Jericho, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jericho Queensland
The main street
Jericho Location in Queensland
Population	229 (2021 census)
• Density	2.650/km2 (6.86/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4728
Elevation	352 m (1,155 ft)
Area	86.4 km2 (33.4 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	1,055 km (656 mi) NW of Brisbane 492 km (306 mi) W of Rockhampton 222 km (138 mi) W of Emerald 87 km (54 mi) E of Barcaldine
LGA(s)	Barcaldine Region
State electorate(s)	Gregory
Federal Division(s)	Maranoa
Localities around Jericho: Aramac Laglan Laglan Barcaldine Jericho Alpha Barcaldine Blackall Alpha

Jericho is a small town in the Barcaldine Region of Queensland, Australia. It's a rural area, meaning it's mostly countryside. In 2021, about 229 people lived in Jericho. It's a place with a rich history and some interesting sights!

Exploring Jericho's Location

Jericho is located in the middle of Central West Queensland. The town sits in the southern part of its larger area, called a "locality".

Roads and Railways

The Capricorn Highway runs through Jericho, passing along Darwin Street. This highway connects Jericho to places like Garfield and Alpha. Another road, the Blackall–Jericho Road, starts in town and heads south.

The Central Western railway also goes through Jericho. It runs right next to the highway. The town has its own railway station, called Jericho railway station, on Darwin Street.

Local Waterways

Several creeks flow through the Jericho area. Lagoon Creek starts north of town and flows northeast. Jordan Creek enters from the south, passes east of the town, and then splits into two branches.

All these creeks eventually join the Alice River. This river is part of the huge Lake Eyre drainage basin, which collects water from a large part of Australia.

Land Use

Outside of the town itself, most of the land is used for grazing. This means farmers raise animals like sheep or cattle on the natural grasslands.

Jericho's Past: A Brief History

The first European explorer to pass through this area was Major Thomas Mitchell in 1846. By the 1850s, settlers began to move in and make it their home.

How Jericho Got Its Name

Jordan Creek, which flows near the town, was named after an early settler called Harry Jordan. The town and railway station of Jericho were named in 1885 by a railway surveyor, Willoughby Hannam. He named it Jericho because it was the first station west of Jordan Creek, just like the Biblical town of Jericho was west of the Jordan River.

The Central Western railway line officially opened in Jericho on June 8, 1885. The Jericho Post Office also opened soon after, on July 2, 1885.

Early Buildings and Events

Jericho State School, the local primary school, opened its doors to students on February 20, 1888. The Jericho Methodist Church opened in October 1930. Later, it became the Jericho Uniting Church, but it is now privately owned.

In December 2010, the town experienced some flooding. About half of the houses in Jericho were affected by the rising water.

Changing Boundaries

In 2019, the Queensland Government decided to combine several smaller areas into larger "localities" in the Barcaldine Region. Jericho's locality grew to include parts of nearby areas like Dunrobin, Garfield, and Mexico.

Population of Jericho

The number of people living in Jericho has changed over the years.

• In 2011, Jericho and the surrounding area had 369 people.
• By 2016, the locality of Jericho had a population of 115 people.
• In the most recent count in 2021, the population of Jericho locality was 229 people.

What's in Jericho?

Jericho has several useful and fun places for its residents and visitors.

Community Facilities

• There's a drive-in theatre where you can watch movies from your car.
• The town has a park, a swimming pool, and a town hall.
• There's also a showground for local events.
• The Barcaldine Regional Council runs a library inside the Tourist Information Centre at 6 Darwin Street.
• The Jericho branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms at 7 Faraday Street.

Learning in Jericho

Jericho State School is the local government primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It's located on Pasteur Street. In 2017, the school had 9 students.

Fun Things to See

Jericho has some unique attractions that visitors enjoy:

• The Crystal Trumpeters monument is a special artwork.
• There's also a statue of Joshua that is made entirely out of barbed wire.