Petford


Petford is a locality in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia.

History

The locality takes its name from the railway station which was named after John Joseph Petford, an official of Queensland Railways Department for many years. The railway station was on the Chillagoe Railway & Mining Co. line from Mareeba to Mount Garnet which opened its first section from Mareeba to Lappa, just south-west of Petford, in 1900. The station no longer operates, but the line still exists, with the Savannahlander tourist train passing through Petford on its way between Cairns and Forsayth.
Bamford Provisional School opened on 23 January 1905. The school closed in 1907 but reopened in 1908. On 1 January 1909 it became Bamford State School. It closed on 2 August 1935.