Miles, Queensland

Miles Queensland
The main street of Miles (looking towards Roma and Charleville)
Miles
Coordinates	26°39′26″S150°11′23″E / 26.6572°S 150.1897°E / -26.6572; 150.1897 (Miles (town centre))
Population	1,746 (2016 census) [1]
• Density	3.9881/km2 (10.329/sq mi)
Established	1878
Postcode(s)	4415
Elevation	302 m (991 ft) [2]
Area	437.8 km2 (169.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	127 km (79 mi) NW of Dalby 141 km (88 mi) E of Roma 210 km (130 mi) NW of Toowoomba 337 km (209 mi) WNW of Brisbane 406 km (252 mi) E of Charleville
LGA(s)	Western Downs Region
State electorate(s)	Callide Warrego
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 27.1 °C 81 °F 12.2 °C 54 °F 650.6 mm 25.6 in
Localities around Miles: Dalwogon Myall Park Hookswood Drillham Miles Columboola Drillham South Condamine Nangram

Miles is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. ^{[3] [4]} In the 2016 census, the locality of Miles had a population of 1,746 people. ^[1]

Geography

The town is on the Warrego Highway, 340 kilometres (210 mi) west of Brisbane, the state capital, 211 kilometres (131 miles) west of Toowoomba, 127 kilometres (79 miles) west of Dalby and 48 kilometres (30 miles) west of Chinchilla. It is situated 141 kilometres (88 mi) east of Roma, 221 kilometres (137 miles) east of Mitchell, 306 kilometres (190 miles) east of Morven and 406 kilometres (252 mi) east of Charleville.

History

Formerly known as Dogwood Crossing, the town is situated on Dogwood Creek, named by German explorer Ludwig Leichhardt in 1844. The town was renamed Miles in honour of the Queensland Colonial Secretary, William Miles. ^{[3] [4]} Miles Post Office opened on 3 January 1878. ^[5]

Miles Provisional School opened on 31 May 1880, becoming Miles State School on 18 January 1886. ^[6]

Holy Cross School opened in 1926. It closed on 15 December 1989. ^[6]

Miles War Memorial and Wall of Remembrance, 2008

The Miles War Memorial and Wall of Remembrance was erected by the former Murilla Shire Council and dedicated on 25 April 1967. ^[7]

Miles State High School opened on 30 January 1979. ^[6]

Miles Library facility opened in 2002. ^[8] It houses a high-speed ISDN Internet Connection (powered through the National Broadband Network) with Brisbane through the State Library of Queensland.

In the 2011 census, Miles had a population of 1,170. ^[9]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Miles had a population of 1,746 people. ^[1]

Economy

Welcome to Miles signpost

The economy of Miles is based mainly on agriculture and cropping, producing wheat, sorghum, barley and cotton. Timber production is another area of economic activity and in common with much of Western Queensland, cattle and sheep grazing, including feedlots is widespread.

A mining industry utilising rich deposits of bentonite clay is developing. ^[10]

In addition, there are the following developing industries:

• Coal seam gas
• coal mining
• electricity generation

Education

Miles State School, 2022

Miles State School is a government primary (Early Childhood-6) school for boys and girls at Constance Street ( 26°39′24″S150°11′08″E / 26.6568°S 150.1856°E / -26.6568; 150.1856 (Miles State School) ). ^{[11] [12]} In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 223 students with 18 teachers (16 full-time equivalent) with 12 non-teaching staff (9 full-time equivalent). ^[13] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 214 students with 19 teachers (17 full-time equivalent) and 14 non-teaching staff (9 full-time equivalent). ^[14] It includes a special education program certified under the National Disability Insurance Scheme. ^[11]

Miles State High School is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at Pine Street ( 26°39′13″S150°11′06″E / 26.6535°S 150.1851°E / -26.6535; 150.1851 (Miles State High School) ). ^{[11] [15]} In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 190 students with 22 teachers (21 full-time equivalent) and 20 non-teaching staff (13 full-time equivalent). ^[16] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 182 students with 18 teachers and 17 non-teaching staff (12 full-time equivalent). ^[14] It also includes a special education program certified under the National Disability Insurance Scheme

Amenities

Western Downs Regional Council operates Miles Library at Dogwood Crossing on the corner of Dawson and Murilla Streets and has a broadband ISDN Internet Connection to Brisbane (powered through the National Broadband Network) ( 26°39′33″S150°11′11″E / 26.6593°S 150.1865°E / -26.6593; 150.1865 (Miles public library) ). ^[17]

Redeemer Lutheran Church is at 114 Murilla Street ( 26°39′36″S150°11′32″E / 26.6600°S 150.1921°E / -26.6600; 150.1921 (Redeemer Lutheran Church) ). ^[18]

The Miles branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms in Corbett Drive ( 26°39′36″S150°11′03″E / 26.6599°S 150.1841°E / -26.6599; 150.1841 (CWA Rooms) ). ^[19]

Attractions

Miles Historical Village Museum is at 141 Murilla Street. It is laid out in the style of town main street in an early Queensland rural town. There are 34 buildings including 15 historic structures relocated from the local area. ^[20] It regarded as one of the best historical villages in Australia, and is used as a film set and special events venue, in addition to its normal operations as a museum. Every 2 years the town hosts the Miles Back to the Bush Festival in September, in and around the Miles Historical Village. The festival is the town's biggest event and features bush style entertainment with a vintage twist. ^[21]

Transport

Miles is connected to Brisbane, Toowoomba and Roma by the Warrego Highway and Goondiwindi and Rockhampton by the Leichhardt Highway. Greyhound Australia operates daily bus services between Brisbane and Mount Isa via Longreach and Charleville and between Toowoomba and Rockhampton, via Miles and also to Charleville.

The Westlander train also comes through Miles twice a week, on its way between Brisbane and Charleville, at very early hours of Wednesday & Friday mornings (Westbound Service 3S86) and Thursdays & Saturdays (Eastbound Service 3987).

The town is served by the Miles Airport ( IATA : WLE) which is located along the Leichhardt Highway approximately 19 km (12 mi) south of the Leichhardt and Warrego Highway intersection, Miles, Queensland, and 14 km (8.7 mi) north of the Leichhardt Highway and Roma-Condamine Road intersection, Condamine, Queensland.

Climate

Miles is on the Western Downs, at an elevation of 304 metres or 997 feet. The region around Miles has a fairly dry humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) featuring hot summers with mean maximum temperatures in January of 33.4 °C or 92.1 °F, and mild to warm winters with a maximum of 19.6 °C or 67.3 °F in July. Winter mornings can be very cold and frost is common. Average rainfall is 609 millimetres or 23.98 inches, falling mainly in the period between November and March. ^[22]

Climate data for Miles (Combined sites, 1885–2014)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	43.2 (109.8)	42.1 (107.8)	41.4 (106.5)	36.1 (97.0)	33.0 (91.4)	31.1 (88.0)	28.4 (83.1)	36.2 (97.2)	39.9 (103.8)	40.7 (105.3)	41.9 (107.4)	43.8 (110.8)	43.8 (110.8)
Average high °C (°F)	33.4 (92.1)	32.4 (90.3)	31.0 (87.8)	27.7 (81.9)	23.5 (74.3)	20.0 (68.0)	19.6 (67.3)	21.9 (71.4)	25.8 (78.4)	29.0 (84.2)	31.0 (87.8)	32.7 (90.9)	27.3 (81.1)
Average low °C (°F)	19.9 (67.8)	19.6 (67.3)	17.3 (63.1)	12.9 (55.2)	7.8 (46.0)	5.4 (41.7)	3.9 (39.0)	5.1 (41.2)	9.3 (48.7)	13.4 (56.1)	16.7 (62.1)	18.8 (65.8)	12.5 (54.5)
Record low °C (°F)	10.9 (51.6)	7.4 (45.3)	4.3 (39.7)	0.1 (32.2)	−4.4 (24.1)	−5.0 (23.0)	−6.1 (21.0)	−4.9 (23.2)	−2.2 (28.0)	−0.6 (30.9)	3.4 (38.1)	7.9 (46.2)	−6.1 (21.0)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	84.7 (3.33)	75.4 (2.97)	56.3 (2.22)	35.1 (1.38)	33.6 (1.32)	40.6 (1.60)	26.6 (1.05)	31.4 (1.24)	26.1 (1.03)	43.8 (1.72)	60.6 (2.39)	94.6 (3.72)	608.8 (23.97)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)	8.0	7.5	5.9	4.7	5.2	5.7	5.0	4.2	4.4	6.2	8.0	8.6	73.4
Source: Bureau of Meteorology [23] [24]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Miles (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
2. "Averages for Miles Post Office". Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 27 August 2006. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
3. "Miles – town in Western Downs Region (entry 22031)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 14 August 2022.
4. "Miles – locality in Western Downs Region (entry 50108)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 14 August 2022.
5. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
6. 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. "Miles War Memorial and Wall of RemembrancePrint Page". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
8. "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
9. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Miles (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
10. "Queensland Department of State Development and Industry" Archived 22 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 22 October 2006
11. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
12. "Miles State School". Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
13. "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Miles State School. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
14. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
15. "Miles State High School". Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
16. "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Miles State High School. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
17. "Miles Library". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 6 September 2016. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
18. "Miles Lutheran Church". South Western Queensland Lutheran Parish. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
19. "Branch locations". Queensland Country Women's Association . Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
20. "About the Village". Miles Historical Village Museum. Archived from the original on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
21. Queensland Weekender (9 July 2016). "Living history in Miles". Queensland Weekender. Archived from the original on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
22. Bureau of Meteorology (Australia) Archived 27 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 22 October 2006
23. "MILES CONSTANCE STREET". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Bureau of Meteorology. January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
24. "MILES POST OFFICE". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Bureau of Meteorology. January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.

External links

• "Miles". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
• "Town map of Miles". Queensland Government. 1983.
• Sydney Morning Herald Travel
• Dogwood Crossing - The local gallery, library and IT resource centre.