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Alpha is a rural town and a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] At the 2021 census, the locality had a population of 559 people.[1]

Alpha Queensland
The main street of Alpha
Alpha
Coordinates	23.6519°S 146.6383°E / -23.6519; 146.6383
Population	559 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	2.7483/km2 (7.118/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4724
Area	203.4 km2 (78.5 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	1,051 km (653 mi) NW of Brisbane 439 km (273 mi) W of Rockhampton 169 km (105 mi) W of Emerald 140 km (87 mi) E of Barcaldine 249 km (155 mi) E of Longreach
LGA(s)	Barcaldine Region
State electorate(s)	Gregory
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Localities around Alpha: Jericho Laglan Clermont Quetta Peak Vale Jericho Alpha Willows Blackall Windeyer Mantuan Downs Lochington

Geography

Alpha is in Central West Queensland. It lies on Alpha Creek.[4]

The Capricorn Highway runs through from east to west, and the Clermont-Alpha Road enters from the north-east.[4]

The Central Western railway line passes through the town, which is served by Alpha railway station.[5]

The town is a service centre for the surrounding pastoral properties and travellers on the highway.

History

The town of Alpha is situated approximately 400 kilometres to the west of Rockhampton, with the name being derived from Alpha Pastoral Station, established in 1863. This was a very large station, dominating the area and growing to more than 1,600 square kilometres by the 1890s.[6]

The area was originally visited and partly explored by the New South Wales Surveyor-General, Thomas Mitchell in 1846 and it was his reports that were to encourage settlement, particularly from the 1860s.[6]

Alpha was initially established as a temporary terminus during construction of the Central Western railway line (then known as the Great Northern line, a name that would be subsequently assigned to the subsequent more northern line west of Townsville to Mount Isa). The railway, which was being built westwards from Rockhampton. The major coastal centre was keen to take full advantage of the inland pastoral wealth being generated and pushed for a central railway line with construction commencing in 1867.[6] The line reached Emerald in 1879[6] and was opened to Alpha on 22 September 1884. The construction camp continued moving west, but a township remained at the former terminus. Until June 1990, Queensland Rail maintained a locomotive depot in the town.[7]

Alpha Provisional School opened on 30 August 1886. It became Alpha State School on 7 September 1894. A preschool centre was added in 1987.[8][9]

Churches followed with the Catholic Church opening in 1890 and the United Protestant Church in 1894.[6] The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart opened a Catholic primary school in 1902[10] and a convent school was established in 1904. A hospital was opened in 1913.[6]

Jericho Shire, which included the town, was incorporated in 1917, with the main shire offices and council facilities located in the town of Jericho.[6]

Killarney Park Provisional School opened in late 1918 as a half time provisional school in conjunction with Glenleigh Provisional School (meaning there was one teacher shared between the two schools). Both schools closed in late 1919 or early 1920 due to low student numbers.[9]

On 8 April 1941, two people were killed when a goods train from Emerald plunged through a section of the wooden rail bridge over Alpha Creek on approach to the Alpha railway station.[11][12]

At the 2006 census, the town of Alpha had a population of 402.[13]

In the 2011 census, the locality of Alpha had a population of 571 people.[14]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Alpha had a population of 335 people.[15]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Alpha had a population of 559 people.[1]

On 22 November 2019, the Queensland Government decided to amalgamate the localities in the Barcaldine Region, resulting in five expanded localities based on the larger towns: Alpha, Aramac, Barcaldine, Jericho and Muttaburra. Alpha was expanded to incorporate Beaufort, Drummondslope, Dunrobin (south-eastern corner), Hobartville (north-eastern part), Pine Hill, Port Wine, Sedgeford, and Surbiton.[16][17][18]

Mining

On 29 May 2012 the first mine proposed to be developed in the Galilee Basin, known as the Alpha Coal Project, was approved by the Government of Queensland.[19] Waratah Coal is planning on building a new mine close to the town called the China First Coal Project.[20] This mine is to be built on the Bimblebox nature refuge which is home to the endangered black-throated finch.[21] A counter-view is that Bimblebox is a privately owned former grazing property, now unmanaged and run wild, growing and spreading various noxious weeds. The debate continues.

Another two mines are planned. The mining expansion is expected to place a significant strain on local infrastructure. The primary concerns are a lack of available land and sewerage, water and power systems at close to capacity.[22]

Bimblebox, a feature-length documentary directed by Michael C O'Connell (Mountaintop Removal) premiered at the 2012 Byron Bay International Film Festival. Bimblebox explores the "China First" mega mine project being developed by Waratah Coal close to the town of Alpha in the Galilee basin. The film also examines opposition to the China First mine from the owners of the Bimblebox nature refuge which stands in the path of the proposed project. In a 20 March 2012 press conference Waratah coal CEO Clive Palmer accused environmental groups and the film's producers of being funded by the Central Intelligence Agency.[23]

Education

Alpha State School is a government primary and secondary (Prep-10) school for boys and girls at Milton Street (23.6507°S 146.6422°E / -23.6507; 146.6422 (Alpha State School)).[24][25] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 40 students with 8 teachers and 10 non-teaching staff (6 full-time equivalent).[26] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 39 students with 10 teachers and 11 non-teaching staff (6 full-time equivalent).[27]

The nearest secondary schools to Year 12 are in Barcaldine 140 kilometres (87 mi) to the west and Emerald 169 kilometres (105 mi) to the east.[28] Alternatively there is distance education and boarding schools.[29]

Amenities

Alpha has a tourism information centre, golf course, art gallery, showground, parks, swimming pool, tennis courts, museum, hardware store, newsagents, bank, pub, grocery store, bakery, butcher, post office, BP, Caltex, craft shop, hairdresser, pharmacy, hospital,[30] police station and fire station.

Barcaldine Regional Council operates a library at the Alpha town hall on Tennyson Street.[31][32]

Alpha Uniting Church is at 25 Milton Street (23.6500°S 146.6392°E / -23.6500; 146.6392 (Alpha Uniting Church)).[33][34]

The Alpha branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the Uniting Church Hall at 4724 Milton Street.[35]

References

External links

• "Alpha". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
• "Town map of Alpha". Queensland Government. 1974.
• Queensland places - Alpha, State Library of Queensland blog article

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