Tinaroo, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tinaroo Queensland
Pelicans on the shore of Lake Tinaroo, 2008
Tinaroo Location in Queensland
Population	293 (2021 census)
• Density	14.50/km2 (37.6/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4872
Area	20.2 km2 (7.8 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	17.6 km (11 mi) NE of Atherton 88.0 km (55 mi) SW of Cairns 363 km (226 mi) NNW of Townsville 1,715 km (1,066 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Tablelands Region
State electorate(s)	Hill
Federal Division(s)	Kennedy
Suburbs around Tinaroo: Mareeba Mareeba Danbulla Tolga Tinaroo Lake Tinaroo Tolga Kairi Lake Tinaroo

Tinaroo is a small country area in the Tablelands Region of Queensland, Australia. In 2021, about 293 people lived there.

The town of Tinaroo Falls is located on the eastern side of this area, right next to Lake Tinaroo.

Exploring Tinaroo's Location

Tinaroo is found on the edge of Lake Tinaroo. This lake is actually a large reservoir that was made by building a dam across the Barron River.

Even though the town is called Tinaroo Falls, the actual waterfall isn't in the town itself. It's very close by, in the nearby area called Lake Tinaroo. This area also includes the dam wall and the lake.

Tinaroo's Past: A Brief History

The name "Tinaroo" comes from Tinaroo Creek. People think the name came from "tin hurroo," which was a shout used by tin miners a long time ago.

Building the dam for Lake Tinaroo started in 1955. The town of Tinaroo was created to give homes to the workers and their families who were building the dam. Tinaroo State School opened on June 28, 1954, for the children of these workers. The dam was finished in 1958, and the school closed on December 4, 1959.

Later, in 1987, the Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre was opened.

Learning and Education in Tinaroo

The Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre is located at 30-44 Tinaroo Falls Dam Road (17°10′07″S 145°32′52″E / 17.1685°S 145.5479°E / -17.1685; 145.5479 (Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre)). This center is run by the Queensland Education Department. It offers special outdoor and environment programs for school groups.

There are no regular schools right in Tinaroo. The closest primary school is Kairi State School, which is in the nearby town of Kairi to the south. For high school, students usually go to Atherton State High School in Atherton, which is to the south-west.

Fun Things to Do in Tinaroo

There are some cool places to visit and activities to enjoy around Tinaroo:

• Torpedo Bay Walking Track: This walking path starts about 2.3 kilometers north of the dam wall. It has six different lookouts where you can enjoy great views.
• Platypus Rock Lookout: You can get to this lookout from Platypus Campground Road (17°09′27″S 145°33′40″E / 17.1576°S 145.5612°E / -17.1576; 145.5612 (Platypus Rock Lookout)). It's a good spot to see the area.
• Boat Ramp: There's a boat ramp on Church Street (17°10′17″S 145°33′05″E / 17.1715°S 145.5515°E / -17.1715; 145.5515 (Church Street boat ramp)) that lets you launch boats onto Lake Tinaroo. The Tablelands Regional Council looks after it.