Opalton
Opalton | |||||||||||||
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 Old Cork Homestead, erected 1870s | |||||||||||||
  Opalton | |||||||||||||
| Coordinates: 23°14′51″S 142°46′15″E / 23.2474°S 142.77095°E | |||||||||||||
| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||
| State | Queensland | ||||||||||||
| LGA | |||||||||||||
| Location |
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| Government | |||||||||||||
| • State electorate | |||||||||||||
| • Federal division | |||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||
• Total | 16,932.3 km2 (6,537.6 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 59 (2021 census)[2] | ||||||||||||
| • Density | 0.003484/km2 (0.00902/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Time zone | UTC+10:00 (AEST) | ||||||||||||
| Postcode | 4735 | ||||||||||||
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Opalton is a outback rural locality in the Shire of Winton, Queensland, Australia.[3] It is known for the Opalton Opal Field, one of the largest and most extensively worked opal deposits in Queensland.[4] In the 2021 census, Opalton had a population of 59 people.[2]
Geography
There are two protected areas within the locality:[5]
- Bladensburg National Park in the north-west of the locality
- Lark Quarry Conservation Park in the centre of the locality
Apart from the protected areas, the land use is grazing on native vegetation.[5]
History
The Cork homestead was established in the 1870s. It was built from sandstone. It was partly owned by Thomas McIlwraith, Premier of Queensland. It is now a ruin.[6][7]
Demographics
In the 2016 census, Opalton had a population of 64 people.[8]
In the 2021 census, Opalton had a population of 59 people.[2]
Education
There are no schools in Opalton. The nearest government primary and secondary school is Winton State School (Prep to Year 12) in neighbouring Winton to the north-east. However, only students in the north-east of Opalton woud be within range of a daily commute to Winton. The alternatives are distance education and boarding school.[9]
Attractions
Lark Quarry Conservation Park is at the end of Lark Quarry Access Road (23°00′55″S 142°24′40″E / 23.0154°S 142.4110°E).[10] It has the world’s only known dinosaur stampede site.[11]
Scrammy Lookout is in Bladensburg National Park (22°33′19″S 143°08′15″E / 22.5554°S 143.1374°E).[10][12]
The Opalton Opal Field is popular with tourists as a place for fossicking.[4]
References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Opalton (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Opalton (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Opalton – locality in Shire of Winton (entry 41495)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Western opal fields - Opalton". Queensland Government. 1 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- ^ Winton, Experience. "Old Cork Homestead Ruins". Experience Winton. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "Projects: Old Cork Homestead Conservation Plan". Thom Blake Historian. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Opalton (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Tourist points - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "Lark Quarry Conservation Park". Parks and forests. Queensland Government. 21 October 2009. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "Things to do: Bladensburg National Park". Parks and forests. Queensland Government. 11 December 2009. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
