Nome is a rural locality in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Nome had a population of 990 people.[1]

Nome
Queensland
Crocodile Feeding at the Billabong Sanctuary, 2009
Nome is located in Queensland
Nome
Nome
Coordinates19°21′34″S 146°57′03″E / 19.3594°S 146.9508°E / -19.3594; 146.9508 (Nome (centre of locality))
Population990 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density18.64/km2 (48.29/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4816
Area53.1 km2 (20.5 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)City of Townsville
State electorate(s)Burdekin
Federal division(s)
Suburbs around Nome:
Stuart Cape Cleveland Cape Cleveland
Julago Nome Cape Cleveland
Alligator Creek Alligator Creek Mount Elliot

Geography

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The Bruce Highway forms the southern boundary of the locality. The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the east (Cape Cleveland) and roughly follows Nome's southern boundary before exiting to the west (Julago).[3]

There were a number of railway stations in the locality, all now abandoned (from north to south):

Oolbun is a neighbourhood on the northern boundary in the locality (19°19′30″S 146°55′41″E / 19.3251°S 146.9281°E / -19.3251; 146.9281 (Oolbun (neighbourhood))).[5][3]

The locality has the following mountains:

Nome has an area of 53.1 square kilometers and an average elevation of 39 meters above sea level.[9]

The land use is predominantly grazing on native vegetation with a number of areas of rural residential housing. There is also a small amount of crop growing in the south-east of the locality.[10]

History

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The locality's name is derived the from railway station name, which in turn is believed to be a corruption of NQME (North Queensland Meat Export) Siding.[2][11]

 
Alligator Creek Meatworks, 1917

Oolbun was the neighbourhood where the Alligator Creek meatworks (approx 19°19′30″S 146°56′23″E / 19.3249°S 146.9397°E / -19.3249; 146.9397 (Alligator Creek meatworks (former))) and the housing for many of its employees was located. North Queensland Boiling Down and Meat Processing Company established the meatworks in 1879, but the 1884 drought resulted in its closure. In 1890, the meatworks reopened as a meat extract businesses, later becoming a freezing plant in 1914 supplying frozen meat during World War I. In 1914, a railway line was built connecting the meatworks which was serviced by the Oolbun railway station to the Nome railway station on the North Coast railway line. The meatworks closed in 1966. The railway line and Oolbun railway station are no longer extant.[12][13][14]

Oolbun Provisional School opened in 1917.[15] It closed circa 1932.[16][17] It was part of the complex of buildings at the meatworks.[18]

Demographics

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In the 2011 census, Nome had a population of 992 people. Of these, 525 were male, and 467 were female. The median age was 47, the median personal income was A$635/week, and the median household income was A$1356/week. Most residents were Australian by birth, but Nome also has significant communities from the United Kingdom and New Zealand.[19]

In the 2016 census, Nome had a population of 1,016 people.[20]

In the 2021 census, Nome had a population of 990 people.[1]

Education

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There are no schools in Nome. The nearest government primary schools are Wulguru State School in Wulguru to the west and Giru State School in Giru to the south-east. The nearest government secondary school is William Ross State High School in Annandale, Townsville.[21]

Amenities

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There is a park at the end of Bloodwood Drive (19°22′31″S 146°54′58″E / 19.3754°S 146.9162°E / -19.3754; 146.9162 (Bloodwood Drive Park)).[22]

Attractions

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The Billabong Sanctuary is an interactive wildlife sanctuary at 2 Muntalunga Drive (19°22′29″S 146°54′21″E / 19.3747°S 146.9058°E / -19.3747; 146.9058 (Billabong Sanctuary)).[23]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Nome (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  2. ^ a b "Nome – locality in City of Townsville (entry 44619)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Oolbun – locality unbounded in City of Townsville (entry 39304)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Mount Matthew – mountain in Townsville City (entry 21216)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Woodstock Hill – mountain in Townsville City (entry 38007)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  9. ^ Shaun Madison - MBendi Information Services (15 November 2012). "Nome, Queensland, Australia: Information, Business and Travel Directory for Nome". Mbendi.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  10. ^ "Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Nome – railway station in City of Townsville (entry 24460)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  12. ^ "Oolbun – rail station - feature no longer exists in City of Townsville (entry 39304)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Oolbun". About The North. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Townsville (Special)" (Map). Queensland Government. 1942. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  15. ^ "Advertising". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Vol. XXXIII, no. 10, 675. Queensland, Australia. 10 February 1917. p. 1. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  17. ^ "Item ID15763, School Correspondence Files for State Schools: Oolbun State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Toowoomba" (Map). Queensland Government. 1942. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  19. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Nome (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 10 July 2024.  
  20. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Nome (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  21. ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  22. ^ "Land for public recreation - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  23. ^ "Billabong Sanctuary Wildlife Park". Billabong Sanctuary Wildlife Park. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.