Julia Creek, Queensland

Julia Creek is a town in mid northern Queensland, located on the Flinders Highway (Overlander's Way), the main road between Mount Isa and Townsville. It is 664 km west of Townsville, and is located 123 m above sea level. At the 2006 census, Julia Creek had a population of 368.

History
The town was named after the niece of Donald McIntyre, the first white settler in the area. McIntyre took up a property called Dalgonally about 70 km north of the present site of the town in 1864, only a few years after the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition passed through the area. The township began life as a temporary terminus in 1907 when the railway was extended from Richmond to service the copper mines at Cloncurry.

Julia Creek Post Office opened by September 1910 (a receiving office had been open from 1907).

A one-room school was established in 1911 with nine students, and was expanded in 1932 and again in 1934. A separate high school was constructed in 1963. A sixteen-bed hospital was established in 1972. The town did not receive electricity until 1952.

Economy
The town's main industries are farming, (especially the beef and wool industries), and mining, which is mainly centred on the BHP Billiton mine at nearby Cannington. The town is a major centre for cattle sales and stock trucking, with a large saleyard and associated facilities. Prior to the expansion of the railway to the larger towns of Cloncurry and Mount Isa, the town was also a major transport hub for freight and passengers. Julia Creek is also home to the Julia Creek Dunnart which is now endangered because of feral animals.-(wild cats, dogs & foxes)

Facilities
Julia Creek has a public library, visitor and cultural centre, swimming pool, tennis courts, parks as well as a sports centre.

Dirt n Dust Festival
The Dirt n Dust Festival, considered one of Queensland’s must go events, is held in town annually since 1995.