# Petford

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**Petford** is a rural [locality](/source/Suburbs_and_localities_(Australia)) in the [Shire of Mareeba](/source/Shire_of_Mareeba), [Queensland](/source/Queensland), Australia.[1] In the , Petford had a population of 22 people.[2]

## Geography

*Emu Creek* flows through from east to north, where it joins the *[Walsh River](/source/Walsh_River)* as it forms part of the northern boundary. *California Creek*, a tributary of the *[Tate River](/source/Tate_River)*, forms much of the southern boundary. Two other tributaries of the *Tate River*, *Oaky Creek* and *Martin Creek*, rise in the locality.

The former mining town of [Lappa](/source/Lappa,_Queensland) is within the locality.[3]

The [Burke Developmental Road](/source/Burke_Developmental_Road) enters the locality from the north-east ([Dimbulah](/source/Dimbulah,_Queensland)) and exits to the west ([Chillagoe](/source/Chillagoe,_Queensland)).[4]

The [Tablelands railway line](/source/Tablelands_railway_line,_Queensland) enters the locality from the north-east ([Dimbulah](/source/Dimbulah,_Queensland)) and exits to the west ([Chillagoe](/source/Chillagoe,_Queensland)) loosely following the same route as the Burke Developmental Road. The locality is served by the following railway stations (from north to south):

- Cape Horn railway station, now abandoned ([17.305°S 144.9425°E](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=-17.3050_144.9425&title=Cape%20Horn%20railway%20station))[5]
- Petford railway station ([17.343°S 144.9302°E](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=-17.3430_144.9302&title=Petford%20railway%20station))[5]
- Lappa railway station ([17.3591°S 144.8861°E](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=-17.3591_144.8861&title=Lappa%20railway%20station))[5]
- Koorboora railway station ([17.3802°S 144.8042°E](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=-17.3802_144.8042&title=Koorboora%20railway%20station))[5]

## History

The locality takes its name from the railway station which was named after [John Joseph Petford](/source/John_Joseph_Petford), an official of [Queensland Railways Department](/source/Queensland_Railways_Department) for many years.[1] The railway station was on the [Chillagoe Railway & Mining Co.](/source/Chillagoe_Railway_%26_Mining_Co.) line from [Mareeba](/source/Mareeba,_Queensland) to [Mount Garnet](/source/Mount_Garnet,_Queensland) which opened its first section from Mareeba to [Lappa](/source/Lappa,_Queensland), just south-west of Petford, in 1900. The station no longer operates, but the line still exists, with the [Savannahlander](/source/Savannahlander) tourist train passing through Petford on its way between [Cairns](/source/Cairns,_Queensland) and [Forsayth](/source/Forsayth,_Queensland).[6]

Lappa Lappa Provisional School opened in 1900 and closed circa 1901.[7]

Koorboora Provisional School opened in 1903. On 1 January 1909, it became Koorboora State School. It closed in 1926.[7][8]

Bamford Provisional School opened on 23 January 1905. The school closed in 1907 but reopened in 1908. On 1 January 1909 it became Bamford State School. It closed on 2 August 1935, to be replaced by Petford State School.[7][9]

Emuford Provisional State School opened circa 1910 and closed circa 1921.[7]

Petford State School opened on 5 August 1935, replacing Bamford State School,[9] The school closed in 1962. It reopened on 27 January 1976 and closed finally on 15 December 1995.[7][10] It was at 21 Bamford Road ([17.3407°S 144.9299°E](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=-17.3407_144.9299&title=Petford%20State%20School%20(former))).[11][4]

## Demographics

In the , Petford had a population of 32 people.[12]

In the , Petford had a population of 22 people.[2]

## Education

There are no schools in Petford. The nearest government primary schools are [Dimbulah State School](/source/Dimbulah_State_School) in neighbouring [Dimbulah](/source/Dimbulah,_Queensland) to the north-east and [Mount Garnet State School](/source/Mount_Garnet_State_School) in [Mount Garnet](/source/Mount_Garnet,_Queensland) to the south-east. The nearest government secondary school is Dimbulah State School (to Year 10). For secondary education to Year 12, the alternatives are [distance education](/source/Distance_education_in_Queensland) and boarding school.[4]

## References

1. Retrieved 28 December 2020.

1. ["Railway stations and sidings - Queensland"](https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd). *Queensland Open Data*. [Queensland Government](/source/Queensland_Government). 2 October 2020. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201005070354/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd) 5 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 5 October 2020.

1. *The Savannahlander - Forsayth to Cairns* Thomas, A. [Australian Railway History](/source/Australian_Railway_History), July 2004 pp255-258

1. Queensland Family History Society (2010), *Queensland schools past and present*, Version 1.01 ed., [Queensland Family History Society](/source/Queensland_Family_History_Society), ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0

1. ["KOORBOORA NOTES."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article40530124). *[Cairns Post](/source/Cairns_Post)*. No. 5460. 30 March 1926. p. 9. Retrieved 24 July 2024. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["SCHOOLS' REPORT."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41743338). *[Cairns Post](/source/Cairns_Post)*. No. 10,799. 19 September 1936. p. 16. Retrieved 2 October 2023. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Queensland state school - centre closures"](https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tp/2013/5413T3241.pdf). *[Queensland Government](/source/Queensland_Government)*. 20 August 2013. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220320144902/https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tp/2013/5413T3241.pdf) 20 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 April 2022.

1. ["21 Bamford Road, Petford, Qld 4871"](https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-petford-135850778). *[Realestate.com.au](/source/Realestate.com.au)*. Retrieved 6 May 2022.[dead link]

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Petford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petford) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petford?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.