45-576: Download coordinates as: Mareeba / m ə ˈ r iː b ə / is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Mareeba in Far North Queensland , Australia. Between 2008 and 2013, it was within the Tablelands Region . The town's name is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning meeting of the waters . In the 2021 census , the locality of Mareeba had a population of 11,825 people. The town
90-457: A special education program. St Thomas' School is a Catholic primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 63 Constance Street ( 16°59′43″S 145°25′31″E / 16.9952°S 145.4254°E / -16.9952; 145.4254 ( St Thomas' School ) ). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 426 students with 33 teachers (26 full-time equivalent) and 27 non-teaching staff (15 full-time equivalent). Mareeba State High School
135-578: A tropical savanna climate ( Köppen: Aw), with a short, hot wet season from December to March and a lengthy, warm dry season from April to November. Due to its elevation, average minima are lowered: ranging from 14.0 °C (57.2 °F) in August to 21.5 °C (70.7 °F) in January to February. In addition, due to being in a rain shadow , average annual rainfall is only 875.9 mm (34.48 in). Despite Mareeba township's tagline reading "300 sunny days
180-720: A Catholic church. Both are within the Mareeba Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns . The Mareeba Mosque is at 108 Walsh Street. Mareeba is serviced by the following radio stations: Tourist attractions in the Mareeba Shire include the Golden Drop Mango Winery, Jaques Coffee Plantation, Coffee Works, Mareeba Heritage Museum, Mareeba Rock Wallabies and Granite Gorge Nature Park, Emerald Creek Falls, and Davies Creek Falls. The Mareeba Rodeo and Festival
225-581: A bomber and maritime patrol squadron that operated during World War II. Raised in early 1942 from the remnants of a British unit that had been destroyed in Malaya, the squadron flew Bristol Beauforts from bases in Queensland and New Guinea, undertaking torpedo- and level-bombing sorties against Japanese targets in the Pacific theatre . Following the conclusion of hostilities, the squadron was disbanded in August 1946. It
270-511: A busy town. Mareeba Post Office opened on 25 August 1893 (a receiving office named Granite Creek had been open from 1891). A Mareeba Diggings Post Office opened by 1893 and closed in 1905. Mareeba State School opened on 28 August 1893. St Thomas of Villanova Catholic School opened on 1 January 1909. St Thomas' celebrated their centenary in 2009. The Mareeba parish of the Roman Catholic Vicariate Apostolic of Cooktown (now
315-513: A convoy returning from Lae was intercepted by six Beauforts off Gasmata . A Japanese cruiser was believed sunk in the action, for the loss of two aircraft. Flying from bases in eastern New Guinea No. 100 Squadron flew reconnaissance patrols and anti-shipping and bombing missions against the Japanese in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea mainland. Eight aircraft from the squadron participated in
360-616: A major refurbishment in 1985 and minor refurbishment in 2013. The Mareeba branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the CWA Hall on the corner of Dempster Street and Wilkes Street. The Cairns Aerial Outpost branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 15 Wilson Street. St Thomas of Villanova's Catholic Church is at 59 Constance Street. St Stephen's College at Lot 3 McIver Road also has
405-435: A population of 10,181 people. In the 2016 census , the locality of Mareeba had a population of 11,079 people. Mareeba includes the largest Italian Australian community of any suburb in Queensland, numbering 1,608 individuals and making up 10.8% of the town's population. In the 2021 census , the locality of Mareeba had a population of 11,825 people. Mareeba has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Mareeba has
450-505: A procession through various streets of Mareeba and culminates in a fireworks display. Suburbs and localities (Australia) Suburbs and localities are the names of geographic subdivisions in Australia , used mainly for address purposes. The term locality is used in rural areas, while the term suburb is used in urban areas. Australian postcodes closely align with the boundaries of localities and suburbs. This Australian usage of
495-639: A staging post for battles in New Guinea and the South West Pacific theatre . The Americans referred to it as Hoevet Field in honour of Major Dean Carol "Pinky" Hoevet who was killed on 16 August 1942. Units that were based at Mareeba included No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), No. 100 Squadron RAAF , the Australian 33rd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, the 19th Bomb Group of
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#1732852046789540-486: A year", and its reputation as a sunny place, Mareeba only receives 86.2 clear days annually. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 40.7 °C (105.3 °F) on 5 January 1994 to 0.4 °C (32.7 °F) on 28 June 1963. Temperature, rainfall and 3 pm conditions were taken from the new Mareeba Airport weather station, which opened in 2000. Meanwhile, extreme temperature data was combined from Mareeba's QWRC, old Airport and new Airport weather stations. In addition, sun data
585-569: Is 417 metres (1,368 ft) above sea level on the confluence of the Barron River , Granite Creek and Emerald Creek. The town's main street is the Mulligan Highway which branches off from the Kennedy Highway when coming in from Cairns (63.3 km; 40 miles) away passing localities such as Speewah , Kuranda and Barron Gorge . The Tablelands railway line enters the locality from
630-402: Is a Catholic secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 3 McIver Road ( 17°01′03″S 145°25′11″E / 17.0176°S 145.4198°E / -17.0176; 145.4198 ( St Stephen's Catholic College ) ). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 555 students with 57 teachers (48 full-time equivalent) and 32 non-teaching staff (22 full-time equivalent). Mareeba Hospital
675-454: Is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at Jasper Street ( 16°59′45″S 145°24′59″E / 16.9958°S 145.4163°E / -16.9958; 145.4163 ( Mareeba State High School ) ). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 732 students with 70 teachers (66 full-time equivalent) and 45 non-teaching staff (33 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program. St Stephen's Catholic College
720-485: Is also home to an Albanian Australian community that dates from the interwar period. Built by local Albanian Australians, the Mareeba Mosque was opened on Anzac Day , 1970 and is dedicated to Australian soldiers who lost their lives in war. On 24 January 2006, St Stephen's Catholic College opened after a nearly 10-year approval process regarding the provision of Catholic secondary education. In October 2011, most of
765-649: Is held annually, with the first Affiliated Mareeba Rodeo held in July 1949 (which is now the home ground of the Gladiators Rugby league team). The rodeo is hosted at the Kerribee Park Rodeo Grounds, located slightly out of town on route to Dimbulah. In 2014, the attendance was 13,000, almost double the town's normal population. A parade through the town is held, and the Rodeo Queen is crowned (the first Princess
810-623: Is in the Tablelands Health District. It provides 52 beds, with surgical, maternity, pediatric, outpatient, emergency and x-ray facilities. Mareeba Gladiators are the local rugby league team. The Gladiators participate in the Cairns District Rugby League competition. They last won the Premiership in 2007. Mareeba Shire Council operates a public library at 221 Byrnes Street. The library facility opened in 1958, with
855-459: Is split between the City of Newcastle and City of Lake Macquarie LGAs; and Woodville , which is split between the City of Maitland and Port Stephens Council LGAs. In unincorporated areas , localities are declared by the relevant state authority. No. 100 Squadron RAAF No. 100 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) historic aircraft display squadron. It was originally formed as
900-556: The Battle of the Bismarck Sea , during which the squadron conducted a torpedo-bombing mission. It was not successful in sinking any ships in this battle, though, and from March 1943 it operated solely in the level bombing role. Later, in September 1943, the squadron flew anti-submarine patrols in support of amphibious landings around Lae . On 4 October, ten Beauforts made a low-level attack on
945-572: The Northern Territory had not completed this process. The CGNA's Gazetteer of Australia recognises two types of locality: bounded and unbounded. Bounded localities include towns, villages, populated places, local government towns and unpopulated town sites, while unbounded localities include place names, road corners and bends, corners, meteorological stations, ocean place names and surfing spots. Sometimes, both localities and suburbs are referred to collectively as "address localities". In
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#1732852046789990-504: The United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF), the 43rd Bomb Group USAAF and the 8th Fighter Group USAAF . For a period of two years during World War II, Mareeba State School was taken over by the army, so St Thomas’ Catholic School accommodated the entire school population of Mareeba. Mareeba Library opened in 1958. It underwent a major refurbishment in 1985. Mareeba State High School opened on 25 January 1960. Mareeba
1035-580: The Japanese airfield at Gasmata , with three aircraft being shot down. A surfaced submarine was attacked and heavily damaged in St George's Channel on 18 October. The squadron bombed a bridge over the Anwek River in November as part of an air offensive over New Britain and the same month moved to Goodenough Island . The squadron remained at Goodenough Island until April 1944, when it relocated to Nadzab . This
1080-587: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns) was established in 1911. Ambulance services commenced in Mareeba in 1922 with an honorary ambulance officer issued with a first-aid kit . In 1942, Mareeba acquired a rail ambulance to transport patients by train. It was one of the last rail ambulances in Queensland with its last patient transported in 1983. From 1942 to 1945 during World War II , up to 10,000 Australian and US service personnel used Mareeba Airfield as
1125-491: The area between Mount Carbine , Mareeba, Rumula (near Julatten ) and Woodville (near Canoona ), mainly concentrated between Biboohra and Mount Molloy . In the local Aboriginal language, Mareeba means meeting of the waters - referring to the point at which the Barron River is joined by Granite Creek. On 26 May 1875 James Venture Mulligan became the first European officially to see the future site of Mareeba when he rode up
1170-418: The eastern bank of the Barron River, and passed the junctions of Emerald Creek and Granite Creek. The Mareeba area was first settled by Europeans in 1877 by John Atherton , who arrived with cattle at Emerald End, which is just north of the town today. Mareeba quickly became a busy coach stop for Cobb & Co on the road from Port Douglas to Herberton . When the railway arrived in 1893, Mareeba grew into
1215-438: The first instance, decisions about the names and boundaries of suburbs and localities are made by the local council in which they are located based on criteria such as community recognition. Local council decisions are, however, subject to approval by the state's geographical names board. The boundaries of some suburbs and localities overlap two or more local government areas (LGAs). Examples of this are Adamstown Heights , which
1260-519: The first of the RAAF's Beaufort bomber-equipped squadrons to see combat. During the mission seven aircraft bombed targets around Lae , losing one aircraft whilst sinking a Japanese merchant ship. Later a number of successful attacks were completed against Japanese positions. Following these attacks the squadron was withdrawn to Laverton in July, subsequently conducting patrols off New South Wales and Victoria and undertaking further training. A further move
1305-408: The hub, researching tropical agriculture , aquaculture and biosecurity . The hub opened on 16 December 2011. At the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum the town overwhelmingly voted No. 85% of Mareeba's residents voted No which was one of the largest proportion of No votes in the country. At the 2006 census , Mareeba had a population of 6,806 people. In the 2011 census , Mareeba had
1350-532: The land (209 hectares; 516 acres) of the former state farm / research station at Kairi was sold by the Queensland Government , retaining only 26 hectares (65 acres). The sale of the land was to fund the establishment of the Agri-Science Hub at Peters Street in Mareeba. The hub focusses on agricultural research and development, together with education and training. James Cook University is a partner of
1395-620: The landings, the Beauforts attacked targets across the Gazelle Peninsula , and then remained on standby to support the Landing at Jacquinot Bay . Later, further operations were flown around Wide Bay . The squadron's attention then turned to support of the 6th Division 's campaign in Aitape–Wewak . The squadron continued in this role until the last day of the war, flying its final bombing mission
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1440-533: The local economy, but is no longer grown within the Mareeba shire. Tourism also contributes to the local economy. Mareeba State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at Constance Street ( 16°59′31″S 145°25′30″E / 16.9919°S 145.4249°E / -16.9919; 145.4249 ( Mareeba State School ) ). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 866 students with 69 teachers (64 full-time equivalent) and 48 non-teaching staff (33 full-time equivalent). In includes
1485-512: The morning Japan surrendered, on 15 August 1945. Following the end of hostilities, No. 100 Squadron flew reconnaissance missions and leaflet drops before transferring to Finschafen in March 1946. There it undertook ferrying and courier flights until disbanding on 19 August 1946; prior to this, the squadron's strength had dwindled as personnel were repatriated back to Australia for demobilisation or transferred to other units for subsequent service with
1530-505: The north ( Biboohra ), passes through the town, and exits to the west ( Chewko ). The locality is served by the following railway stations (from north to south): The Lotus Glen Correctional Centre is located in Arriga , 14 km; 9 miles outside Mareeba. Prior to European settlement, the area around Mareeba was inhabited by the Muluridji people . They maintained a hunter/gatherer existence in
1575-679: The occupation forces in Japan. Throughout the war a total of 115 aircrew fatalities were recorded among the squadron's personnel as a result of combat operations. On 1 January 2021, the RAAF reformed No.100 Squadron as the Air Force Heritage Squadron, under the Air Force Training Group , to operate the heritage aircraft as airworthy warbirds . It comprises the Point Cook Heritage Flight at RAAF Base Point Cook and
1620-586: The past as informal units, but in 1996 the Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping and the Committee for Geographical Names in Australasia (CGNA) decided to name and establish official boundaries for all localities and suburbs. There has subsequently been a process to formally define their boundaries and to gazette them, which is almost complete. In March 2006, only South Australia and
1665-502: The shallow water below and the fuselage disintegrated on impact killing three RAAF officers and one US Navy officer aboard. On 6 October 1942 the Squadron conducted its first torpedo strike, with six Beauforts unsuccessfully targeting Japanese naval vessels. Over the following months the squadron conducted a number of dangerous low-level attacks with limited success, although a number of Japanese vessels were damaged or sunk. On 9 January 1943
1710-575: The term "suburb" differs from common American and British usage, where it typically means a smaller, frequently separate residential community outside, but close to, a larger city. The Australian usage is closer to the American or British use of "district" or "neighbourhood", and can be used to refer to any portion of a city. Unlike the use in British or American English, this term can include inner-city, outer-metropolitan and industrial areas. Localities existed in
1755-622: The third Sunday of January, St Thomas's Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Santo Nino which celebrates Jesus as a child. The event is of special significance to the Filipino Australians . After the Mass , there is a celebratory meal of Filipino cuisine . Each year, on the second Sunday of September, St Thomas's Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Chain. The celebration begins with
1800-558: Was crowned in 1959). A ute muster is often staged over the same weekend as the rodeo. In 1999 Mareeba District Rodeo Association Inc. celebrated their 50 years Golden Jubilee of the foundation of the Association and 20 years of the opening of "Kerribee Park". The FNQ Country Music Festival and Talent Search is held annually at Kerribee Park Rodeo Grounds. The event is hosted by the Walkamin Country Music Club. Each year on
1845-537: Was followed by a further move to Tadji in July 1944. As a level bomber squadron, No. 100 Squadron conducted missions against Japanese facilities throughout New Guinea and surrounding islands during 1944, including the key base at Rabaul . In late 1944 and into 1945, it conducted operations in support of Allied ground operations. In October 1944, a detachment of five aircraft and crews from No. 100 Squadron being sent to reinforce No. 6 Squadron , which had been tasked to support Australian landings on New Britain . Prior to
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1890-525: Was later undertaken to Bohle River in Queensland. Meanwhile, after completing its training the squadron commenced deploying to Milne Bay in New Guinea in September 1942. In October 1942, while participating in a training exercise off the coast of Townsville , Beaufort A9-26 of the No. 100 Squadron struck the mast of the wrecked SS City of Adelaide in Cockle Bay , Magnetic Island . The aircraft plunged into
1935-644: Was named in that unit's honour. Despite this link, No. 100 Squadron RAAF was an Australian squadron throughout its existence and considered to be separate from its British namesake, which was re-formed as a heavy bomber squadron in Britain on 15 December 1942. The unit subsequently moved to Mareeba, Queensland , in May 1942, before conducting further training and anti-submarine patrols. Staging through Port Moresby , No. 100 Squadron flew its first combat missions in June 1942, making it
1980-457: Was reformed as the Air Force Heritage Squadron in January 2021 to operate airworthy warbirds . No. 100 Squadron was formed at RAAF Station Richmond , New South Wales, on 15 February 1942; the following month Wing Commander John Balmer took command of the squadron. The squadron was formed from a nucleus of No. 100 Squadron RAF , which had been destroyed during the Malayan Campaign , and
2025-472: Was taken from Walkamin Research Station, 7.1 km south of the town. Numerous crops are grown throughout Mareeba Shire , including avocados , mangoes , lychees , longans , sugar cane , cashews , macadamias , bananas , pineapples , tea tree oil , coffee , cotton and a variety of vegetables and tropical fruits . Poultry and cattle are also common. Tobacco was once the main grown crop of
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