Opalton

Opalton Queensland
Old Cork Homestead, erected 1870s
Opalton
Coordinates	23.2474°S 142.77095°E / -23.2474; 142.77095 (Opalton (centre of locality))
Population	59 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	0.003484/km^2 (0.00902/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4735
Area	16,932.3 km^2 (6,537.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	119 km (74 mi) SSE of Winton 176 km (109 mi) W of Longreach 863 km (536 mi) W of Rockhampton 1,354 km (841 mi) NW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Shire of Winton
State electorate(s)	Gregory
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Suburbs around Opalton: Middleton Middleton Corfield Winton Middleton Opalton Longreach Diamantina Lakes Stonehenge Longreach

Opalton is a outback rural locality in the Shire of Winton, Queensland, Australia.^[2] It is known for the Opalton Opal Field, one of the largest and most extensively worked opal deposits in Queensland.^[3] In the 2021 census, Opalton had a population of 59 people.^[1]

Geography

There are two protected areas within the locality:^[4]

• Bladensburg National Park in the north-west of the locality
• Lark Quarry Conservation Park in the centre of the locality

Apart from the protected areas, the land use is grazing on native vegetation.^[4]

History

The Cork homestead was established in the 1870s. It was built from sandstone. It was partly owned by Thomas McIlwraith, Premier of Queensland. It is now a ruin.^[5][6]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Opalton had a population of 64 people.^[7]

In the 2021 census, Opalton had a population of 59 people.^[1]

Education

There are no schools in Opalton. The nearest government primary and secondary school is Winton State School (Prep to Year 12) in neighbouring Winton to the north-east. However, only students in the north-east of Opalton woud be within range of a daily commute to Winton. The alternatives are distance education and boarding school.^[8]

Attractions

Lark Quarry Conservation Park is at the end of Lark Quarry Access Road (23.0154°S 142.4110°E / -23.0154; 142.4110 (tourist attraction)).^[9] It has the world’s only known dinosaur stampede site.^[10]

Scrammy Lookout is in Bladensburg National Park (22.5554°S 143.1374°E / -22.5554; 143.1374 (Scrammy Lookout)).^[9][11]

The Opalton Opal Field is popular with tourists as a place for fossicking.^[3]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Opalton (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Opalton – locality in Shire of Winton (entry 41495)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
3. "Western opal fields - Opalton". Queensland Government. 1 May 2022.
4. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
5. Winton, Experience. "Old Cork Homestead Ruins". Experience Winton. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
6. "Projects: Old Cork Homestead Conservation Plan". Thom Blake Historian. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
7. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Opalton (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
8. "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
9. "Tourist points - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
10. "Lark Quarry Conservation Park". Parks and forests. Queensland Government. 21 October 2009. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
11. "Things to do: Bladensburg National Park". Parks and forests. Queensland Government. 11 December 2009. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.