Mutchilba, Queensland

Mutchilba is on the Atherton Tableland, {{convert|98|km}} south-west of Cairns via the Captain Cook Highway, Kennedy Highway and State Route 27. From further west it can be accessed via the Burke Developmental Road.

The town is located in the north-west of the locality on the Mareeba-Dimbulah Road {{convert|34|km|mi}} west of Mareeba.

The Great Dividing Range forms part of the eastern boundary of the locality, and the locality has the following mountains (from west to east):{{Queensland Globe|access-date=26 November 2022}}

• Mount Masterton ({{coord|-17.1631|145.2766|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Mount Masterton}}) {{convert|849|m}}{{cite QPN|21205|Mount Masterton|mountain in Mareeba Shire|access-date=25 November 2020}}
• Wog Hill ({{coord|-17.1946|145.3180|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Wog Hill}}) {{convert|769|m}}{{cite QPN|37804|Wog Hill|mountain in Mareeba Shire|access-date=25 November 2020}}
• Hoot Hill ({{coord|-17.1951|145.3632|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Hoot Hill}}) {{convert|847|m}}{{Cite web |date=12 November 2020 |title=Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/06ff12a9-862e-4aac-bf9d-693f0a63b4c9 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125215033/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/06ff12a9-862e-4aac-bf9d-693f0a63b4c9 |archive-date=25 November 2020 |access-date=25 November 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}{{cite QPN|16102|Hoot Hill|mountain in Mareeba Shire|access-date=25 November 2020}}
• Mount Emerald ({{coord|-17.2035|145.4058|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Mount Emerald}}) {{convert|1124|m}}{{cite QPN|11608|Mount Emerald|mountain in Mareeba Shire|access-date=25 November 2020}}

The Tablelands railway line enters the locality from the north-east (Arriga), passes through the town, and exits to the west (Dimbulah). Historically, the locality was served by many railway station, but all are now abandoned (from west to east):

• Piemonte railway station ({{coord|-17.1324|145.1654|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Piemonte railway station}})
• Fumar railway station ({{coord|-17.1335|145.1796|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Fumar railway station}})
• Mutchilba railway station ({{coord|-17.1376|145.2079|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Mutchilba railway station}})
• Algoma railway station ({{coord|-17.1389|145.2303|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Algoma railway station}}){{Cite web |date=2 October 2020 |title=Railway stations and sidings - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005070354/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |archive-date=5 October 2020 |access-date=5 October 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}
• Parada railway station ({{coord|-17.1396|145.2481|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Parada railway station}})
• Lemonside railway station ({{coord|-17.1367|145.2539|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Lemonside railway station}})
• Bontaba railway station ({{coord|-17.1207|145.2734|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Bontaba railway station}})
• Tabacum railway station ({{coord|-17.1117|145.2964|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Tabacum railway station}})

Mutchilba railway station was named on 2 March 1923 by the Queensland Railways Department using an Aboriginal word meaning big dead tree.{{Cite QPN|23670|Mutchilba|railway station in the Shire of Mareeba|accessdate=1 November 2019}}

Mutchilba State School opened on 21 August 1939.{{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 web |date=2020-01-17 |title=Our school |url=https://mutchilbass.eq.edu.au/our-school |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=Mutchilba State School |language=en}}

A design plan for the town of Mutchilba was prepared in August 1954 as part of the development of the Mareeba-Dimbula irritation area.{{cite news |date=4 November 1954 |title=TOWNSHIP AT MUTCHILBA |page=1 |newspaper=Cairns Post |issue=16,427 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42845054 |accessdate=25 November 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} The first town allotments were surveyed in March 1955.

Mutchilba Post Office opened on 1 March 1956 (a telegraph office had been open from 1936).{{Cite web | last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | publisher = Premier Postal Auctions | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=QLD&country= | accessdate = 10 May 2014}}

The town was downgraded by the Mareeba Shire Council in 1999 and has been officially a part of Dimbulah, Queensland since then.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/7262317/Wiped-off-the-map-Mutchilba-fights-back Wiped off the map, Mutchilba fights back] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126075647/http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/7262317/Wiped-off-the-map-Mutchilba-fights-back |date=26 November 2022 }} stuff.co.nz, 11 July 2012 On 12 October 2012 it was announced that the town is again officially recognised in the Queensland place names database.Tony Moore, [http://www.theage.com.au/queensland/mutchilba-back-on-the-map-20121012-27h71.html Mutchilba back on the map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126075657/https://www.theage.com.au/national/queensland/mutchilba-back-on-the-map-20121012-27h71.html |date=26 November 2022 }}, The Age, 13 October 2012

Between 2008 and 2013, Mutchilba (along with the rest of the Shire of Mareeba) was within the Tablelands Region.{{cite web |title=De-amalgamation |url=http://www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/bc/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826155025/http://www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/bc |archive-date=26 August 2013 |access-date=14 August 2013 |publisher=Queensland Government |df=dmy-all}}

In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, the locality of Mutchilba had a population of 495 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC32110|name=Mutchilba (SSC)|accessdate=20 October 2018|quick=on}}

In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Mutchilba had a population of 627 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL32092|name=Mutchilba (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}

Mutchilba is known for its large production of mangoes.{{Cite web |title=Australian mango |url=https://rockycreekorchards.com.au/produce/mango |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=Rocky Creek Orchards |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Furner |first=Mark |date=2022-07-20 |title=Mango Road leads to good taste and good jobs |url=https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/95791 |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=Media statements |publisher=Queensland Government}}

Despite the name, the Mount Emerald Wind Farm is not in Mutchilba, but is on the north-western slopes of Mount Emerald in the neighbouring locality of Arriga.{{Cite web |title=Mount Emerald Wind Farm |url=https://mtemeraldwindfarm.com.au/ |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=Mt Emerald Wind Farm |language=en-GB}}

File:Mutchilba State School, 2022.jpg

File:Mutchilba QLD 4872, Australia - panoramio (1).jpg

Mutchilba State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 33 Marsterson Street ({{coord|-17.1393|145.2120|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Mutchilba State School}}).{{cite web |date=9 July 2018 |title=State and non-state school details |url=https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121065959/https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997 |archive-date=21 November 2018 |access-date=21 November 2018 |publisher=Queensland Government}}{{Cite web |date=2020-01-17 |title=Mutchilba State School |url=https://mutchilbass.eq.edu.au/ |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=Mutchilba State School |language=en}} In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 24 students with 2 teachers and 4 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).{{cite web |title=ACARA School Profile 2017 |url=http://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-20172c7b12404c94637ead88ff00003e0139.xlsx?sfvrsn=0 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122010027/http://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-20172c7b12404c94637ead88ff00003e0139.xlsx?sfvrsn=0 |archivedate=22 November 2018 |accessdate=22 November 2018}} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 20 students with 4 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).{{cite web |title=ACARA School Profile 2018 |url=https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-2018.xlsx |access-date=28 January 2020 |publisher=Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority}}

There are no secondary schools in Mutchilba. The nearest government secondary schools are Dimbulah State School (to Year 10) in neighbouring Dimbulah to the west and Mareeba State High School (to Year 12) in Mareeba to the north-east.

St Joseph's Catholic Church is in Masterson Street. It is within the Dimbulah Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns which is administered from the Atherton parish.{{Cite web|title=Dimbulah Parish|url=http://www.cairns.catholic.org.au/parishes/dimbulah.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118133246/http://www.cairns.catholic.org.au/parishes/dimbulah.html|archive-date=18 November 2020|access-date=18 November 2020|website=Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns}}

Mutchilba is known for the "Mango Mardi Gras", which is a celebration of the many mango farms in the region.{{Cite web|last=Moore|first=Tony|date=2012-07-10|title=Wiped off the map, Mutchilba fights back|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/wiped-off-the-map-mutchilba-fights-back-20120710-21thc.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118230002/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/wiped-off-the-map-mutchilba-fights-back-20120710-21thc.html|archive-date=2020-11-18|access-date=2020-11-18|website=Brisbane Times|language=en}}

The Feast of St Joseph is celebrated by the Catholic church on the first Friday of March with a mass followed by a barbeque.

{{reflist}}

• {{Citation |title=Mutchilba State School : 50th Jubilee, 1939 - 1989 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/250191797 |publication-date=1990 |publisher=Mutchilba State School}}
• {{Citation |author1=Marletta, Cesare |title=Italians in the Dimbulah-Mutchilba Region, 1930-1970 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/24183548 |publication-date=1993 |publisher=Cesare Marletta}}

{{Commons category|Mutchilba, Queensland}}

• {{cite web |date=1978 |title=Town map of Mutchilba |url=https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-town-mutchilba-1978.jpg |publisher=Queensland Government}}

{{Shire of Mareeba}}

{{Atherton Tableland nav box}}

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Category:Populated places in Far North Queensland

Category:Towns in Queensland

Category:Shire of Mareeba

Category:Localities in Queensland