Prairie Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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Coordinates | 20°52′10″S 144°36′08″E / 20.8694°S 144.6022°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 143 (2016 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 0.01719/km2 (0.04452/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4821 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 8,318.3 km2 (3,211.7 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location |
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LGA(s) | Shire of Flinders | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Traeger | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Kennedy | ||||||||||||||
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Prairie is a rural town and locality in the Flinders Shire, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census the locality of Prairie had a population of 143 people.[1]
The town is located in the north of the locality. The Flinders Highway enters the locality from the north-east (Torrens Creek), passes through the town and exits to the north-west (Hughenden).[4]
The Great Northern railway line runs parallel and immediately south of the highway, with the following railway stations (east to west):
The name Prairie comes from a pastoral station established by James Gilson who named it after the appearance of the local countryside.[6]
Prairie State School opened in 1894.[8][9]
At the 2006 census, Prairie and the surrounding area had a population of 103.[10]
In the 2016 census the locality of Prairie had a population of 143 people.[1]
Prairie State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Savage Street (20°52′15″S 144°36′19″E / 20.8707°S 144.6053°E).[11][12] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 7 students with 1 teacher and 2 non-teaching staff (1 full-time equivalent).[13]
There is no secondary school in Prairie. The nearest is Hughenden State School (to Year 12) in neighbouring Hughenden to the north-west.[4]
Given the size of the locality, these schools will be too distant from those living in the south of the locality.[4] Distance education or boarding schools would be options.
The town is serviced by a hotel/motel (pub) and a cafe/post office.[14]