Bedourie, Queensland

Bedourie Queensland
Bedourie Community Centre, 2016
Bedourie
Coordinates	24°21′34″S139°28′09″E / 24.3594°S 139.4691°E / -24.3594; 139.4691 (Bedourie (town centre))
Population	150 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	0.00415/km2 (0.0107/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4829
Elevation	90 m (295 ft)
Area	36,186.5 km2 (13,971.7 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	217 km (135 mi) S of Boulia 506 km (314 mi) S of Mount Isa 1,668 km (1,036 mi) WNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Shire of Diamantina
County	Eurinye County, Queensland
Parish	Bedourie
State electorate(s)	Gregory
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 32.0 °C 90 °F 16.7 °C 62 °F 201.3 mm 7.9 in
Localities around Bedourie: Northern Territory Sturt Amaroo Wills Northern Territory Bedourie Diamantina Lakes Northern Territory Birdsville Farrars Creek

Bedourie is a town and a locality in the Shire of Diamantina, Queensland, Australia. ^{[2] [3]} It is on the border with the Northern Territory. ^[4] In the 2021 census, the locality of Bedourie had a population of 150 people. ^[1]

Geography

Georgina River flooding covering the bridge, 2016

Bedourie is located in the Channel Country of Central West Queensland, Australia, lying on Eyre Creek. It is located 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) west of the state capital, Brisbane, and 200 kilometres (120 mi) north of Birdsville.

Bedourie is the administrative centre of the Diamantina Shire, which also comprises the towns of Birdsville and Betoota. ^[5]

When the Georgina River experiences severe floods the town can be cut off by road for months at a time. ^[6]

Bedourie has the following mountains:

• Black Hill ( 24°35′58″S139°15′39″E / 24.5994°S 139.2609°E / -24.5994; 139.2609 (Black Hill) ) 94 metres (308 ft) ^{[7] [8]}
• Mount Cuttiguree ( 24°31′10″S140°22′16″E / 24.5194°S 140.3711°E / -24.5194; 140.3711 (Mount Cuttiguree) ) 160 metres (520 ft) ^{[7] [9]}
• Mount Prout ( 23°57′39″S139°38′14″E / 23.9607°S 139.6371°E / -23.9607; 139.6371 (Mount Prout) ) 135 metres (443 ft) ^[7]
• Mount Tarley ( 23°58′29″S139°13′39″E / 23.9748°S 139.2275°E / -23.9748; 139.2275 (Mount Tarley) ) 183 metres (600 ft) ^{[7] [10]}
• Mount Woneeala ( 24°15′58″S140°07′03″E / 24.2661°S 140.1175°E / -24.2661; 140.1175 (Mount Woneeala) ) 132 metres (433 ft) ^{[7] [11]}
• Pampra Hill ( 24°45′59″S139°21′17″E / 24.7665°S 139.3547°E / -24.7665; 139.3547 (Pampra Hill) ) 97 metres (318 ft) ^{[7] [12]}
• The Brothers ( 24°16′35″S139°14′19″E / 24.2764°S 139.2386°E / -24.2764; 139.2386 (The Brothers) ) 147 metres (482 ft) ^{[7] [13]}
• The Sisters ( 23°40′48″S139°12′15″E / 23.6800°S 139.2043°E / -23.6800; 139.2043 (The Sisters) ) 208 metres (682 ft) ^{[7] [14]}

History

The area around Bedourie is on Karanja land.

In 1881, a Native Police camp known as the Eyre's Creek barracks was established on the site by Sub-Inspector Robert Barrington Sharpe. Operations were conducted from the barracks until it was decommissioned in 1889. Sharpe shot himself in the head in 1886 and was replaced by Sub-Inspector Robert Kyle Little who shot numerous Indigenous people on at least one punitive expedition. Little later died from heat exhaustion just before the barracks closed. ^{[15] [16] [17]}

In February 1887, 2 square miles (5.2 km²) were reserved as the site for a town. ^[18]

The Royal Hotel was constructed and opened in 1886 by Hylock & Co. with a thatched roof (later replaced with corrugated iron) and the locality was renamed Bedourie. ^{[19] [20]}

Bedourie Post Office opened around July 1903 (receiving offices known as Bidouri, Bedouri and Bedourie had been open since 1887). ^[21]

The Diamantina Shire Council moved its headquarters from Birdsville to Bedourie in 1953.

Bedourie State School opened on 16 May 1960. ^[22] The current school building opened in 1967. ^[23]

The Bedourie Public Library had a major refurbishment in 2009. ^[24]

Demographics

In the 1986 census, the town of Bedourie had a population of 60 people. ^[6]

In the 2006 census, the locality of Bedourie and the surrounding area had a population of 142 people. ^[25]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Bedourie had a population of 122 people. ^[26]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Bedourie had a population of 150 people. ^[1]

Heritage listings

Bedourie Pisé House, with Royal Hotel in background, 2016

There are a number of heritage-listed sites in Bedourie, including:

• Kidman's Tree of Knowledge at Glengyle Station ( 24°47′06″S139°35′33″E / 24.785°S 139.5925°E / -24.785; 139.5925 (Kidman's Tree of Knowledge) ) ^[27]
• Bedourie Pisé House, 5 Herbert Street ( 24°21′42″S139°28′13″E / 24.3618°S 139.4703°E / -24.3618; 139.4703 (Bedourie Pise House) ) ^[28]

Education

Bedourie State School, 2022

Bedourie State School is a government primary (Early Childhood to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 3 Timor Street ( 24°21′37″S139°28′17″E / 24.3603°S 139.4713°E / -24.3603; 139.4713 (Bedourie State School) ). ^{[29] [30]} In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 8 students with 2 teachers and 3 non-teaching staff (1 full-time equivalent). ^{[31] [32]} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 7 students with 2 teachers and 5 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent). ^[33]

There are no secondary schools in Bedourie or nearby. ^[4] The options are distance education and boarding school. ^[23]

Amenities

Royal Hotel, 2016

Bedourie has an aquatic centre, museum, outback golf course, visitor information centre, and a racetrack. ^[5]

The Royal Hotel was built from adobe bricks in the 1880s. ^[34]

The Diamantina Shire Council operates the Bedourie Library on 13 Herbert Street. ^[35]

Simpson Desert Oasis Roadhouse, 2016

The Simpson Desert Roadhouse provides petrol and automotive services, accommodation, general supplies, accommodation, restaurant and bar. ^[19]

Attractions

The Bedourie Camel Races are held annually in July. The event is coordinated by the Bedourie Golf and Leisure Club and is a major tourist event for the region. As well as camel racing, the event hosts pig races, live music and entertainment and a camp oven cook off. ^{[36] [37]}

Total Solar Eclipses

Bedourie will have the rare experience of being located within the path of totality of two total solar eclipses, only nine years apart. The first will occur on 22 July 2028 and the second on 13 July 2037.

Climate

Bedourie experiences a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh), with very hot summers and very mild winters, albeit with cool nights. Due to its inland location, there is strong seasonal temperature variation, with average maxima vary from 22.7 °C (72.9 °F) in June and July to 39.5 °C (103.1 °F) in January. Average annual rainfall is very low: 203.1 mm (8.00 in), occurring within 16.3 rainfall days, primarily in the summer. Precipitation is highly erratic: evidenced by the 319.1 mm (12.56 in) of rain falling on 6 March 2011. The town is very sunny, averaging 186.4 clear days and only 48.6 cloudy days annually. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 0.9 °C (33.6 °F) on 8 July 2014 to 47.6 °C (117.7 °F) on 24 December 2019. ^[38]

Climate data for Bedourie (24º21'36"S, 139º28'12"E, 91 m AMSL) (1998-2024 normals and extremes, rainfall to 1932)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	47.3 (117.1)	45.4 (113.7)	44.9 (112.8)	40.9 (105.6)	35.0 (95.0)	33.5 (92.3)	33.0 (91.4)	38.5 (101.3)	42.0 (107.6)	44.0 (111.2)	46.7 (116.1)	47.6 (117.7)	47.6 (117.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	39.5 (103.1)	38.3 (100.9)	35.8 (96.4)	31.9 (89.4)	26.3 (79.3)	22.7 (72.9)	22.7 (72.9)	25.7 (78.3)	30.1 (86.2)	34.2 (93.6)	36.6 (97.9)	38.8 (101.8)	31.9 (89.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	25.5 (77.9)	24.2 (75.6)	21.8 (71.2)	17.3 (63.1)	11.7 (53.1)	8.6 (47.5)	7.7 (45.9)	9.2 (48.6)	13.4 (56.1)	17.5 (63.5)	20.9 (69.6)	23.7 (74.7)	16.8 (62.2)
Record low °C (°F)	16.7 (62.1)	15.4 (59.7)	11.7 (53.1)	6.8 (44.2)	3.7 (38.7)	1.0 (33.8)	0.9 (33.6)	1.8 (35.2)	5.4 (41.7)	7.0 (44.6)	9.9 (49.8)	13.0 (55.4)	0.9 (33.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	32.5 (1.28)	34.1 (1.34)	29.4 (1.16)	9.9 (0.39)	11.1 (0.44)	9.5 (0.37)	10.4 (0.41)	7.4 (0.29)	9.5 (0.37)	13.6 (0.54)	19.1 (0.75)	16.8 (0.66)	203.1 (8.00)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	2.2	2.1	1.6	0.9	1.1	1.0	0.9	0.7	0.9	1.5	1.7	1.7	16.3
Average afternoon relative humidity (%)	27	31	30	30	31	34	32	26	23	19	23	24	28
Average dew point °C (°F)	12.6 (54.7)	14.6 (58.3)	12.7 (54.9)	9.8 (49.6)	6.1 (43.0)	4.1 (39.4)	3.8 (38.8)	2.2 (36.0)	3.9 (39.0)	4.0 (39.2)	7.4 (45.3)	10.3 (50.5)	7.6 (45.7)
Source: Bureau of Meteorology (1998-2024 normals and extremes, rainfall to 1932) [39]

See also

• Queensland portal

• Bedourie Airport
• Bedourie oven

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Bedourie (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Bedourie – town in Shire of Diamantina (entry 2032)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 14 December 2018.
3. "Bedourie – locality in Shire of Diamantina (entry 41498)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 14 December 2018.
4. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 28 December 2023.
5. "Bedourie". Diamantina Shire Council. Archived from the original on 13 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
6. Julia Harris (19 March 2009). "A Morning in Bedourie". ABC Western Queensland . Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
7. "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
8. "Black Hill – mountain in Diamantina Shire (entry 2860)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
9. "Mount Cuttiguree – mountain in Diamantina Shire (entry 9130)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
10. "Mount Tarley – mountain in Diamantina Shire (entry 33368)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
11. "Mount Woneeala – mountain in Diamantina Shire (entry 37908)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
12. "Pampra Hill – mountain in Diamantina Shire (entry 25948)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
13. "The Brothers – mountain in Diamantina Shire (entry 33882)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
14. "The Sisters – mountain in Diamantina Shire (entry 34112)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
15. Richards, Jonathan (2008). The Secret War. St Lucia: UQP. ISBN   9780702236396.
16. Farwell, George (1971). Land of Mirage: The Story of Men, Cattle and Camels on the Birdsville Track. Rigby. ISBN   9780851791340.
17. "QUEENSLAND TELEGRAMS". The Capricornian . Vol. 12, no. 7. Queensland, Australia. 13 February 1886. p. 4. Retrieved 12 June 2023– via National Library of Australia.
18. "OFFICIAL NOTIFICATIONS". The Brisbane Courier . Vol. XLI, no. 8, 768. Queensland, Australia. 20 February 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 21 August 2023– via National Library of Australia.
19. "The Diamantina Visitors' Guide" (PDF). Diamantina Shire Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
20. "Stock Movements and State of the Country". The Queenslander . Vol. XXIX, no. 557. Queensland, Australia. 29 May 1886. p. 873. Retrieved 12 June 2023– via National Library of Australia.
21. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Archived from the original on 12 June 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
22. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government . Retrieved 18 April 2019.
23. "Our school". Bedourie State School. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
24. "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. November 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
25. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Bedourie (Diamantina Shire) (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 3 January 2008.
26. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Bedourie (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
27. "Kidman's Tree of Knowledge (entry 600462)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
28. "Bedourie Pisé House and Aboriginal Tracker's Hut (entry 650098)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
29. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
30. "Bedourie State School". Bedourie State School. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
31. "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
32. "Annual Report 2017" (PDF). Bedourie State School. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
33. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority . Retrieved 28 January 2020.
34. "Bedourie Royal Hotel". Lonely Planet . Archived from the original on 13 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
35. "Bedourie Library". Public Libraries Connect. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
36. Dudley, Nikki (27 July 2016). "Bedourie Camel Races explodes with bumper crowd". Outback Queensland. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
37. "Bedourie Camel and Pig Races and Camp oven Cook-off". Queensland. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
38. "Bedourie Climate (1932-2024)". FarmOnline Weather. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
39. "Bedourie Climate Statistics (1932-2024)". Bureau of Meteorology . Retrieved 20 July 2024.

External links

Media related to Bedourie, Queensland at Wikimedia Commons