out of logs. The timber was in most cases ferried to rail at Lowmead. There were also many timber mills in the district but many of these closed in the late part of the century. Perhaps the closest mill to town was located on the flat at House Creek. Dairy industry The dairy industry has the most claim to fame with a massive fig tree near the railway station being the drop off point of "cream cans" full of milk. This depot (being no more than a wooden stage) was the district dairy focal point. Locals would deliver the fresh milk to the depot where it was then loaded onto Claude's Truck for the trip to the Port Curtis Dairy (PCD). Fresh milk wasn't always the delivery and in the 1950s cream was separated on farms and delivered to town. Cream in those days was sold on "degrees of Rancid" (fresh, ripe, stale) as there was no refrigeration. The cream even then was going to the PCD in Gladstone. Racing A car rally passed through Miriam Vale in 1924; the stretch of road between Miriam Vale and Gin Gin was said to the roughest of the rally. Across House Creek there is also evidence of an old speed way ground (circa 1970s). There are some old horse race tracks in the area. Population In the 2006 census, Miriam Vale had a population of 361 people. In the 2011 census, Miriam Vale had a population of 422 people. In the , Miriam Vale had a population of 512 people. Heritage listings Miriam Vale has a number of heritage-listed sites, including Miriam Vale War Memorial, Blomfield Street () Big Fig, Station Street ( Education Miriam Vale State School is a government primary and secondary (Prep-10) school for boys and girls at 15 Roe Street (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 135 students with 17 teachers (14 full-time equivalent) and 12 non-teaching staff (8 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 129 students with 17 teachers (14 full-time equivalent) and 11 non-teaching staff (8 full-time equivalent). For secondary schooling beyond Year 10, students go to Tannum Sands State High School in Tannum Sands to the north. Amenities The Miriam Vale Library is at 41 Blomfield Street; it is operated by the Gladstone Regional Council. There is a Gladstone Regional Council administration centre at 36 Roe Street. The