Jericho
Queensland
The main street
Jericho is located in Queensland
Jericho
Jericho
Coordinates23°36′18″S 146°07′33″E / 23.605°S 146.1258°E / -23.605; 146.1258
Population229 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)4728
Elevation352 m (1,155 ft)
Area86.4 km2 (33.4 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
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 rural town and locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Jericho had a population of 229 people.[4]

Geography

Jericho is in Central West Queensland. The town is centrally located in the south of its locality. The Capricorn Highway traverses the locality from west (Garfield/Mexico) to east (Hobartville/Mexico), passing through the town on Darwin Street. The Blackall–Jericho Road commences at the town and exits the locality via the south (Mexico).[5]

The Central Western railway passes through the town and locality, immediately to the south of the highway to the west of the town and immediately to the north of the highway to the east of the town. The town is served by the Jericho railway station on Darwin Street (23°36′06″S 146°07′33″E / 23.6018°S 146.1258°E / -23.6018; 146.1258 (Jericho railway station)).[5][6]

Lagoon Creek rises north of the town and exits the locality to the north-east (Garfield). Jordan Creek enters the locality from the south (Mexico), passes to the immediate east of the town and splits into two branches north of the town, both of which exit the locality to the north (Garfield). All of these watercourses became tributaries to the Alice River in Garfield and contribute to the Lake Eyre drainage basin.[5]

The principal land use outside of the town is grazing on native vegetation.[5]

History

The first exploration by Europeans was by Major Thomas Mitchell who passed through the area in 1846. By the 1850s, settlers had moved in.

The Jordan Creek/River (as it is variously known) was named after Harry Jordan, an early settler in the area.[7]

The town and locality name are derived from the railway station, which had been named Jericho in 1885 by railway surveyor and engineer Willoughby Hannam in a reference to the Biblical town of Jericho being to the west of the Jordan River, since it was the first station to the west of Jordan Creek.[6] The Central Western railway was opened to Jericho on 8 June 1885.[8]

Jericho Post Office opened on 2 July 1885; a receiving office had been open from 1884.[9]

Jericho State School opened on 20 February 1888.[10]

Jericho Methodist Church opened in October 1930.[11] It became the Jericho Uniting Church following the merger of many Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches into the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977, but closed subsequently and is now in private ownership. It was at 15 Davy Street (23°36′21″S 146°07′29″E / 23.6058°S 146.1246°E / -23.6058; 146.1246 (Jericho Methodist Church)).[12][13]

In December 2010, half of the town's houses were inundated by floods.[14]

At the 2011 census, Jericho and the surrounding region had a population of 369.[15]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Jericho had a population of 115 people.[16]

On 22 November 2019 the Queensland Government decided to amalgamate the localities in the Barcaldine Region, resulting in five expanded localities based on the larger towns: Alpha, Aramac, Barcaldine, Jericho and Muttaburra. Jericho was expanded to incorporate Dunrobin (all except the south-west corner), Garfield (all except the western corner), Grant (eastern corner), Hobartville (south-western part), Mexico, and Narbethong (north-east corner).[17][18][19]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Jericho had a population of 229 people.[4]

Facilities

Jericho has a drive in theatre, park, swimming pool, town hall and showground.[20]

Barcaldine Regional Council operates a library at 6 Darwin Street inside the Tourist Information Centre.[21]

The Jericho branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms at 7 Faraday Street.[22]

Education

Jericho State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Pasteur Street (23°36′15″S 146°07′46″E / 23.6042°S 146.1294°E / -23.6042; 146.1294 (Jericho State School)).[23][24] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 9 students with 1 teacher and 4 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).[25]

Tourist attractions

The Crystal Trumpeters monument and the statue of Joshua made of barbed wire are both located within Jericho.[26]

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Jericho (Qld) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
  2. ↑ "Jericho – town in Barcaldine Region (entry 17131)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  3. ↑ "Jericho – locality in Barcaldine Region (entry 47086)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  4. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Jericho (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  6. 1 2 "Jericho – railway station in the Barcaldine Region (entry 17133)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  7. ↑ "Jericho". Barcaldine Regional Council. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  8. ↑ Kerr, John (1990). Triumph of narrow gauge : a history of Queensland Railways. Boolarong Publications. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-86439-102-5.
  9. ↑ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  11. ↑ "JERICHO". Morning Bulletin. No. 20, 562. Queensland, Australia. 29 October 1930. p. 3. Retrieved 22 May 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ↑ "Jericho Uniting Church - Former". Churches Australia. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  13. ↑ "15 Davy Street Jericho Qld 4728". Realestate.com.au. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  14. ↑ Calligeros, Marissa and Cameron Atfield (30 December 2010). "Second Queensland town evacuated due to floodwater". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  15. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Jericho (Jericho Shire) (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  16. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Jericho (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  17. ↑ "Recent place name decisions". Queensland Government. 22 November 2019. Archived from the original on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  18. ↑ "Proposed Locality Boundaries and Names: Barcaldine Regional: Alpha, Aramac, Barcaldine, Jericho and Muttaburra" (PDF). Queensland Government. 17 May 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  19. ↑ "Locality Boundaries and Names: Barcaldine Regional Council: Alpha, Aramac, Barcaldine, Jericho and Muttaburra" (PDF). Queensland Government. 17 May 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  20. ↑ "Jericho". Barcaldine Regional Council. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  21. ↑ "Libraries". Barcaldine Regional Council. Archived from the original on 7 June 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  22. ↑ "Branch locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  23. ↑ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  24. ↑ "Jericho State School". Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  25. ↑ "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  26. ↑ Blythe Moore (14 September 2015). "Outback town pays tribute to biblical heritage with giant statue". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
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