Mareeba, Queensland
From Freepedia
Mareeba is a town on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is located at 16°99′ S 145°42′ E, 417 metres above sea level on the confluence of the Barron River, Granite Creek and Emerald Creek. The town's name is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning meeting of the waters. Mareeba has a population of approximately 8000
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History
Prior to European settlement, the area around Mareeba was inhabited by the Muluridji people. They maintained a hunter/gatherer existence in the area between Mount Carbine, Mareeba, Rumula and Woodville, mainly concentrated between Bibhoora and Mount Molloy.
On May 26, 1875 James Venture Mulligan became the first European to officially lay eyes on the future site of Mareeba when he rode up the eastern bank of the Barron River, and passed the junctions of Emerald and Granite Creek.
Mareeba was founded in 1877 by John Atherton, who arrived with cattle to settle at Emerald End, which is just north of the town today. Mareeba quickly became a busy coach stop on the road from Port Douglas to Herberton. When, in 1893, the railway arrived, Mareeba grew into a busy town.
From 1942 to 1945 up to 10,000 Australian and US servicemen used Mareeba Airfield as a staging post for battles in New Guinea and the Pacific. The Americans referred to it as Hoevet Field in honour of Major Dean Carol "Pinky" Hoevet who was killed on 16 August 1942. Units that were based at Mareeba during World War 2 included 5 Squadron RAAF, 100 Squadron RAAF, Australian 33rd Light A-A Battery, 19th Bomb Group USAAC, 43rd Bomb Group USAAC and 8th Fighter Group USAAC.
Geography
Average temperatures
- January 20.9 – 31.2 °C
- July 11.0 – 25.4 °C
Average rainfall
- 918.7mm – (annual)
Size
- 52,585 Square Kilometres
Economy
Mareeba is fast becoming known for its horticulture industries. Numerous crops are grown throughout Mareeba Shire, including avocados, mangoes, lychees, sugar cane, vegetables, cashews, macadamias, pineapples, tea tree, coffee, and a variety of other tropical fruits. Poultry and cattle are also common. Tobacco, once a main-stay of the local economy, is no longer grown within the Mareeba shire.
Tourism is also contibuting to the local economy. The town of Kuranda is located downstream along the Barron River on the western side of the Kuranda Range –part of the Great Dividing Range. Kuranda is located in the Mareeba Shire local government area, and due to the geography of the Kuranda Range, is not part of the Cairns urban area, even though it is part of the Cairns economic catchment.
Education
Mareeba has two primary schools, one secondary school and a TAFE campus. There are also several day care centres in the town.
- St Thomas of Villanova Catholic Primary School
- Mareeba State School
- Mareeba State High School
- Tropical North Institute of TAFE
Government
Mareeba is in the Australian House of Representatives Division of Kennedy and the Queensland Legislative Assembly electoral district of Tablelands.
Mareeba is the seat of the Mareeba Shire Council. It comprises of ten councillors. The current Mayor is Cr Mick Borzi.
Health
Mareeba Hospital is in the Tablelands Health District. It contains 52 beds, and provides surgical, maternity/paediatric and outpatient/emergency and x-ray facilities.
Population
Total for Mareeba Shire: 18,500
- Chillagoe: 150
- Dimbulah: 500
- Kuranda: 750
- Mareeba: 8000
- Mt Molloy: 1800
Sport and Entertainment
Sporting Teams
Mareeba's local sporting teams are:
- Rugby League — Mareeba Gladiators. The Gladiators participate in the Cairns District Rugby League competition. They last won the Premiership in 2001, when they defeated Ivanhoes 21-18.
- Football (soccer) — Mareeba Bulls
Rodeo
The Mareeba Rodeo takes place over a weekend each July. The first rodeo was held 1949 at Davies Park (which is now home to the Gladiators). On the Friday night, there is a parade through the town, and the Rodeo Princess is crowned (the first Princess was crowned in 1959). Over the rest of the weekend the rodeo proper is held at Kerribee Park. Other events taking place over the weekend include the ute muster.
