Aloomba, Queensland

Geography

Aloomba is a long thin locality hemmed in east and west by mountain ranges. It is bounded to the north by the Mulgrave River which then passes through the west of the locality. The Bruce Highway passes through the west of the locality but not through the town which is about 2 km east of the highway but about 4 km away by road. The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the south immediately to the west of the highway but then veers to the east in order to pass through the town, after which the railway veers back towards the highway but does not rejoin it within the locality.

The mountainous western part of the locality is within the Malbon Thompson Forest Reserve. The remainder is relatively flat freehold land used predominantly for farming, particularly growing sugarcane. There is a network of cane tramways to deliver the harvested sugarcane to the Mulgrave Sugar Mill in Gordonvale.

History

The town name is a corruption of the Yidinji word "Ngalumba", indicating hard milkwood tree (Alstonia muelleriana).

Aloomba Provisional School opened on 15 May 1899, becoming Aloomba State School on 1 January 1909.

On 20 April 1916, the Cane Beetles March commenced at Mooliba (now Mirriwinni). It was a snowball march to recruit men into the Australian Imperial Force during World War I at a time when enthusiasm to enlist had waned after the loss of life in the Gallipoli campaign. The march began at Mooliba with 4 men, passing through Babinda, Aloomba, Gordonvale, and Edmonton, and ending in Cairns 60 kilometres later with 29 recruits.

Demographics

In the , the locality of Aloomba had a population of 529 people.

In the , the locality of Aloomba had a population of 576 people.

Education

Aloomba State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Nielsen Street (). In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 88 students with 7 teachers (6 full-time equivalent) and 8 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 91 students with 7 teachers (6 full-time equivalent) and 9 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).

There are no secondary schools in Aloomba. The nearest government secondary school is Gordonvale State High School in neighbouring Gordonvale to the north-west.

Amenities

Aloomba Community Hall is at 13-15 Anderson Road (next to Robert Rossi Park, ). It is capable of seating up to 80 people and is operated by the Cairns Regional Council.

Notable people

• Bunny Adair, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Cook attended Aloomba State School

References

References

1. {{cite QPN. 458. Aloomba. town in Cairns Region
2. {{cite QPN. 48495. Aloomba. locality in Cairns Region
3. {{Queensland Globe
4. {{Cite QldSchool
5. "Queensland schools past and present". [[Queensland Family History Society]].
6. Clarke, Harry. (24 April 2015). "'Cane Beetles March' mobilised farmers from Babinda to Cairns to join Australian Imperial Force in WWI". [[The Cairns Post]].
7. (1 April 1916). "CAIRNS NEWS.". [[The Daily Standard (Brisbane).
8. {{Census 2016 AUS
9. {{Census 2021 AUS
10. (9 July 2018). "State and non-state school details". [[Queensland Government]].
11. (2020-11-29). "Aloomba State School".
12. "Annual Report 2016". Aloomba State School.
13. "ACARA School Profile 2018". [[Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority]].
14. "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". [[Queensland Government]].
15. (2022-05-30). "Community Halls". Cairns Regional Council.