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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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El Arish, Queensland
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El Arish
Queensland
El Arish Tavern, 2016
El Arish is located in Queensland
El Arish
El Arish
Coordinates17°48′14″S 146°00′20″E / 17.8038°S 146.0055°E / -17.8038; 146.0055 (El Arish (town centre))
Population337 (2021 census)
 • Density47.5/km (122.9/sq mi)
Established1921
Postcode(s)4855
Elevation20 m (66 ft)
Area7.1 km (2.7 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Cassowary Coast Region
CountyCounty of Nares
ParishParish of Hull
State electorate(s)Hill
Federal division(s)Kennedy
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
 ? ? 3,648.9 mm
143.7 in
Localities around El Arish:
Jaffa Jaffa Daveson
Shell Pocket El Arish Maria Creeks
Maadi Friday Pocket Granadilla

El Arish is a rural town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 337 people.

Geography

The Bruce Highway enters the locality from the south (Maadi / Friday Pocket) and passes immediately east of the town and exits the locality to the north-east (Daveson).

The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the south-west (Maadi), passes immediately to the west of the town and exits the locality to the north (Jaffa / Daveson). The town is served by the El Arish railway station (17°48′34″S 146°00′06″E / 17.8094°S 146.0016°E / -17.8094; 146.0016 (El Arish railway station)) but its railway station building has now been repurposed as a museum. The now-abandoned Quatia railway station (17°47′40″S 146°00′20″E / 17.7944°S 146.0056°E / -17.7944; 146.0056 (Quatia railway station)) served the north of the locality and is the source of the name of the Quatia neighbourhood (17°48′00″S 146°00′00″E / 17.8°S 146.0000°E / -17.8; 146.0000 (Quatia)).

History

Soldiers settlement home at El Arish, around 1920

The town was named in 1921 after the city of Arish in Egypt where the Australian Light Horse saw action in December 1916 and which was later developed as a major base area with an allied hospital. The name Quatia was assigned by the Queensland Railways Department on 31 August 1922 and was the suggestion of the soldier settlers and refers to a city in Egypt where the Australian Imperial Force engaged in the Battle of Katia in World War I.

The town was founded in 1921 as a soldier settlement area. Many of the streets were named after high-ranking officers, including:

And some were named after general veterans such as:

  • Francis Martin Street after Francis Paxton Martin who set up some soldier settlements in El Arish in the 1920s.

The El Arish War Memorial is located on the south-west corner of Monash and Ryrie Streets (17°48′23″S 146°00′17″E / 17.806332°S 146.004821°E / -17.806332; 146.004821 (El Arish War Memorial)). It was unveiled in September 1947.

The Maria Creek State School opened on 13 May 1922; it was renamed El Arish State School in 1925.

El Arish Post Office opened by 1926 (a receiving office had been open from 1921).

El Arish Tavern was established in 1927.

The RSL Memorial Hall opened in October 1930. It was built by local people using timber donated by the Myers sawmill.

The area was later settled by Italian Australians who worked in the sugar cane fields.

The town was hit by Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi in February 2011.

Demographics

In the 2006 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 232 people.

In the 2011 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 442 people.

In the 2016 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 344 people.

In the 2021 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 337 people.

Heritage listings

Heritage-listed places in El Arish include:

  • the former El Arish railway station, now the El Arish History Station, which houses a small soldier settlement and local history museum collection. A social morning tea is held in the museum almost every Friday of the year at 9am, and visitors are welcome. A donation of $2 is requested from attendees.
  • the El Arish Tavern.
  • the El Arish RSL Memorial Hall. The hall has been maintained by local volunteers since 1930.

Economy

Today, the area is home to a large sugar cane industry and banana plantations.

Education

El Arish State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 28 Chauvel Street (17°48′28″S 146°00′09″E / 17.8078°S 146.0026°E / -17.8078; 146.0026 (El Arish State School)). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 37 students with 3 teachers and 6 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).

There is no secondary school in El Arish. The nearest secondary school is Tully State High School in Tully to the south-west.

Facilities

El Arish Police Station is at 24 Ryrie Street (corner Monash Street, 17°48′23″S 146°00′19″E / 17.8065°S 146.0052°E / -17.8065; 146.0052 (El Arish Police Station)).

El Arish Fire Station is at 5–7 Ryrie Street (17°48′21″S 146°00′13″E / 17.8057°S 146.0037°E / -17.8057; 146.0037 (El Arish Fire Station)). In 2020 the old buildings were replaced with a new fire station.

El Arish Post Office is at 46 Chauvel Street (17°48′24″S 146°00′10″E / 17.8066°S 146.0029°E / -17.8066; 146.0029 (El Arish Post Office)).

Amenities

RSL Memorial Hall, 2016

The El Arish Country Golf Club has a 9-hole course and is located on Golf Course Road (17°48′36″S 146°00′14″E / 17.81007°S 146.00377°E / -17.81007; 146.00377 (El Arish Country Golf Club)).

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church is at 32 Glasgow Street (17°48′16″S 146°00′24″E / 17.8045°S 146.0067°E / -17.8045; 146.0067 (Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church)). It is within the Silkwood Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns.

El Arish RSL Memorial Hall is at 17 Royston Street (17°48′25″S 146°00′17″E / 17.8070°S 146.0047°E / -17.8070; 146.0047 (EL ARISH RSL MEMORIAL HALL)). It can seat 250 people and has a dance floor, stage, kitchen and coldroom.

Attractions

El Arish Diggers Museum, 2016

The former El Arish railway station building has been reoriented on its block in order to face Chauvel Street (17°48′26″S 146°00′09″E / 17.8072°S 146.0025°E / -17.8072; 146.0025 (El Arish Diggers Museum)). It is used as a local history museum, and is currently known as the El Arish Diggers Museum (formerly the El Arish History Station).

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "El Arish (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "Parish of Hull in the County of Nares". Brisbane: Survey Office. 1984. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  3. ^ "El Arish – town in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 11421)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  4. ^ "El Arish – locality in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 45670)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Local Heritage Places" (PDF). Cassowary Coast Regional Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  8. ^ "Quatia – locality unbounded in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 27787)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  9. ^ "El Arish". Destinations. Cassowary Coast Regional Council. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  10. ^ "El Arish War Memorial". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  11. ^ "El Arish War Memorial". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Unveiling El Arish Cenotaph". Cairns Post. No. 14, 205. Queensland, Australia. 13 September 1947. p. 7. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "CORRESPONDENCE". Cairns Post. No. 14, 216. Queensland, Australia. 26 September 1947. p. 5. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  15. ^ "Agency ID 5190, El Arish State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  16. ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  17. ^ "El Arish Hall". El Arish, North Queensland. 13 July 2017. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  18. ^ Koch, Tony (5 February 2011). "To El Arish, the worst in memory". The Australian. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  19. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "El Arish (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  20. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "El Arish (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 25 May 2014. Edit this at Wikidata
  21. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "El Arish (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  22. ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  23. ^ "El Arish State School". Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  24. ^ "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  25. ^ "Emergency services facilities - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  26. ^ "Proposed Infrastructure Designation under the Planning Act 2016: El Arish Auxiliary Fire and Rescue Station" (PDF). Queensland Government. February 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  27. ^ Ryan, Mark (1 December 2020). "Queensland Budget delivers for frontline fire and emergency services". Ministerial Media Statements. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  28. ^ "El Arish LPO". Australia Post. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  29. ^ "El Arish Country Golf Club". World Golf. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  30. ^ "Silkwood Parish". Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  31. ^ "Building areas - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  32. ^ "Hall Rates". El Arish, North Queensland. 11 September 2017. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  33. ^ "El Arish Diggers Museum". El Arish, North Queensland. 12 July 2017. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.

Further reading

  • Rea, Malcolm M; Australia. Postmaster-General's Department (1967), El Arish, Public Relations Section, P.M.G.'s Dept
Wikimedia Commons has media related to El Arish, Queensland.
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