Croydon is an outback town and locality within the Shire of Croydon in Queensland, Australia.[3][4] It is a terminus for the Normanton to Croydon railway line, which operates the Gulflander tourist train. In the 2021 census, the locality of Croydon had a population of 215 people.[1]
| Croydon Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Croydon Shire Hall, 2011 | |||||||||||||||
  Croydon | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 18°12′S 142°14′E / 18.200°S 142.233°E | ||||||||||||||
| Population | 215 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4871 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 116 m (381 ft)[2] | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Shire of Croydon | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Traeger | ||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Kennedy | ||||||||||||||
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Geography
editNational Highway 1 runs through from east to west.[5]
The Richmond–Croydon Road runs along part of the eastern boundary.[6]
Climate
editCroydon has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSh), with a short wet season from December to March, and a long dry season from April to November. Although average daily maxima remain high year-round- exceeding 29.2 °C (84.6 °F) in all months; average minima have greater variation: from 14.1 °C (57.4 °F) in July to 24.6 °C (76.3 °F) in December. Average annual rainfall is 752.7 mm (29.63 in), and the highest daily rainfall recorded was 381.0 millimetres (15.00 in) on 29 January 1908. The town is extremely sunny, averaging 201.9 clear days and only 48.6 cloudy days annually. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 2.6 °C (36.7 °F) on 10 July 1983 to 43.9 °C (111.0 °F) on 7 November 1965.[7]
| Climate data for Croydon (18º12'00"S, 142º14'24"E, 116 m AMSL) (1889-2024 normals, extremes 1962-2014) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 42.8 (109.0) |
41.2 (106.2) |
39.7 (103.5) |
38.0 (100.4) |
36.8 (98.2) |
35.2 (95.4) |
35.4 (95.7) |
37.2 (99.0) |
39.4 (102.9) |
42.2 (108.0) |
43.9 (111.0) |
43.3 (109.9) |
43.9 (111.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 35.5 (95.9) |
34.5 (94.1) |
34.3 (93.7) |
33.9 (93.0) |
31.6 (88.9) |
29.2 (84.6) |
29.2 (84.6) |
31.2 (88.2) |
34.3 (93.7) |
36.9 (98.4) |
38.0 (100.4) |
37.3 (99.1) |
33.8 (92.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.2 (75.6) |
23.9 (75.0) |
23.3 (73.9) |
21.0 (69.8) |
17.9 (64.2) |
14.7 (58.5) |
14.1 (57.4) |
15.7 (60.3) |
19.2 (66.6) |
22.5 (72.5) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.6 (76.3) |
20.5 (68.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 17.0 (62.6) |
17.2 (63.0) |
13.9 (57.0) |
11.5 (52.7) |
6.0 (42.8) |
3.9 (39.0) |
2.6 (36.7) |
5.2 (41.4) |
7.0 (44.6) |
11.1 (52.0) |
16.7 (62.1) |
15.0 (59.0) |
2.6 (36.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 223.4 (8.80) |
180.2 (7.09) |
118.6 (4.67) |
24.4 (0.96) |
8.9 (0.35) |
7.8 (0.31) |
4.2 (0.17) |
2.5 (0.10) |
5.3 (0.21) |
14.2 (0.56) |
45.2 (1.78) |
112.4 (4.43) |
752.7 (29.63) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 12.0 | 11.3 | 7.3 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 3.9 | 7.3 | 47.8 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%) | 50 | 54 | 47 | 36 | 34 | 32 | 29 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 30 | 37 | 35 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 21.1 (70.0) |
22.2 (72.0) |
19.8 (67.6) |
15.8 (60.4) |
12.6 (54.7) |
9.6 (49.3) |
7.7 (45.9) |
7.7 (45.9) |
9.0 (48.2) |
12.3 (54.1) |
14.9 (58.8) |
18.3 (64.9) |
14.2 (57.6) |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology (1889-2024 normals, extremes 1962-2014)[8] | |||||||||||||
History
editThe historic goldrush town of Croydon is located in the heart of the Gulf Savannah, 529 kilometres (329 mi) west of Cairns.[9] Mining in the area quickly drove out the Tagalaka people indigenous to the area.[citation needed] Croydon was a large pastoral holding owned by Alexander Brown and Margaret Chalmers that covered an area of approximately 5,000 square kilometres (2,000 sq mi), when first settled in the 1880s. The town's name is derived from a pastoral run name, that was used by their sons, Alexander Brown and William Chalmers Brown, pastoralists; William Chalmers Brown was born in Croydon, England in 1841 and is buried at Toowong cemetery in Brisbane.[3][4][10] Gold was discovered in 1885 and by 1887, the town's population had reached 7,000. Croydon Post Office opened on 20 March 1886.[11]
Croydon State School was established on 12 September 1889 but did not open until 7 July 1890.[12][13]
Gold was to be the main economic production of the area for four decades. The Mining Warden left in 1926 as there were too few miners left on the field. During its heyday, Croydon was the fourth largest town in the colony of Queensland.
Chinese settlers moved into the Croydon area soon after the gold discovery was reported in 1885. From the earliest days of settlement they played a significant role in the viability of the isolated field by supplying fresh vegetables and fruit. They also supported the work of the miners as cooks, carriers and by working on tribute. The Chinese settlement at Croydon developed on the north west fringe of the town. This was a similar pattern to other mining towns in north Queensland. The community constructed a temple, houses and associated facilities such as pig ovens, with the temple as the central focus of the settlement.[14]
In 1917, Dr. Elkington, Director of the Division of Tropical Hygiene, Commonwealth Department of Health, was concerned about health and hygiene of its growing population, contemplated conducting a statistical and social survey of the town, which did not eventuate. Elkington's interest in sociological surveys of gathering social and economic details on a population later developed into the 1924 Sociological Survey of White Women conducted from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Townsville.[15]
Currently, Croydon has a much smaller population, having greatly decreased following the end of the gold rush. The population is now a few hundred people. The town is one of the termini for the Gulflander railway, opened for the gold rush in 1891 but now a tourist railway operated by Traveltrain. In early 2009, the close proximity of a receding cyclone ex-Cyclone Charlotte, caused torrential rain and Croydon to be flooded.[16] An estimated $5 million of damage was made to town infrastructure.[17]
Demographics
editIn the 2011 census, the locality of Croydon and surrounding areas had a population of 312 people.[18]
In the 2016 census, the locality of Croydon had a population of 258 people.[19]
In the 2021 census, the locality of Croydon had a population of 215 people.[1]
Heritage listings
edit
Croydon has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- Croydon: Homeward Bound Battery and Dam[20]
- Gulf Developmental Road: Content Mine[21]
- Gulf Developmental Road: Richmond Mine and Battery[22]
- Helen Street: Croydon railway station[23]
- Julia Creek Road: Croydon Cemetery[24]
- Normanton (Gulf Developmental) Road: Golden Gate Mining and Town Complex[25]
- Normanton Road: Station Creek Cemetery[26]
- Normanton to Croydon: Normanton to Croydon railway line[27]
- Off Gulf Developmental Road: Chinese Temple and Settlement Site[28]
- Samwell Street: Court House[29]
- Samwell Street: Croydon Shire Hall (formerly Croydon Town Hall)[30]
- Samwell Street: Police Station[31]
- Sircom Street: Croydon Hospital Ward[32]
- Tabletop Cemetery[33]
- West of the railway station: Old Croydon Cemetery[34]
Education
edit
Croydon State School is a government primary (Early Childhood to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 22–30 Brown Street (18°12′13″S 142°14′57″E / 18.2037°S 142.2493°E).[35][36] In 2014, the school had 42 students enrolled with 2 classes (years P–3 and years 4–6) with 3 teachers.[37] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 36 students with 3 teachers and 7 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).[38]
Facilities
editCroydon has a swimming pool, golf course, lawn bowls, a museum, a tourist information centre, caravan park and a primary school.[39] The Croydon Shire Council operates a public library at 63 Samwell Street.[40]
Water supply is sourced from Lake Belmore.[41]
St Margaret's Church at Lot 9, Alldridge Street is shared by the Anglican and Catholic congregations. It is within the Gulf Savannah Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns.[42]
In popular culture
editCroydon was mentioned in the 1950 novel A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute, as an example of a largely abandoned gold rush town.[43]
References
edit- ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Croydon (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ Bureau of Meteorology Archived 2 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine - Retrieved 27 January 2008
- ^ a b "Croydon (town) (entry 8889)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ a b "Croydon (locality) (entry 41776)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ "Croydon, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
- ^ Croydon, Queensland (Map). OpenStreetMap. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ "Croydon Township Climate (1889-2024)". FarmOnline Weather. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "Croydon Township Climate Statistics (1889-2024)". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "Croydon Shire Council". Croydon Shire Council. Archived from the original on 29 October 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ "FreeBMD". Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
Births Jun 1841, Brown, William Chalmers, Croydon
- ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
- ^ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ "Agency ID 5145, Croydon State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ "Chinese Temple and Settlement Site". Queensland State Heritage. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
- ^ Colclough, Gillian (11 February 2008), The measure of the woman : eugenics and domestic science in the 1924 sociological survey of white women in North Queensland (PDF), James Cook University, archived (PDF) from the original on 27 July 2014, retrieved 16 June 2014
- ^ ABC News (13 January 2009). "Qld flood disaster bill tops $25 million". Australian Broadcasting Corporartion. Archived from the original on 20 November 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ ABC News (23 July 2009). "Flood-hit roads hampering livestock trucks". Australian Broadcasting Corporartion. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Croydon (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Croydon (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "Homeward Bound Battery and Dam (entry 600439)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Content Mine (entry 602243)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Richmond Mine and Battery (entry 601857)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Croydon Station, Normanton to Croydon Railway (entry 600440)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Croydon Cemetery (entry 602376)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Golden Gate Mining and Town Complex (entry 700005)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Station Creek Cemetery (entry 602375)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Normanton to Croydon Railway Line (entry 600396)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Chinese Temple and Settlement Site (entry 602079)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Court House (former) (entry 600437)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Croydon Shire Hall (entry 601653)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Police Reserve Complex (former) (entry 601153)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Croydon State Emergency Services Building (entry 600438)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Tabletop Cemetery (entry 602371)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Old Croydon Cemetery (entry 602374)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ "Croydon State School". Croydon State School. 18 July 2022. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "2014 School Annual Report" (PDF). Croydon State School. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
- ^ "Croydon". Centre for the Government of Queensland. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ^ "Croydon Library". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 31 August 2016. Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
- ^ "Lake Belmore". Cloncurry Shire Council. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ^ "Gulf Savannah Parish". Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ Bishop, Steve. "Discovering the real Town Like Alice". Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
External links
edit
Media related to Croydon, Queensland at Wikimedia Commons