Middlebrook, Queensland

{{Infobox Australian place

| type = suburb

| name = Middlebrook

| city =

| state = qld

| image = Souita Falls, in Middlebrook, Atherton Tablelands, 2013.jpg

| caption = Souita Falls, 2013

| coordinates = {{coord|-17.5677|145.6391|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title|name=Middlebrook (centre of locality)}}

| pop = 62

| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}

| pop_footnotes =

| established =

| postcode = 4886

| area = 22.5

| timezone = AEST

| utc = +10:00

| dist1 = 25.1

| dir1 = ENE

| location1 = Ravenshoe

| dist2 = 54.3

| dir2 = SSE

| location2 = Atherton

| dist3 = 70.6

| dir3 = W

| location3 = Innisfail

| dist4 = 110

| dir4 = SW

| location4 = Cairns

| dist5 = 1682

| dir5 = NNW

| location5 = Brisbane

| lga = Tablelands Region

| stategov = Hill

| fedgov = Kennedy

| near-n = Millaa Millaa

| near-ne = Mungalli

| near-e = Mungalli

| near-se = Wooroonooran

| near-s = Palmerston

| near-sw = Maalan

| near-w = Beatrice

| near-nw = Beatrice

}}

Middlebrook is a rural locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia.{{cite QPN|48755|Middlebrook|locality in Tablelands Region|accessdate=30 October 2019}} In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Middlebrook had a population of 62 people.

Geography

Middlebrook is on the Atherton Tableland with elevations ranging from {{Convert|520 to 1020|m}}.

The locality is bounded to the west by the road Beatrice Way (a segment of the old Palmerston Highway) and to the north and east by the Beatrice River.{{Cite web |date=17 January 2020 |title=New Name for Old Palmerston Highway |url=https://www.theexpressnewspaper.com.au/new-name-for-old-palmerston-highway-2020-01-17 |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=The Express Newspaper Mareeba, Atherton, Cooktown, Kuranda, the Tablelands & the Far North |language=en |archive-date=20 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120042724/https://www.theexpressnewspaper.com.au/new-name-for-old-palmerston-highway-2020-01-17 |url-status=live }}

The creek Middle Brook rises in neighbouring Beatrice to the west and flows through Middlebrook from the west to the south-east, exiting to Wooroonooran where it becomes a tributary of the Beatrice River and ultimately the Johnstone River, flowing into the Coral Sea.{{Cite QPN|21813|Middle Brook|watercourse in the TablelandsRegion|access-date=25 November 2023}}

The north, east and south-west of the locality are the higher more mountainous areas and are undeveloped land. The west, centre, and south of the locality are low-lying flatter where the land use is grazing on native vegetation.

History

In 1922, local people requested a school in Middlebrook, claiming there were 25 children in the district.{{cite news |date=16 December 1922 |title=NEWS OF THE NORTH |volume=XXXV |page=12 |newspaper=Cairns Post |issue=4450 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article40180619 |accessdate=25 November 2023 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=24 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124221259/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/40180619 |url-status=live }} However, it was not until January 1935 that a site was chosen and approval was given to erect a school building capable of accommodating 40 students.{{cite news |date=23 January 1935 |title=STATE SCHOOL. |page=8 |newspaper=Cairns Post |issue=10,284 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41537319 |accessdate=25 November 2023 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=24 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124221320/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/41537319 |url-status=live }} It was also necessary to extend Middlebrook Road and build a bridge over a creek to make the school accessible.{{cite news |date=31 July 1935 |title=MIDDLEBROOK. |page=6 |newspaper=Cairns Post |issue=10,445 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41565518 |accessdate=25 November 2023 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=24 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124221327/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/41565518 |url-status=live }} Middlebrook Road State School (also known as Middlebook State School) opened on 2 September 1935 with Charles Mathew Connolly as the first head teacher. It closed circa 14 December 1945. The school building was relocated to Millaa Millaa State School and a bus service was provided to transport the students to Millaa Millaa to attend school each day.{{Citation|author1=Queensland Family History Society|title=Queensland schools past and present|publication-date=2010|edition=Version 1.01|publisher=Queensland Family History Society|isbn=978-1-921171-26-0}}{{Cite QSA Agency|8799|Middlebrook Road State School|1 November 2019

}}{{cite news |date=30 May 1945 |title=MILLAA MILLAA NOTES |page=4 |newspaper=Cairns Post |issue=13,492 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42451894 |accessdate=25 November 2023 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=24 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124221259/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/42451894 |url-status=live }} The school was located on the eastern corner of Middlebrook Road and Barter Road (approx {{Coord|-17.56298|145.64042|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Middlebrook Road State School (former)}}).{{Cite web |date=1944 |title=Palmerston |url=https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/topographic/topo-map-1mile-military-line-colour-palmerston-1944/original |access-date=25 November 2023 |publisher=Queensland Government |type=Map |archive-date=24 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124221411/https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/topographic/topo-map-1mile-military-line-colour-palmerston-1944/original |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=1943 |title=Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m404 |url=https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/cadastral/cad-map-2mile-qld-2m404-surv-control-1943/original |access-date=25 November 2023 |publisher=Queensland Government |type=Map |archive-date=8 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231008035630/https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/cadastral/cad-map-2mile-qld-2m404-surv-control-1943/original |url-status=live }}{{Queensland Globe|access-date=24 November 2023}}

Demographics

In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, Middlebrook had a population of 55 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC31841|name=Middlebrook (SSC)|access-date=20 October 2018|quick=on}}

In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Middlebrook had a population of 62 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL31824|name=Middlebrook (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}

Education

There are no schools in Middlebrook. The nearest government primary school is Millaa Millaa State School in neighbouring Millaa Millaa to the north. The nearest government secondary school is Ravenshoe State High School in Ravenshoe to south-west.

Attractions

There are two waterfalls on Middle Brook:

Papina Falls (also called Pepina Falls) off Beatrice Way ({{coord|-17.57|145.6091|type:waterbody_region:AU-QLD|name=Papina Falls}}){{cite QPN|26018|Papina Falls|waterfall in Tablelands Regional|access-date=2 October 2023}}{{Google maps|access-date=25 November 2023|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/17%C2%B034'12.0%22S+145%C2%B036'32.8%22E/@-17.5694488,145.6087136,3a,29.2y,160.24h,85.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slIvpkWy-BR0pbhFqnGvpxg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d-17.57!4d145.6091?authuser=0&entry=tts|title=Papina Falls (aka Pepina Falls)|date=November 2022}}{{Cite web |title=Pepina Falls |url=https://tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au/listing/product/pepina-falls/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Cairns & Great Barrier Reef |language=en-AU |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113190323/https://tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au/listing/product/pepina-falls/ |url-status=live }}

Souita Falls off Barter Road ({{coord|-17.5652|145.6436|type:waterbody_region:AU-QLD|name=Souita Falls}}){{cite QPN|31411|Souita Falls|waterfall in Tablelands Regional|access-date=2 October 2023}}{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/17%C2%B033'54.7%22S+145%C2%B038'37.0%22E/@-17.5655133,145.6432502,3a,90y,347.87h,93.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s7KbJrROGa2smU1wKKrZwnA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d-17.5652!4d145.6436?authuser=0&entry=tts|access-date=25 November 2023|title=Souita Falls|date=October 2021}}{{Cite web |title=Souita Falls |url=https://tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au/listing/product/souita-falls/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=Cairns & Great Barrier Reef |language=en-AU |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113190355/https://tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au/listing/product/souita-falls/ |url-status=live }}

References

Category:Tablelands Region

Category:Localities in Queensland