Aloomba, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aloomba Queensland
Looking south down Nielsen Street, Aloomba, 2018
Aloomba Location in Queensland
Population	529 (2016 census)
• Density	4.774/km2 (12.36/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4871
Area	110.8 km2 (42.8 sq mi)
LGA(s)	Cairns Region
State electorate(s)	Mulgrave
Federal Division(s)	Kennedy
Localities around Aloomba: Gordonvale Green Hill Yarrabah Wooroonooran Aloomba Yarrabah Wooroonooran Fishery Falls Deeral

Aloomba is a town and a locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Aloomba had a population of 529 people.

Geography

Looking east along Bennett Road, 2018

Aloomba is a long thin locality hemmed in east and west by mountain ranges. It is bounded to the north by the Mulgrave River which then passes through the west of the locality. The Bruce Highway passes through the west of the locality but not through the town which is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the highway but about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) away by road. The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the south immediately to the west of the highway but then veers to the east in order to pass through the town, after which the railway veers back towards the highway but does not rejoin it within the locality.

Looking west along Hesp Road across the North Coast railway line, 2018

The mountainous western part of the locality is within the Malbon Thompson Forest Reserve. The remainder is relatively flat freehold land used predominantly for farming, particularly growing sugarcane. There is a network of cane tramways to deliver the harvested sugarcane to the Mulgrave Sugar Mill in Gordonvale.

History

Aloomba Hotel, Aloomba, circa 1925

Aloomba State School, circa 1914

The town name is a corruption of the Yidinji word "Ngalumba", indicating hard milkwood tree (Alstonia muelleriana).

Aloomba Provisional School opened on 15 May 1899, becoming Aloomba State School on 1 January 1909.

On 20 April 1916, the Cane Beetles March commenced at Mooliba (now Mirriwinni). It was a snowball march to recruit men into the Australian Imperial Force during World War I at a time when enthusiasm to enlist had waned after the loss of life in the Gallipoli campaign. The march began at Mooliba with 4 men, passing through Babinda, Aloomba, Gordonvale, and Edmonton, and ending in Cairns 60 kilometres later with 29 recruits.

In the 2016 census, Aloomba had a population of 529 people.

Education

Aloomba State School, 2018

Aloomba State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Nielsen Street (17°06′35″S 145°49′55″E / 17.1098°S 145.8319°E / -17.1098; 145.8319 (Aloomba State School)). In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 88 students with 7 teachers (6 full-time equivalent) and 8 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 91 students with 7 teachers (6 full-time equivalent) and 9 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).

Notable people

• Bunny Adair, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Cook attended Aloomba State School