Yowah is an outback town and locality in the Shire of Paroo, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census, Yowah had a population of 141 people.[1]
Yowah Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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![]() ![]() Yowah | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 27.9681°S 144.6361°E / -27.9681; 144.6361 | ||||||||||||||
Population | 141 (2016 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 0.04846/km2 (0.1255/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4490 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 2,909.5 km2 (1,123.4 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location |
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LGA(s) | Shire of Paroo | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Warrego | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Maranoa | ||||||||||||||
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The town is known for its opal mining and numerous opal fields that lie around the town as well as the "Yowah Nut" a local type of opal distinctive to the region.
Yowah is in western Queensland, 938 kilometres (583 mi) west of the state capital, Brisbane and 132 kilometres (82 mi) west of Cunnamulla.
Access to Yowah is via a bitumen road.
The area was first leased in 1883 to prospective settlers and opal mining has been the central operation within the district since the first opal fields were discovered. In the 2006 census Yowah had a population of 142.[4]
In August of 2014 the town committee built two artesian spa.[5]
Yowah State School opened on 22 January 1998.[6] It was one of the smallest state primary schools in Queensland; in 2012 there were three students.[7] The school closed in 2017 due to a lack of students.[8]
Yowah has a Rural Transaction Centre which accommodates a tourist information centre, a public library, cafe, internet and tourist information. There is also a caravan park and general store which sells groceries and fuel and an ATM. There is also a free camping area, with amenities. There is a free fossicking area (fossicking licence available at the general store). Opal settings, custom jewellery as well as workshops are available at RABKA Gold and Silversmiths in Matrix Drive.
There is a heritage trail in which to explore the surrounding localities.[9]
Artesian spa's is a community run facility which offers two geothermally heated baths at 57°C (134.6°F). The Great Artesian Basin sources the spa's and the only communal source of drinking water.
Yowah opal festival is a regular festival to promote and celebrate opal mining in the area.[10]
Paroo Shire Council operates the Yowah Library, Yowah Rural Transaction centre, Harlequin Drive, Yowah, via Cunnamulla.[11]
There is a public hall and flying doctor rooms with the Doctors attending every Friday. Craft group, indoor bowls and meals /Bar two nights a week.
The town is serviced by the State Emergency Service and the Rural Fire Service. There are two airfield runways which are lit at night.
There are no pumping or storage facilities in the town and the town relies on natural artesian pressure to supply the town. Surplus artesian water discharges into a bore drain. There are no standby facilities for Yowah and if the bore fails there would be a need to transport water from one of the other water supplies in the town for the duration of the problem. This has been chemically deemed as safe.[12]
Towns and localities in the Shire of Paroo, Queensland | |
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Main Article: Local government areas of Queensland |