Ravenswood, Queensland
Ravenswood is a rural town and locality in the Charters Towers Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] It is historically and currently a gold mining town. In the 2016 census, Ravenswood had a population of 255 people.[4]
Ravenswood Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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Imperial Hotel at Ravenswood | |||||||||||||||
Ravenswood | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 20°13′S 146°53′E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 349 (2011 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4816 | ||||||||||||||
Location |
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LGA(s) | Charters Towers Region | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Traeger | ||||||||||||||
Federal Division(s) | Kennedy | ||||||||||||||
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Geography
Ravenswood is approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Mingela, and about 89 kilometres (55 mi) from Charters Towers.
History
After the discovery of gold in 1868 through to the early 1900s, the township flourished and grew to nearly 5000 residents and boasted 48 hotels. Several historic buildings remain from this period. Due to an industrial strike in 1912 and subsequently World War I, by 1915 mining declined and the town was deserted.
From 1879 to 1930, Ravenswood was the administrative centre for local government, initially of Ravenswood Division (1879–1903) and later of the Shire of Ravenswood (1903–1930). However, with the decline in Ravenwood's population, it was no longer financially viable to have a separate local government authority, and the Shire of Ravenswood was absorbed into the Shire of Dalrymple.[5][6]
Ravenswood Convent School opened in 1885 in association with St Patrick's Catholic Church. It closed in 1948.[7][8]
At the 2006 census Ravenswood had a population of 191.[9]
At the 2011 census Ravenswood had a population of 349 people.[1]
In August 2017, an early cemetery in Ravenswood was found by contractors using ground penetrating radar while working on Carpentaria Gold’s Ravenswood Expansion Project. The 16 graves of 9 adults and 7 children were found behind the Ravenswood State School sports oval; the burials are thought to have occurred in the late 1860s and early 1870s. Forensic archeologists will attempt to obtain DNA from the remains.[10]
Economy
Two gold mines are in operation in the area, a large opencut behind the town and an underground one at nearby Mount Wright. These days with the current mining operation, the population has grown from 200 to nearly 500. Tourism is also an important industry.
Amenities
Facilities in the town include a combined general store and post office, a primary school and two pubs, the Railway and the Imperial. Fuel can be obtained from both Top Camp near the entrance to the town and the post office. Top Camp also offers meals and bungalow style accommodation.
Heritage listings
Ravenswood has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- Barton Street: Mabel Mill[11]
- Barton Street: Railway Hotel[12]
- Chapel Street: Ravenswood Community Church[13]
- Deighton Street: Ravenswood Ambulance Station[14]
- Elphinstone street: London North Mine[15]
- Macrossan Street: Cake Shop[16]
- Macrossan Street: Imperial Hotel[17]
- Macrossan Street: Ravenswood Post Office[18]
- Macrossan Street: School of Arts[19]
- Macrossan Street: Shop adjacent to Thorps Building[20]
- Macrossan Street: Thorps Building[21]
- Raven Street: Ravenswood Court House and Police Station[22]
- School Street: Ravenswood School and Residence[23]
- Totley (2 km from Ravenswood): Totley Township[24]
- Via Ravenswood to Mingela Road: Pandanus Creek Battery[25]
- Reserve bounded by School Street, Cemetery Road, Railway Street and Burdekin Falls Dam Road: Ravenswood Mining Landscape and Chinese Settlement Area[26]
See also
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Ravenswood (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- "Ravenswood - town in Charters Towers Region (entry 28071)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Ravenswood - locality in Charters Towers Region (entry 49747)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Ravenswood (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- "Local Authorities". The Northern Miner. Charters Towers, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 30 April 1924. p. 2. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
- "Dalrymple Shire Council Monthly Meeting". The Northern Miner. Charters Towers, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 12 February 1930. p. 4. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
- Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
- "Ravenswood". Queensland Places. University of Queensland. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Ravenswood (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- Andersen, John (13 October 2017). "Hidden graves unearthed in North Queensland". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
- "Mabel Mill (former) (entry 601206)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Railway Hotel, Ravenswood (entry 600443)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Ravenswood Community Church (entry 601829)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Ravenswood Ambulance Station (entry 600445)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "London North Mine, Ravenswood (entry 601207)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Cake Shop, Ravenswood (entry 600449)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Imperial Hotel, Ravenswood (entry 600446)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Ravenswood Post Office and Residence (entry 600447)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Ravenswood School of Arts (entry 600453)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Shop adjacent to Thorps Building (entry 600454)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Thorps Building (entry 600452)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Ravenswood Court House Group (former) (entry 601204)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Ravenswood School and Residence (entry 600455)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Totley Township (entry 600457)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- "Pandanus Creek Battery (entry 601848)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- {{cite QHR||Ravenswood Mining Landscape and Chinese Settlement Area|650038|accessdate=21 February 2018}}
External links
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