Dimbulah Station

Address: Baker Street, Dimbulah Q. 4872

Locality Profile

Geographic location of the division:

Dimbulah is situated on the northern side of the Atherton Tablelands within the Mareeba District in the Far Northern Region. From Dimbulah, it is about thirty minutes to Mareeba and ninety minutes to Cairns. It is situated approximately 2000 kilometres from Brisbane. The main road passing through Dimbulah is the Burke Developmental Road. This road continues on to Chillagoe with access to the Gulf Region of Queensland. The divisional neighbours to Dimbulah are Mareeba to the east, Mt Molloy and Laura (Cairns Division) to the North, Mount Garnet to the southwest and Herberton to the south. The Walsh River flows through the centre of the division.

Dimbulah is an aboriginal word meaning "Long Waterhole" and is possibly attributed to the fact there is a river nearby called the Walsh River. Dimbulah was first settled when gold was discovered on the Hodgkinson area to the north in 1876. Situated about 1 1/2 hours drive from Cairns which has all the amenities of a big city.

For photographs of the division, please see below.

Approximate size in square kilometres of division:

Dimbulah is a large division, with the boundaries being twenty-five kilometres to the east with Mareeba, and forty kilometres to the south with Herberton, sixty kilometres to the west with Chillagoe and sixty kilometres to the north with Laura.

Climate:

The climate of Dimbulah is quite comfortable, with minimums during winter getting as low as zero degrees at times and ranging to maximum of high thirties to low forties during summer. There is relatively low humidity in comparison to coastal areas, which makes the climate enjoyable. The dry season runs from around late May until November with storms from November through to the wet season in the early months of the year.

Topography:

The area surrounding Dimbulah is light bushland with open cattle grazing country. The immediate area surrounding Dimbulah and east to boundary with Mareeba is farmland, obtaining their water supply from the Mareeba-Dimbulah irrigation scheme through channelling of water from Lake Tinaroo in the Atherton Division.

Distance from Cairns:

Dimbulah is approximately 100 kilometres from Cairns with access via the Kuranda Range through Mareeba. The road to Mareeba is generally all weather except in extreme circumstances. The Kuranda range is susceptible to closure during weather extremes. The drive to Cairns takes about seventy-five minutes.

Information about population numbers and their geographic spread throughout the division:

The population of Dimbulah is about 500 people. A high proportion of these persons are of European background, their ancestors having immigrated to Australia. Mutchilba is another small centre with approximately fifty people residing in the small township. The remainder of divisional population of approximately 1000 people reside on small farms. The division has some large cattle properties within the boundaries. Historical Profile

Background history of the Division:

The name Dimbulah is an aboriginal term for "long water hole" referring to the Walsh River, which runs from Herberton to the south of Dimbulah on the Atherton Tableland, through Dimbulah to the gulf country west of Chillagoe. Dimbulah was at first set up purely as a railhead between the mining towns of Chillagoe and Mt Mulligan. The areas surrounding Dimbulah were once mined for minerals such as Wolfram (Tungsten), coal and gold and the Ports at Cooktown, Port Douglas and Cairns grew to accommodate this industry in the late 1800s. The Dimbulah police station is the old Mt Mulligan Court House, which was transported, via rail, to Dimbulah in about 1957. Mt Mulligan was a mining town first laid out in 1913 north of Dimbulah. In 1921 an explosion in the mine killed seventy-five miners and eventually it closed in 1957. The now semi-deserted areas of Kingsborough, Wolfram Camp and Thornborough once had established police stations. Today all that is left are old cemeteries, mining pits and quarries with a few people still residing at these locations. The areas surrounding Dimbulah to the west, such as Petford and Emuford were also once large tin mining areas. However, these areas were eventually abandoned with the decrease of tin prices in the mid 1950's. In the 1880s on the banks of the Hodgkinson at Thornborough a minor war erupted with European gold miners fighting and killing a number of Chinese miners who had attempted to jump one persons claim. Fifty-seven Chinese miners were killed in the melee and five Europeans were killed with twelve severely injured.

In the late 1950's the areas surrounding Dimbulah was opened up for farming purposes and immigrants from Italy and Croatia commenced farms in the area, growing tobacco. The water irrigating these farms came from the Tinaroo dam; over an hours drive away at Lake Tinaroo via a series of channels, which still today is regarded as a major engineering achievement.

Police Station & Facilities

Hours of operation:

The hours of operation at Dimbulah are at the discretion of the Officer in Charge. At present the station is open for business from 10am to 12 midday each Monday and Tuesday or by appointment.

The Dimbulah station is a two-officer station with a Sergeant (OIC) and a Senior Constable. Generally the Senior Constable will relieve as OIC whenever the Sergeant is absent.

Adjacent divisions and travel time by road to those divisional stations:

Mareeba is the nearest of all neighbouring divisions, the divisional boundary being twenty-five kilometres to the east. The divisional boundary with Chillagoe is

approximately fifty kilometres to the west, with Chillagoe itself being eighty kilometres away. The divisional boundary with Mount Molloy and Laura to the north is approximately sixty kilometres, with Mount Molloy being approximately ninety kilometres away. Herberton division, although only approximately thirty kilometres away, has no primary road to it and access is by four-wheel-drive track through Stannary Hills. Access to Mount Garnet is also limited, and approximately sixty kilometres away. Access is via the Lappa Road, an old four-wheel-drive track.

Distance in kilometres and travel time by road from the District Office:

The District Office is approximately fifty kilometres by road. The District watchhouse is also at Mareeba.

Banking

Names of banks with branches or agencies represented in the division:

Most of the banking within the community is carried out at Mareeba. Commonwealth Agency only at post office. EFTPOS Facility is available at supermarket.

Are EFTPOS facilities available?:

EFTPOS is available at most outlets in town, the hotel, Dimbulah Supermarket and post office.

Any agencies for QPS Credit Union:

Nil.

Churches

List of Churches represented in the division:

There is one Catholic church in Dimbulah, St Anthony's. Another Catholic church (St Josephs) is situated in Mutchilba, approximately fifteen 15 kilometres to the east, where mass is held once per week. Mass is held at St Anthony's on a regular basis.

There is also an Assembly of God group in the district that meets once per month. There is a high percentage of Catholics in this community due to their Croatian and Italian background. No other denominations are catered for; however Mareeba is not far away.

Communications

Telephone services:

Normal landline telephone and CDMA mobile telephone services are available. Satellite phones operate successfully throughout the division.

Radio stations:

There is good reception for ABC radio and the local tablelands radio station 4AM.

Television stations:

ABC; SBS; WIN; TEN; SEVEN and Austar are available with a dish installed at both residences.

Internet services and providers:

Internet service is good, with a wide variety of internet providers available who all charge local call cost connections, guaranteeing local call access at 48.000 to 50.000bps.

Education

List of education facilities:

There is a Kindergarten which operates two days per week, and a pre school operating two and a half days per week. The Catholic Convent School caters for Years 1-7. The State primary school also offers primary Years 1-7, and full secondary education through to Year 10 at the State High School which has a high standard of schooling for a town of this type. Mutchilba State Primary School operates to the east of Dimbulah. It is a small school with about thirty students and three teaching staff, and is situated about fifteen kilometres away from Dimbulah. Another primary school (Petford Primary State School) was closed in 1996 due to the decrease in enrolled students.

Year 11 and 12 students travel to Mareeba State High School via school bus each day. Schools often prefer police officers to be married with children in order to raise the numbers of students enrolled.

Ancillary information

Electricity supply:

A full 240 volt electricity service is provided by Ergon Energy.

Reliability of supply:

Blackouts often occur throughout the year.

Type and quality of water supply:

Water supply is via channel water (from Tinaroo Dam). Pressure is low.

Type of sewerage:

Septic tanks installed in both residences and police station

Industry / Employment

Local industry and employment opportunities:

The major employment opportunity in this police district is seasonal fruit picking work. Itinerant labourers have a chance to work on mango picking and other small crops (avocados, lychees, peaches, etc.) for several months. Employment opportunities for spouses are limited to clerical work in schools. Mareeba township offers a wide variety of employment prospects.

Leisure Activities

Dimbulah township has a hotel, a Bowls Club, and a Croatian Community Centre. The Dimbulah Memorial Hall is utilised for community functions such as line dancing.

Fishing, camping and pig hunting are the major recreational activities conducted in this area.

Dimbulah provides for most sporting activities. Soccer is the primary sport providing both senior and junior facilities. An excellent tennis facility exists and club is well-supported. The Dimbulah Pony Club also provides facilities and has four major gymkhanas per year. The Dimbulah Youth Action Group has recently completed a BMX track. A Tae Kwon Do club also operates every Tuesday night.

Tourist Activities:

The Walsh river provides ideal camping areas throughout its course through the division. Camping and historical tours are available at Mt Mulligan and Tyrconnel Mines.

Fresh Food on the Tablelands

One of the great things about living near the Atherton Tablelands are the markets held each weekend selling fresh produce, crafts and just about anything.

Farms also, often sell their produce on the side of the road. In season, fruit, vegetables and flowers abound. Crops include mangos, lychees, potatoes; avocados water melons, pumpkins; bananas and roses.

For a list of all the market days, please see below. There is always a market to visit, every weekend.

Annual events:

The only annual event held at Dimbulah is the Dimbulah Lions Festival, being held over one day in the fourth weekend in May each year.

A new event known as the Wheelbarrow race, involving competitors pushing wheelbarrows from Mareeba to Chillagoe is in its infancy and is expected to grow to become a major event

Local Government

Name of local council/shire:

Local authority is the Mareeba Shire Council, which is located in Mareeba. Local council workers operate from a depot in Dimbulah.

Medical and Veterinary Facilities

Dimbulah has a hospital clinic operated by a nursing sister only. A doctor from Mareeba attends one day per week. There is a two-officer, modern ambulance centre in the township. Major health concerns are referred to Mareeba Hospital, thirty minutes away. There are no dentists in the town, and all needs in this area are addressed in Mareeba, fifty kilometres away. The township has a chemist. When extreme medical emergencies occur, this area is serviced by the QES helicopter based at Cairns and lands on the soccer fields within the town itself, or other locations in and around the town that are suitable for this type of evacuation.

Other Government Agencies

Federal and State government agencies:

Nil

Court facilities:

The nearest court is the Mareeba Magistrates Court, which operates once a week for mention matters. The Superior Courts are held in Cairns. A court calendar is displayed in the station and a copy in the vehicle.

Other Emergency Services:

The Dimbulah Auxiliary Fire Brigade operates on a call-out basis only and consists of approximately ten officers who attend to training nights on a regular basis. These officers are also trained in various methods of rescue and extraction of injured persons from motor vehicle and work closely with police attached to this station.

Several various local rural fire brigade units are available for fighting bush fires that occur during the drier months of the year. All the members are volunteer members and most are farmers and assist each other in fire prevention and control.

Work undertaken by QPS for other Agencies or Services:

The police service facilitates the role of the Department of Transport services at Dimbulah. These services include driver licensing, vehicle registrations and CTP insurance. Dimbulah police conducts a small amount of Justice Department business.

Shopping

Available Supermarkets and Chain Stores:

Dimbulah has an excellent small supermarket and a local butcher.

Availability of Fresh Produce:

Excellent fresh produce is available from the local supermarket daily. Access to hairdresser, haberdashery and clothing stores:

There is a local hairdresser in Dimbulah, however all other haberdashery and clothing stores can be accessed in Mareeba or Cairns.

Petrol & Diesel:

There are three petrol stations in the town, with Myers Transport providing all hours fuel for police use through use of a key to operate the bowser.

Transportation

Available Public Transportation:

Nil

Availability of air travel facilities:

Nil

Access to sea travel facilities:

Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and tourist from around the world visit the region to marvel at the marine park. Access by sea from Cairns is via numerous tourist operators.

Access to rail travel facilities:

Nil

Road conditions:

The main highway is bitumen throughout the division. The majority of other roads with the division are accessible by conventional vehicle, however some roads during the wet season are recommended for four-wheel-drive only. With the Walsh River bisecting the division, access to areas north of the Walsh are limited during the wet season by four-wheel-drive vehicles only.

Search and Rescue activities:

The District has trained SARMAC personnel.

Other Community Groups / Organisations

Other Community groups and organisations found in this Division:

Dimbulah has a strong Lions club.

Other Comments on Division

There are few problems in the community. The high socio-economic standard of living, and low unemployment rate within the division, results in few domestics, disturbances, or alcohol related violence.

Traffic duties are a regular part of activities performed through the division, in an aim to reduce the traffic accidents on the Burke Developmental Road.

Long weekends and school holidays tend to create an influx of people to the division who take advantage of the excellent camping activities available at throughout Dimbulah and Chillagoe Divisions.

Generally, police in the division are regarded highly and provide a high policing presence throughout the division. Police provide maximum assistance to schools throughout the division and are often asked to participate in school functions. Police are kept up to date with occurrences throughout the division by local support from the community.

Dimbulah Surrounds Photos Page 1

DIMBULAH SURROUNDS

Forty (40) kilometres west of Mareeba is Dimbulah. Dimbulah is an aboriginal word meaning "Long Waterhole" and is possibly attributed to the fact there is a river nearby called the Walsh River. Dimbulah was first settled when gold was discovered in the Hodgkinson area to the north in 1876. Within a year, thousands had flocked to the Hodgkinson fields and cattle runs were established to provide food for the miners. It became the centre for miners respectively in the Wolfram Camp and Hodgkinson areas. After World War II tobacco became a dominant crop and remained so until Government policies influenced sales in recent years. This change has forced alternative crops such as Tea Trees, Navy Beans and Tropical Fruits to be introduced to help overcome the demise of the Tobacco Industry. The town enjoys a relatively good environment and has most amenities including an Olympic standard swimming pool. To the north, Dimbulah Division is dominated by a mountainous area which includes Mt Mulligan, famous for being the site of the second worst mine disaster in Australia’s history. The area is well worth a visit for its natural beauty, but also for the chance to pan or dig for gold which is still can be found.

Mt Mulligan Escarpment

Main Street of Dimbulah – Looking West

An Iconic Statue – Main Street

Dimbulah Surrounds Photos Page 2

The Dimbulah area is a Metal Detector’s delight

Mt. Mulligan

Emu Creek – great camping

Camping Area near Mt Mulligan

The remains of Gold Diggings

Thornborough

Old Gold Mining Town – still being mined by

locals.

Dimbulah Surrounds Photos Page 3

Mine Workings

Waterfall on top of the escarpment at Mt Mulligan

Billabong near Mt Mulligan

Emu Creek Station

Crystal Clear Creek in Division

Emu Creek

Dimbulah Surrounds Photos Page 4

Mt.Mulligan – Near the Mine Entrance

Koondaparinga Aboriginal Outstation

From Kondaparinga – looking South

Mt. Mulligan Cemetery – Site of the burial of miners of Australia’s Second Worst Mine

Disaster

Gravesites at Mt.Mulligan

A Memorial to the Disaster

Dimbulah Surrounds Photos Page 5

Cages from Tryconnell Mine

Equipment left over from the Tryconnell Mine

Gold nuggets

The yearly Wheelbarrow Race is conducted through the Division from Mareeba to

Chillagoe

Dimbulah – Just to the west of Mareeba and Cairns