Betoota, Queensland

Betoota
Queensland

Store in Betoota, 1903
Betoota

Location in Queensland

Coordinates 25°41′37″S 140°44′40″E / 25.69361°S 140.74444°E / -25.69361; 140.74444Coordinates: 25°41′37″S 140°44′40″E / 25.69361°S 140.74444°E / -25.69361; 140.74444
Population 0 (2014)[1]
Established 1953
Postcode(s) 4482
Location
LGA(s) Shire of Diamantina
State electorate(s) Mount Isa
Federal Division(s) Maranoa

Betoota is a small town in Diamantina Shire, in the Channel Country of Central West Queensland, Australia which has a seasonal population; the last permanent resident, Sigmund Remienko, died in 2004. Betoota is situated on a gibber plain (a stony desert plain) 170 kilometres (110 mi) east of Birdsville and 227 kilometres (141 mi) west of Windorah.

The town has been designated as Australia's smallest town.[2] The only facilities in Betoota are a racetrack, a dry weather airstrip and a cricket field.[3] Visitors are drawn to the town during the annual Simpson Desert Carnival which is held in September.[3][4]

History

The town was surveyed in 1887.[3] Only three streets were ever named.[5] The Betoota Hotel was built in the late 1880s and is now the last remaining building in town.[3] The building is constructed of sandstone and has timber floors.

In 1885, the Queensland Government opened a customs post to collect a toll for stock travelling the stock route.[3] Betoota was once a Cobb & Co change station.[2][3]

In 1895, a police presence was established in the town as construction of a rabbit-proof fence in the region was attracting many "undesirable characters" to the town.[5] A police station with a court was built in 1915 but was closed in 1930 because an inspection in 1928 found no-one had been taken into custody or placed before the court in more than five years.

The hotel operated until 1997 when its owner Sigmund (Simon) Remienko retired at 82 years of age. Originally from Poland, Sigmund worked as a grader driver until he bought the Betoota Hotel in 1957.[2] Owning the hotel for 47 years, Simon was Betoota's sole resident until ill health forced him to move. In October 1997, the hotel closed. He died in 2004.[5][6][7]

Status

The town is now deserted, all except for tourists in the dry season. Betoota is officially known as the smallest gazetted township in Australia, it is also the smallest town by population and building count on Earth.

Heritage listings

Betoota has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Betoota – Destination Information". Government of Queensland. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Greg Roberts (17 November 2002). "Make it a double - it could be ages before anyone else arrives". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Visitor Information: Betoota". Diamantina Shire Council. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  4. ↑ John Wright (23 August 2009). "Betoota, population zero, until race day". Courier Mail. Queensland Newspapers. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland) (2002). Heritage Trails of the Queensland Outback. State of Queensland. p. 129. ISBN 0-7345-1040-3.
  6. ↑ Roberts, Greg (16 November 2002). "Make it a double - it could be ages before anyone else arrives". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Betoota, Australia’s smallest town". Royal Automobile Club of Queensland. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Burke and Wills "Plant Camp" (entry 645622)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
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