Barcaldine Downs

Barcaldine Downs is a former rural locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2] In the 2016 census, Barcaldine Downs had a population of 14 people.^[1]

Barcaldine Downs Queensland
Barcaldine Downs Station homestead
Barcaldine Downs
Coordinates	23.8019°S 144.9788°E / -23.8019; 144.9788
Population	14 (2016 census)[1]
• Density	0.0113/km2 (0.0292/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4725
Area	1,239.7 km2 (478.7 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	47.6 km (30 mi) SW of Barcaldine 133 km (83 mi) SE of Longreach 627 km (390 mi) W of Rockhampton 1,107 km (688 mi) NW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Barcaldine Region
State electorate(s)	Gregory
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Suburbs around Barcaldine Downs: Tara Station Tara Station Barcaldine Ilfracombe Barcaldine Downs Patrick Ilfracombe Moombria Home Creek

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. Barcaldine Downs was incorporated into Barcaldine.^[3][4][5]

Geography

The Barcaldine Isisford Road passes through the locality, entering the locality from the north-east (Barcaldine) and exits to the south-west (Ilfracombe).^[6]

The Alice River flows through the locality entering the locality from the east (Patrick) and exiting to the south on the boundary of Ilfracombe and Moombria where it becomes a tributary to the Barcoo River.^[6]

The principal land use is grazing on native vegetation.^[6]

History

The locality is presumably named after the large pastoral property Barcaldine Downs within its boundaries. It was established as a sheep station in 1863 by Donald Charles Cameron, whose family property in Ayrshire, Scotland, which was named for Barcaldine, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.^[7][8]

Education

There are no schools in Barcaldine Downs. The nearest primary schools are in Barcaldine, Isisford and Ilfracombe. The nearest secondary schools are in Barcaldine and Longreach.^[6]