about the town....

    Betoota, population 0, is the "gateway from the east",  being just over 700km from Charleville and approximately 167 Km from Birdsville in south western Queensland, Australia.

    It is 70 metres above sea level with an annual rainfall of 200ml to 400ml. 

    In 1885, the Queensland Government decided to set up a customs post at Betoota collecting a toll for stock as they travelled the stock route. This practice continued until Federation in 1901. 

    Betoota was also once the site of a Cobb & Co. change station.

    Except for surrounding cattle stations, Betoota stands alone in the middle of a vast gibber plain. 

    It was surveyed as a town in 1887 and quickly grew to three hotels, a police station, store and post office.  The remaining hotel was built in the late 1880's and was a favourite resting and refuelling spot for visitors until it closed in October 1997. 

    The town boasts an impressive racetrack, which comes alive the third weekend in September each year as part of the Simpson Desert Racing Carnival and a dry weather airstrip makes it a pleasure for the enthusiast to attend the very successful race and gymkhana meetings.


    Site updated : 2012 Feb 14

    Adding Fun

    Visit our On-Line Forum and leave a message or read comments from other visitors!
    Diary Dates for 2012
    Gymkhana & Motorbike Event
    13th to 15th April

    Betoota Cup Saturday 25th August

     

     

    Welcome...

    Welcome to our Betoota website !

    News Items.....

    • The Diamantina Shire will provide funding of $8,7708 to The Betoota Social Club for an ablutiuon block at the Betoota racecourse.
    • Research continues as to the origin of the place name "Betoota"              In a memo from Queensland Government Natural Resources and Water:-

    "The town was surveyed in 1888 by Surveyor J W Hood on instructions from  the Surveyor General dated 22nd December 1887. His field noted record on the cover that the name was to be the Township of Cooyea   (the Parish name in which the Town is situated), however inside the  cover is the reference to the Town of Teeta. Teeta is the name of a waterhole nearby. The plan number is shown on the cover of the field notes as C380.1 (C standing for Cooyea) but the plan shows B380.1 standing for Betoota. Another interesting fact is the town was once
    known as Beetoota from 1895 to 1915 according to the post office book. The area appears to be in the Karuwali Aboriginal tribe area according
    to the Tindale map of the tribes of Australia. I can find no reference to the origin of the name  in any writings, however there is a reference to TOOTA, TAMMI meaning Fat. DOOTA has the meaning of Fat also.
    These references are from tribes in the area and not from other parts of Australia"

    Betoota The Beautiful

     

    How beautiful Betoota is
    The jewel in Queensland's crown
    It stands alone, mid wind and stone
    Till rain comes pouring down

    Betoota!  Betoota!

    We pledge our love to thee
    We'd love you more and miss you less
    If you only had a tree!

                                   Patricia Cox � July 2003