Prairie, Queensland
Prairie is a rural town and locality in the Flinders Shire, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census the locality of Prairie had a population of 143 people.[1]
Prairie Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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Prairie | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 20.8694°S 144.6022°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 143 (2016 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 0.01719/km2 (0.04452/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4821 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 8,318.3 km2 (3,211.7 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location |
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LGA(s) | Shire of Flinders | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Traeger | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Kennedy | ||||||||||||||
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Geography
The town is located in the north of the locality. The Flinders Highway enters the locality from the north-east (Torrens Creek), passes through the town and exits to the north-west (Hughenden).[4]
The Great Northern railway line runs parallel and immediately south of the highway, with the following railway stations (east to west):
- Warreah railway station, in the north-east of the locality (20.8280°S 144.8026°E)[5]
- Karoon railway station, now abandoned (20.8453°S 144.7258°E)[5]
- Prairie railway station, serving the town (20.8717°S 144.6009°E)[6][5]
- Baronta railway station, now abandoned (20.8778°S 144.5175°E)[5]
- Tolkuru railway station, now abandoned (20.8757°S 144.4535°E)[5]
- Tindo railway station, in the north-west of the locality (20.8719°S 144.4166°E)[7][5]
- Jardine Valley railway station, now abandoned (20.8694°S 144.3902°E)[5]
History
The name Prairie comes from a pastoral station established by James Gilson who named it after the appearance of the local countryside.[6]
Prairie State School opened in 1894.[8][9]
At the 2006 census, Prairie and the surrounding area had a population of 103.[10]
In the 2016 census the locality of Prairie had a population of 143 people.[1]
Education
Prairie State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Savage Street (20.8707°S 144.6053°E).[11][12] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 7 students with 1 teacher and 2 non-teaching staff (1 full-time equivalent).[13]
There is no secondary school in Prairie. The nearest is Hughenden State School (to Year 12) in neighbouring Hughenden to the north-west.[4]
Given the size of the locality, these schools will be too distant from those living in the south of the locality.[4] Distance education or boarding schools would be options.
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Prairie (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- "Prairie – town in Flinders Shire (entry 27449)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- "Prairie – locality in Flinders Shire (entry 42487)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- "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.
- "Prairie – railway station in the Shire of Hughenden (entry 27451)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- "Tindo – rail station in Flinders Shire (entry 34626)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- "Flinders Shire". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland. Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- "Prairie SS". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Prairie (Flinders Shire) (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
- "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- "Prairie State School". Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
- "Prairie". Shire of Flinders. Archived from the original on 20 April 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.