View source for Yowah

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2016}}
{{GeoGroup}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                = town
| name                = Yowah
| state               = qld
| image               = Yowah the bluff.JPG
| caption             = Yowah landscape, 2008
| coordinates         = {{coord|-27.9681|144.6361|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title|name=Yowah (town centre)}}
| pop                 = 126
| pop_year            = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes       = <ref name=Census2021/>
| established         =
| postcode            = 4490
| area                = 2909.5
| timezone            = [[AEST]]
| utc                 = +10:00
| dist1               = <!-- road distances as per template instructions -->
| dir1                =
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| dist2               =
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| dist3               =
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| dist4               =
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| elevation           =
| maxtemp             =
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| lga                 = [[Shire of Paroo]]
| stategov            = [[Electoral district of Warrego|Warrego]]
| fedgov              = [[Division of Maranoa|Maranoa]]
| near-n              = [[Quilpie]]
| near-ne             = [[Humeburn, Queensland|Humeburn]]
| near-e              = [[Eulo]]
| near-se             = [[Eulo]]
| near-s              = [[Thargomindah]]
| near-sw             = [[Thargomindah]]
| near-w              = [[Thargomindah]]
| near-nw             = [[Quilpie]]
}}
'''Yowah''' is an [[outback]] town and [[Suburbs and localities (Australia)|locality]] in the [[Shire of Paroo]], [[Queensland]], Australia.<ref name=qpnt>{{cite QPN|38762|Yowah|town in Shire of Paroo|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref><ref name=qpnl>{{cite QPN|42664|Yowah|locality in Shire of Paroo|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Yowah had a population of 126 people.<ref name=Census2021/>
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.
== Geography ==
Yowah is in western Queensland, {{convert|938|km|mi}} west of the state capital, [[Brisbane]] and {{convert|132|km|mi}} west of [[Cunnamulla, Queensland|Cunnamulla]].
Access to Yowah is via a bitumen road. Driving in to Yowah at night not recommended due to animals on road.
== History ==
The Yowah pastoral station was formed on Yowah Creek in the mid 1860s by [[Vincent James Dowling]] consisting of the Bargoon, Dundoo and Bundoona outstations. In 1868, the Queensland government established the Yowah [[Native Police]] barracks under Sub-Inspector James Gilmour.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18714872 |title=Advertising |newspaper=[[The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser]] |volume=XXV |issue=3093 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 March 1868 |accessdate=20 July 2023 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=26 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726072916/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18714872 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1289782 |title=THE GAZETTE. |newspaper=[[The Brisbane Courier]] |volume=XXII |issue=3,204 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=6 January 1868 |accessdate=20 July 2023 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=26 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726072910/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1289782 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article215451269 |title=Cunnamulla. |newspaper=[[Dalby Herald And Western Queensland Advertiser]] |volume=IV |issue=182 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=13 March 1869 |accessdate=20 July 2023 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=26 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726072914/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/215451269 |url-status=live }}</ref>
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.
Population swells during the Winter months as many "regular" and "one off" visitors enjoy the weather and the friendly welcome this town offers.
Yowah State School opened on 22 January 1998.<ref>{{Citation|author1=Queensland Family History Society|title=Queensland schools past and present|publication-date=2010|edition=Version 1.01|publisher=[[Queensland Family History Society]]|isbn=978-1-921171-26-0}}</ref> It was one of the smallest state primary schools in Queensland; in 2012, there were three students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yowahss.eq.edu.au/wcms/|title=Yowah State School|publisher=Department of Education and Training|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221091959/http://yowahss.eq.edu.au/wcms/|archive-date=21 February 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=27 January 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The school closed in 2017 due to a lack of students.<ref name="qs">{{Cite QldSchool|access-date=18 April 2019}}</ref> It was at 5 Harlequin Drive ({{Coord|-27.9679|144.6312|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Yowah State School (former)}}).<ref>{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Yowah+State+School/@-27.9679808,144.6307274,163m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x6a538792718092df:0xf1e16eb9c066576b!8m2!3d-27.9680176!4d144.6310893?coh=164777&entry=tt|title=Yowah State School|access-date=6 December 2022}}</ref> Its website has been archived.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yowah State School |url=https://yowahss.eq.edu.au/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318173915/https://yowahss.eq.edu.au/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=18 March 2018 |access-date=6 December 2022}}</ref>
In August 2014, the town committee built two artesian spas.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-17 |title=Artesian Waters Caravan Park Bore Baths - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/vinkpublishing/docs/yowah_town_book_2021/s/12164184 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717202444/https://issuu.com/vinkpublishing/docs/yowah_town_book_2021/s/12164184 |archive-date=2022-07-17 |access-date=2022-07-17 }}</ref>
== Demographics ==
In the {{CensusAU|2006}}, the locality of Yowah had a population of 142.<ref name="Census2006">{{Census 2006 AUS|id=SSC38059|name=Yowah (Paroo Shire) (State Suburb)|accessdate=2012-01-27|quick=on}}</ref>
In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, the locality of Yowah had a population of 141 people.<ref name="Census2016">{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC33253|name=Yowah (SSC)|access-date=20 October 2018|quick=on}}</ref>
In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Yowah had a population of 126 people.<ref name=Census2021>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL33224|name=Yowah (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}</ref>
== Education ==
There are no schools in Yowah nor nearby. [[Distance education in Queensland|Distance education]] and boarding schools are options.<ref name="globe">{{Queensland Globe|access-date=26 July 2023}}</ref>
== Facilities ==
[[Paroo Shire Council]] operates the Rural Transaction Centre which accommodates a tourist information centre, a public library, cafe, internet and tourist information.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/visit-us/find-a-public-library/branches/paroo/yowah_library|title=Yowah Library|website=Public Libraries Connect|publisher=State Library of Queensland|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102130950/http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/visit-us/find-a-public-library/branches/paroo/yowah_library|archive-date=2 January 2018|url-status=live|access-date=22 January 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
There is also a caravan park and general store which sells groceries and fuel and has an ATM.
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 at hall and a weekly dinner and "duck race" to raise monies for SES/Flying Doctor etc at Caravan Park, during the Winter months.
The town is serviced by the [[Queensland State Emergency Service|State Emergency Service]] and the [[Rural Fire Service Queensland|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 for its water supply. 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. The water quality has been deemed to be safe, chemically.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Drinking Water Quality Management Plan |publisher=Paroo Shire Council |year=2018 |location=Paroo |pages=46 |language=English}}</ref>
== Events ==
Yowah Opal Festival is a yearly festival (3rd weekend in July) to promote and celebrate opal mining in the area. Sales, exhibitions and nightly entertainment  on offer. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paroo.info/Events/Yowah-Opal-festival-2010.aspx|title=Opal Nut Festival|publisher=Cunnamulla Tourism Info|access-date=27 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216160239/http://www.paroo.info/Events/Yowah-Opal-festival-2010.aspx|archive-date=16 February 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>[[File:Yowah Nut.JPG|thumb|Yowah nut opal. This nut has been cracked in half.]]
== Attractions ==
[[File:Yowah Nut Opal Colors.JPG|thumb|Precious Opal mixed in the iron stone of a Yowah nut]]
Yowah has a free fossicking area (fossicking licence available at the general store).
There is a heritage trail in which to explore the surrounding localities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paroo.qld.gov.au/yowah;jsessionid=9FA86067772EA16AB0640217BF6AC4AC|title=Yowah|publisher=Paroo Council|access-date=27 January 2011|archive-date=1 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401115233/http://www.paroo.qld.gov.au/yowah|url-status=live}}</ref>
There is also a free camping area, with amenities (toilets, showers and laundry).
Artesian spas is a community run facility which offers two geothermally heated baths at 57°C (134.6°F). The [[Great Artesian Basin]] sources the spas and the only communal source of drinking water.
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
*[http://www.paroo.qld.gov.au/yowah;jsessionid=9FA86067772EA16AB0640217BF6AC4AC Paroo Shire Council] - Official website
*[http://queenslandplaces.com.au/cunnamulla Queensland Places] – Queensland Places
*[http://www.paroo.info/Yowah.aspx Paroo Shire Information] – Paroo Shire Information
{{Wikivoyage|Yowah}}
{{Shire of Paroo}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Towns in Queensland]]
[[Category:Mining towns in Queensland]]
[[Category:Shire of Paroo]]
[[Category:Localities in Queensland]]