El Arish, Queensland
El Arish Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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![]() El Arish Tavern, 2016 | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 17°48′14″S 146°00′20″E / 17.8038°S 146.0055°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 337 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 47.5/km2 (122.9/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Established | 1921 | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4855 | ||||||||||||||
Elevation | 20 m (66 ft) | ||||||||||||||
Area | 7.1 km2 (2.7 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location | |||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | Cassowary Coast Region | ||||||||||||||
County | County of Nares | ||||||||||||||
Parish | Parish of Hull[2] | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Hill | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Kennedy | ||||||||||||||
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El Arish is a rural town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.[3][4] In the 2021 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 337 people.[1]
Geography
[edit]The Bruce Highway enters the locality from the south (Maadi / Friday Pocket) and passes immediately east of the town and exits the locality to the north-east (Daveson).[5]
The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the south-west (Maadi), passes immediately to the west of the town and exits the locality to the north (Jaffa / Daveson).[5] The town is served by the El Arish railway station (17°48′34″S 146°00′06″E / 17.8094°S 146.0016°E) but its railway station building has now been repurposed as a museum.[6][7] The now-abandoned Quatia railway station (17°47′40″S 146°00′20″E / 17.7944°S 146.0056°E) served the north of the locality and is the source of the name of the Quatia neighbourhood (17°48′00″S 146°00′00″E / 17.8°S 146.0000°E).[6]
History
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/StateLibQld_1_202011_Soldiers_settlement_home_at_El_Arish.jpg/220px-StateLibQld_1_202011_Soldiers_settlement_home_at_El_Arish.jpg)
The town was named in 1921 after the city of Arish in Egypt where the Australian Light Horse saw action in December 1916 and which was later developed as a major base area with an allied hospital.[3][4] The name Quatia was assigned by the Queensland Railways Department on 31 August 1922 and was the suggestion of the soldier settlers and refers to a city in Egypt where the Australian Imperial Force engaged in the Battle of Katia in World War I.[8]
The town was founded in 1921 as a soldier settlement area. Many of the streets were named after high-ranking officers, including:[9]
- Chauvel Street after General Harry Chauvel
- Glasgow Street after Major General Thomas William Glasgow
- Monash Street after General John Monash
- Royston Street after Brigadier General John Royston
- Ryrie Street after Major General Granville Ryrie
And some were named after general veterans such as:
- Francis Martin Street after Francis Paxton Martin who set up some soldier settlements in El Arish in the 1920s.
The El Arish War Memorial is located on the south-west corner of Monash and Ryrie Streets (17°48′23″S 146°00′17″E / 17.806332°S 146.004821°E).[10] It was unveiled in September 1947.[11][12][13]
The Maria Creek State School opened on 13 May 1922; it was renamed El Arish State School in 1925.[14][15]
El Arish Post Office opened by 1926 (a receiving office had been open from 1921).[16]
El Arish Tavern was established in 1927.[7]
The RSL Memorial Hall opened in October 1930. It was built by local people using timber donated by the Myers sawmill.[17]
The area was later settled by Italian Australians who worked in the sugar cane fields.
The town was hit by Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi in February 2011.[18]
Demographics
[edit]In the 2006 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 232 people.[19]
In the 2011 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 442 people.[20]
In the 2016 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 344 people.[21]
In the 2021 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 337 people.[1]
Heritage listings
[edit]Heritage-listed places in El Arish include:[7]
- the former El Arish railway station, now the El Arish History Station, which houses a small soldier settlement and local history museum collection. A social morning tea is held in the museum almost every Friday of the year at 9am, and visitors are welcome. A donation of $2 is requested from attendees.
- the El Arish Tavern.
- the El Arish RSL Memorial Hall. The hall has been maintained by local volunteers since 1930.
Economy
[edit]Today, the area is home to a large sugar cane industry and banana plantations.[18]
Education
[edit]El Arish State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 28 Chauvel Street (17°48′28″S 146°00′09″E / 17.8078°S 146.0026°E).[22][23] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 37 students with 3 teachers and 6 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).[24]
There is no secondary school in El Arish. The nearest secondary school is Tully State High School in Tully to the south-west.[5]
Facilities
[edit]El Arish Police Station is at 24 Ryrie Street (corner Monash Street, 17°48′23″S 146°00′19″E / 17.8065°S 146.0052°E).[5][25]
El Arish Fire Station is at 5–7 Ryrie Street (17°48′21″S 146°00′13″E / 17.8057°S 146.0037°E).[25] In 2020 the old buildings were replaced with a new fire station.[26][27]
El Arish Post Office is at 46 Chauvel Street (17°48′24″S 146°00′10″E / 17.8066°S 146.0029°E).[28]
Amenities
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/RSL_Memorial_Hall%2C_El_Arish%2C_Queensland%2C_established_1930.jpg/220px-RSL_Memorial_Hall%2C_El_Arish%2C_Queensland%2C_established_1930.jpg)
The El Arish Country Golf Club has a 9-hole course and is located on Golf Course Road (17°48′36″S 146°00′14″E / 17.81007°S 146.00377°E).[29]
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church is at 32 Glasgow Street (17°48′16″S 146°00′24″E / 17.8045°S 146.0067°E). It is within the Silkwood Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns.[30]
El Arish RSL Memorial Hall is at 17 Royston Street (17°48′25″S 146°00′17″E / 17.8070°S 146.0047°E). It can seat 250 people and has a dance floor, stage, kitchen and coldroom.[31][32]
Attractions
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/The_former_El_Arish_railway_station_in_Queensland%2C_now_a_%22history_station%22.jpg/220px-The_former_El_Arish_railway_station_in_Queensland%2C_now_a_%22history_station%22.jpg)
The former El Arish railway station building has been reoriented on its block in order to face Chauvel Street (17°48′26″S 146°00′09″E / 17.8072°S 146.0025°E). It is used as a local history museum, and is currently known as the El Arish Diggers Museum (formerly the El Arish History Station).[33]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "El Arish (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Parish of Hull in the County of Nares". Brisbane: Survey Office. 1984. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
- ^ a b "El Arish – town in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 11421)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ a b "El Arish – locality in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 45670)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ a b "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ a b c "Local Heritage Places" (PDF). Cassowary Coast Regional Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ^ "Quatia – locality unbounded in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 27787)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "El Arish". Destinations. Cassowary Coast Regional Council. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ^ "El Arish War Memorial". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ^ "El Arish War Memorial". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ "Unveiling El Arish Cenotaph". Cairns Post. No. 14, 205. Queensland, Australia. 13 September 1947. p. 7. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "CORRESPONDENCE". Cairns Post. No. 14, 216. Queensland, Australia. 26 September 1947. p. 5. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ "Agency ID 5190, El Arish State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
- ^ "El Arish Hall". El Arish, North Queensland. 13 July 2017. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ a b Koch, Tony (5 February 2011). "To El Arish, the worst in memory". The Australian. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "El Arish (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "El Arish (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "El Arish (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ "El Arish State School". Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Emergency services facilities - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "Proposed Infrastructure Designation under the Planning Act 2016: El Arish Auxiliary Fire and Rescue Station" (PDF). Queensland Government. February 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ Ryan, Mark (1 December 2020). "Queensland Budget delivers for frontline fire and emergency services". Ministerial Media Statements. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ "El Arish LPO". Australia Post. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ "El Arish Country Golf Club". World Golf. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ "Silkwood Parish". Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ "Building areas - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ "Hall Rates". El Arish, North Queensland. 11 September 2017. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ "El Arish Diggers Museum". El Arish, North Queensland. 12 July 2017. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
Further reading
[edit]- Rea, Malcolm M; Australia. Postmaster-General's Department (1967), El Arish, Public Relations Section, P.M.G.'s Dept
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- "El Arish". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
- "Town map of El Arish". Queensland Government. 1978.
- El Arish soldier settlement digital story 2016, State Library of Queensland