Ravenswood, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ravenswood Queensland
Imperial Hotel at Ravenswood
Ravenswood Location in Queensland
Population	297 (2021 census)
• Density	0.09832/km2 (0.2546/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4816
Area	3,020.8 km2 (1,166.3 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	88.6 km (55 mi) E of Charters Towers 130 km (81 mi) S of Townsville 1,329 km (826 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Charters Towers Region
State electorate(s)	Traeger
Federal Division(s)	Kennedy
Localities around Ravenswood: Dotswood Mingela Reid River Upper Haughton Broughton Ravenswood Mulgrave Swans Lagoon Seventy Mile Mount Wyatt Eight Mile Creek

Ravenswood is a small town in Queensland, Australia. It's part of the Charters Towers Region. In 2021, about 297 people lived there. Ravenswood has always been known for gold mining, and it still is today!

Where is Ravenswood?

Ravenswood is located in a rural area of Queensland. The Flinders Highway runs near the town, connecting it to other places. The Great Northern railway line also follows a similar path.

Nearby Areas

Ravenswood has several smaller areas or "neighbourhoods" nearby. These include:

• Boori
• Cardington
• Kirk
• Rochford
• Silver Valley
• Waigera
• Woldston

A Glimpse into Ravenswood's Past

Ravenswood grew quickly after gold was found in 1868. By the early 1900s, it was a busy town with almost 5,000 people. It even had 48 hotels! Many old buildings from this time are still standing.

However, mining slowed down around 1915 because of a workers' strike in 1912 and World War I. The town became much quieter.

Important Dates in History

• 1870: Silver was discovered in the area.
• 1873: Ravenswood State School opened, providing education for children.
• 1879-1930: Ravenswood was an important local government center. But as the population dropped, it joined the Shire of Dalrymple.
• 1885: Ravenswood Convent School opened. It closed in 1948.
• Early Schools: Other schools like Sandy Creek Provisional School (later Evlington State School), Kirk River Provisional School, Kirk Diggings Provisional School, and Pandanus Creek Provisional School also opened and closed over the years.
• 2017: An old cemetery was found near the school. It contained 16 graves from the late 1860s and early 1870s.
• 2020: A big plan to expand gold mining in the area was announced.

How Many People Live Here?

The number of people living in Ravenswood has changed over time:

• 2006: 191 people
• 2011: 349 people
• 2016: 255 people
• 2021: 297 people

Historic Places to See

Ravenswood has many buildings and sites that are listed for their historical importance. These include:

• Mabel Mill, Barton Street
• Railway Hotel, Barton Street
• Ravenswood Community Church, Chapel Street
• Chapel Street Bridge, Chapel Street
• Ravenswood Ambulance Station, Deighton Street
• London North Mine, Elphinstone Street
• Cake Shop, Macrossan Street
• Imperial Hotel, Macrossan Street
• Ravenswood Post Office, Macrossan Street
• School of Arts, Macrossan Street
• Shop adjacent to Thorps Building, Macrossan Street
• Thorps Building, Macrossan Street
• Ravenswood Court House and Police Station, Raven Street
• Ravenswood School and Residence, School Street
• Totley Township, about 2 kilometers from Ravenswood
• Pandanus Creek Battery, via Ravenswood to Mingela Road
• Ravenswood Mining Landscape and Chinese Settlement Area, a reserve with historical mining sites

What Ravenswood Does

The main activity in Ravenswood is still gold mining. There are two gold mines nearby: a large open pit mine and an underground mine at Mount Wright. Because of the recent growth in mining, the town's population has increased from about 200 to nearly 500 people. Tourism is also important, as many visitors come to see the historic town.

Learning in Ravenswood

Ravenswood State School is a government primary school for students from early childhood up to Year 6. It's located on School Street. In 2018, the school had 23 students.

There isn't a high school in Ravenswood. Older students usually go to Charters Towers State High School in Charters Towers. However, because Ravenswood is a large area, some students might live too far away to travel to school every day. For them, distance education (learning from home) or boarding schools are other choices.

Town Facilities

Ravenswood has a few important facilities for its residents and visitors:

• A combined general store and post office.
• The primary school.
• Two pubs: the Railway and the Imperial.
• Fuel is available at Top Camp and the post office.
• Top Camp also offers meals and simple accommodation.