Kairi, Queensland

Geography

Kairi is on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland. It is close to Lake Tinaroo and the closest more populous place is Tinaroo, which is 4 km North of Kairi. It is 1698 km by road NNW from Brisbane and is 719 m above sea level.

Kairi railway station is an abandoned railway station () on the now-closed Millaa Milla branch of the Tablelands railway line.

Climate

Kairi has a dry-winter humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cwa), with very warm and humid wet season from November to April and a pleasant dry season from May to October. Modified by its elevation, average maxima vary from 28.8 C in December to 21.1 C in July and average minima fluctuate between 19.5 C in February and 11.2 C in July. Mean average annual precipitation is 1300.5 mm, spread between 94.0 precipitation days (above the 1.0 mm threshold). Extreme temperatures have ranged from 38.9 C on 6 January 1994 to -0.5 C on 16 June 1978, 2 July 1984 and 3 August 1990.{{cite web

|Jan record high C = 38.9 |Feb record high C = 34.5 |Mar record high C = 33.3 |Apr record high C = 31.0 |May record high C = 29.0 |Jun record high C = 30.0 |Jul record high C = 30.0 |Aug record high C = 32.7 |Sep record high C = 34.9 |Oct record high C = 37.2 |Nov record high C = 38.8 |Dec record high C = 38.7 |Jan record low C = 12.9 |Feb record low C = 13.1 |Mar record low C = 10.8 |Apr record low C = 6.9 |May record low C = 2.5 |Jun record low C = -0.5 |Jul record low C = -0.5 |Aug record low C = -0.5 |Sep record low C = 2.5 |Oct record low C = 5.5 |Nov record low C = 8.6 |Dec record low C = 10.3

History

Yidinji (also known as Yidinj, Yidiny, and Idindji) is an Australian Aboriginal language. Its traditional language region is within the local government areas of Cairns Region and Tablelands Region, in such localities as Cairns, Gordonvale, and the Mulgrave River, and the southern part of the Atherton Tableland including Atherton and Kairi.

The establishment of a State Farm at Kairi by the Queensland Government was announced in May 1911. Fifty acres of land was initially cleared for the farm, which was to focus on dairying and pigs initially. Drummond MacPherson was transferred from his role as manager of the state farm at Biggenden to manage the Kairi State Farm. By March 1912, the state farm was growing maize, cow pea, rhodes grass, pumpkins, sugar melons and cucumbers. The State Farm closed in 1929, apart from the piggery which operated for a few years longer. From 1929, the farm was operated by commercial interests.

Kairi State School opened on 24 July 1911 with 12 students under head teacher Leila May Higgins. The original proposed name for the school was Innesfail State School. In 1930, the school building was relocated to its current location by a bullock team. The new location was more central and near the railway crossing. After the relocation, an additional classroom was added.

In October 2011, most of the land (209 hectares) of the former state farm / research station was sold by the Queensland Government, retaining only 26 hectares. The sale of the land was to fund the establishment of the Agri-Science Hub at Peters Street, Mareeba. The hub focusses on agricultural research and development, together with education and training. James Cook University is a partner of the hub, researching tropical agriculture, aquaculture and biosecurity.

Demographics

In the , the town of Kairi had a population of 193 people.

In the , the locality of Kairi had a population of 460 people.

In the , the locality of Kairi had a population of 442 people.

In the , the locality of Kairi had a population of 490 people.

Heritage listings

Kairi has a number of heritage-listed sites, including Kairi Maize Silos at 22 Godfrey Road.

Education

Kairi State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls in McGeehan Street (). In 2015, it had an enrolment of 91 students with 6 teachers (5 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 86 students with 8 teachers (5 full-time equivalent) and 8 non-teaching staff (5 full-time equivalent).

There are no secondary schools in Kairi. The nearest government secondary school is Atherton State High School in neighbouring Atherton to the south-west.

References

References

1. {{cite QPN. 17551. Kairi. town in Tablelands Region
2. {{cite QPN. 48689. Kairi. locality in Tablelands Region
3. {{Queensland Globe
4. (2 October 2020). "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". [[Queensland Government]].
5. "Yidinji".
6. (20 May 1911). "THE WEEK AT A GLANCE.". [[The Queenslander]].
7. (29 May 1911). "MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE.". [[The Telegraph (Brisbane).
8. (7 June 1911). "A Cabinet Meeting.". [[The Northern Miner (Queensland).
9. (19 October 1911). "State Farm Managers Appointed.". [[The Brisbane Courier]].
10. (18 March 1912). "Mr Tolmie's Tour". [[Cairns Post]].
11. (1984). "Soils of the Kairi Research Station, Atherton Tableland, North Queensland". Queensland Dept. of Primary Industries.
12. (28 December 1910). "Advertising". [[The Cairns Post]].
13. "Queensland schools past and present". [[Queensland Family History Society]].
14. "Kairi SS".
15. {{Cite QldSchool
16. (2019-01-23). "History".
17. (22 September 1932). "KAIRI STATE FARM.". [[Townsville Daily Bulletin]].
18. (22 November 1954). "NO IMMEDIATE POSSIBILITY OF COLLEGE AT KAIRI". [[The Evening Advocate]].
19. Mulherin, Tim. (24 October 2011). "$6.95 million for Mareeba agri-science hub". [[Queensland Government]].
20. {{Census 2006 AUS
21. {{Census 2011 AUS
22. {{Census 2016 AUS
23. {{Census 2021 AUS
24. {{cite QHR. 28659. Kairi Maize Silos. 602631
25. (9 July 2018). "State and non-state school details". [[Queensland Government]].
26. (2022-06-22). "Kairi State School".
27. "Kairi State School".
28. "2015 School Annual Report". Kairi State School.
29. "ACARA School Profile 2018". [[Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority]].