Miles, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Miles is a small town in Queensland
, Australia
. At the 2006 census
, Miles had a population of 1,164.
The town is situated on the Warrego Highway
, 340 kilometres west of Brisbane
, the state capital. Formerly known as Dogwood Crossing, the town is situated on Dogwood Creek, named by German explorer
Ludwig Leichhardt
in 1844. The town was renamed Miles in honour of the Queensland Colonial Secretary, William Miles.
, sorghum
, barley
and cotton
. Timber production is another area of economic activity and in common with much of Western Queensland, cattle and sheep grazing, including feedlots is widespread.
A mining industry utilising rich deposits of bentonite
clay is developing.
In addition, there are the following developing industries:
and Goondiwindi and Rockhampton by the Leichhardt Highway
. Greyhound Australia
operates 3 daily bus services between Brisbane
and Mount Isa via Longreach and Charleville
, and Coach QLD opereates three buses a week between Toowoomba and Rockhampton
, via Miles. The Westlander train also comes through Miles twice a week, on its way between Brisbane and Charleville, at very early hours of Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Miles had a population of 1,164.
The town is situated on the Warrego Highway
Warrego Highway
The Warrego Highway is located in southern Queensland, Australia. It connects coastal centres to the south western areas of the state, and is approximately 750 km in length. It takes its name from the Warrego River, which is the endpoint of the highway...
, 340 kilometres west of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, the state capital. Formerly known as Dogwood Crossing, the town is situated on Dogwood Creek, named by German explorer
European exploration of Australia
The European exploration of Australia encompasses several waves of seafarers and land explorers. Although Australia is often loosely said to have been discovered by Royal Navy Lieutenant James Cook in 1770, he was merely one of a number of European explorers to have sighted and landed on the...
Ludwig Leichhardt
Ludwig Leichhardt
Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, known as Ludwig Leichhardt, was a Prussian explorer and naturalist, most famous for his exploration of northern and central Australia.-Early life:...
in 1844. The town was renamed Miles in honour of the Queensland Colonial Secretary, William Miles.
Climate
Miles is located on the Western Downs, at an elevation of 304 m. The region around Miles has hot summers with mean maximum temperatures in January of 33.1° Celsius falling to 19.3 in July. Average rainfall is 655.7 mm, falling mainly in the period between November and FebruaryIndustry
The economy of Miles is based mainly on agriculture and cropping, producing wheatWheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
and cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
. Timber production is another area of economic activity and in common with much of Western Queensland, cattle and sheep grazing, including feedlots is widespread.
A mining industry utilising rich deposits of bentonite
Bentonite
Bentonite is an absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate, essentially impure clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite. There are different types of bentonite, each named after the respective dominant element, such as potassium , sodium , calcium , and aluminum . Experts debate a number of nomenclatorial...
clay is developing.
In addition, there are the following developing industries:
- Coal seam gas
- coal miningCoal miningThe goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
- electricity generationElectricity generationElectricity generation is the process of generating electric energy from other forms of energy.The fundamental principles of electricity generation were discovered during the 1820s and early 1830s by the British scientist Michael Faraday...
Transport
Miles is connected to Brisbane, Toowoomba and Roma by the Warrego HighwayWarrego Highway
The Warrego Highway is located in southern Queensland, Australia. It connects coastal centres to the south western areas of the state, and is approximately 750 km in length. It takes its name from the Warrego River, which is the endpoint of the highway...
and Goondiwindi and Rockhampton by the Leichhardt Highway
Leichhardt Highway
The Leichhardt Highway is a major transport route in Queensland, Australia. It is a continuation northward from Goondiwindi of the Newell Highway....
. Greyhound Australia
Greyhound Australia
Greyhound Australia is the largest long distance bus operator in Australia, operating in all mainland states and territories. It is owned by the Chapman Group and ANZ....
operates 3 daily bus services between Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and Mount Isa via Longreach and Charleville
Charleville, Queensland
Charleville is a town in south western Queensland, Australia, 758 kilometres by road west of Brisbane . It is the largest town and administrative centre of the Murweh Shire, which covers an area of 43,905 square kilometres...
, and Coach QLD opereates three buses a week between Toowoomba and Rockhampton
Rockhampton
Rockhampton can refer to:* Rockhampton, Queensland is a city in Queensland, Australia* Rockhampton City, Queensland, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland* Electoral district of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia...
, via Miles. The Westlander train also comes through Miles twice a week, on its way between Brisbane and Charleville, at very early hours of Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
External links
- University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Miles
- Sydney Morning Herald Travel
- Dogwood Crossing - The local gallery, library and IT resource centre.