August 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Accommodation Feature – Tamarind Gardens, Almaden". Archived from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  12. ^ "22 Almaden Street, Almaden QLD 4871". Allhomes. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  13. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Almaden (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  14. ^ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Savannahlander Itinerary". Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
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  Media related to Almaden, Queensland at Wikimedia Commons