{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2014}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = town | name = Mutarnee | city = | state = qld | image = Ploughed paddock Mutarnee north Queensland July 1984 IMG 0047 (2).jpg | caption = Ploughed paddock, Mutarnee, 1984 | coordinates = {{coord|-18.9538|146.2919|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title|name=Mutarnee (town centre)}} | local_map = yes | zoom = 11 | pop = 120 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}} | pop_footnotes = <ref name=Census2021/> | established = | postcode = 4816 | area = 59.7 | timezone = [[AEST]] | utc = +10:00 | dist1 = 43.2 <!-- road distances as per template instructions --> | dir1 = SSE | location1 = [[Ingham, Queensland|Ingham]] | dist2 = 54.9 | dir2 = NW | location2 = [[Deeragun]] | dist3 = 69.9 | dir3 = NW | location3 = [[Townsville CBD]] | dist4 = 1431 | dir4 = NNW | location4 = [[Brisbane]] | lga = [[City of Townsville]] | stategov = [[Electoral district of Hinchinbrook|Hinchinbrook]] | fedgov = [[Division of Herbert|Herbert]] | near-n = [[Coolbie, Queensland|Coolbie]] | near-ne = ''[[Coral Sea]]'' | near-e = ''[[Coral Sea]]'' | near-se = [[Rollingstone, Queensland|Rollingstone]] | near-s = [[Crystal Creek, Queensland|Crystal Creek]] | near-sw = [[Crystal Creek, Queensland|Crystal Creek]] | near-w = [[Crystal Creek, Queensland|Crystal Creek]] | near-nw = [[Coolbie, Queensland|Coolbie]] }} '''Mutarnee''' is a rural town and coastal [[Suburbs and localities (Australia)|locality]] in the [[City of Townsville]], [[Queensland]], Australia.<ref name="qpnt">{{cite QPN|23665|Mutarnee|town in City of Townsville|accessdate=30 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="qpnl">{{cite QPN|44616|Mutarnee|locality in City of Townsville|accessdate=30 May 2019}}</ref> In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Mutarnee had a population of 120 people.<ref name=Census2021/>

== Geography == Mutarnee is approximately 67&nbsp;kilometres north-west of [[Townsville]], [[Queensland]], Australia and 44&nbsp;kilometres south-east of [[Ingham, Queensland|Ingham]]. It is situated on the banks of [[Crystal Creek (Mutarnee)|Crystal Creek]] and is near the rainforest village of [[Paluma, Queensland|Paluma]].

The town is in the north-west of the locality and consists of [[rural residential]] housing. The rest of the locality is used for a mix of agriculture, including growing [[sugarcane]] and [[Pastoralism|grazing]] on native vegetation.<ref name="globe" />

The [[Bruce Highway]] enters the locality from the south-east ([[Rollingstone, Queensland|Rollingstone]]), passes through the town, and exits to the north-west ([[Coolbie]]). The [[North Coast railway line, Queensland|North Coast railway line]] enters the locality from the south-east (Rollingstone) and is immediately parallel and west of the highway. It passes through the town and exits to the north-west (Coolbie). There are two railway stations:

* Mutarnee railway station, serving the town ({{coord|-18.9499|146.2903|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Mutarnee railway station}})<ref name="railwaystations">{{Cite web |date=2 October 2020 |title=Railway stations and sidings - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005070354/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |archive-date=5 October 2020 |access-date=5 October 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=[[Queensland Government]]}}</ref> * Moongobulla railway station, in the south of the locality, now abandoned ({{coord|-18.9781|146.3305|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Moongobulla railway station}})<ref name="railwaystations" />

== History == Mutarnee takes its name from its railway station, which in turn was named on 23 December 1920 by the [[Queensland Railways Department]] using an Aboriginal word meaning ''food'', as suggested by [[Archibald Meston]].<ref name="qpnt" /><ref>{{cite QPN|23666|Mutarnee|railway station in City of Townsville|accessdate=3 June 2019}}</ref>

Ollera Provisional School opened in 1905 and closed in 1906. Ollera Creek State School opened on 17 May 1920. In 1923, it was renamed Mutarnee State School.<ref>{{Cite QldSchool|accessdate=18 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|author1=Queensland Family History Society|title=Queensland schools past and present|publication-date=2010|edition=Version 1.01|publisher=[[Queensland Family History Society]]|isbn=978-1-921171-26-0}}</ref>

== Demographics == In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, the locality of Mutarnee had a population of 116 people.<ref name=Census2016>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC32109|name=Mutarnee (SSC)|access-date=20 October 2018|quick=on}}</ref>

In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Mutarnee had a population of 120 people.<ref name=Census2021>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL32091|name=Mutarnee (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}</ref>

== Education == Mutarnee State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at School Road ({{coord|-18.9550|146.2871|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Mutarnee State School}}).<ref name="SchoolList2018">{{cite web |date=9 July 2018 |title=State and non-state school details |url=https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121065959/https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997 |archivedate=21 November 2018 |accessdate=21 November 2018 |publisher=[[Queensland Government]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-29 |title=Mutarnee State School |url=https://mutarneess.eq.edu.au/ |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=Mutarnee State School |language=en |archive-date=1 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401225914/https://mutarneess.eq.edu.au/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 19 students with 3 teachers (1 full-time equivalent) and 3 non-teaching staff (1 full-time equivalent).<ref name="ACARA2017">{{cite web |title=ACARA School Profile 2017 |url=http://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-20172c7b12404c94637ead88ff00003e0139.xlsx?sfvrsn=0 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122010027/http://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-20172c7b12404c94637ead88ff00003e0139.xlsx?sfvrsn=0 |archivedate=22 November 2018 |accessdate=22 November 2018}}</ref>

Mungalla Silver Lining School is a private secondary school (7–12) school for Indigenous boys and girls at 64 Spiegelhauer Road ({{Coord|-18.9685|146.2881|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Mungalla Silver Lining School}}).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mungulla Silver Lining School Annual Report 2022 (based on 2021 data) |url=https://silverlining.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Mungulla-Silver-Lining-School-Annual-Report-2021.pdf |access-date=17 August 2023 |website=Mungulla Silver Lining School |archive-date=3 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303124822/https://silverlining.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Mungulla-Silver-Lining-School-Annual-Report-2021.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

There is no government secondary school is Mutarnee. The nearest government secondary schools are [[Ingham State High School]] in [[Ingham, Queensland|Ingham]] to the north and [[Northern Beaches State High School]] in [[Deeragun, Queensland|Deeragun]], [[Townsville]], to the south-east.<ref name="globe">{{Queensland Globe|access-date=17 August 2023}}</ref>

== Amenities == Amenities at Mutarnee include a recreational waterhole and a camping area at nearby Crystal Creek.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}

== References == {{commons category|Mutarnee, Queensland}} {{Reflist}}

{{Suburbs of Townsville}}

[[Category:Suburbs of Townsville]] [[Category:Localities in Queensland]] [[Category:Towns in Queensland]]