Miriam Vale is a rural town and locality in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Miriam Vale had a population of 512 people. Geography The town is situated on the Bruce Highway, north of Brisbane, the state capital, and south of Rockhampton. Economy Miriam Vale is renowned as a traditional cattle growing area, and also supports timber, beef and dairy cattle. Tourism is an emerging industry within the shire and the town is a gateway to the tourist resorts of Agnes Water and the Town of 1770. In the 1970s signs at the entry to town proudly proclaimed "Welcome to Miriam Vale – Cattle, Tobacco, Timber and Dairy". The tobacco industry faded in the late 1970s followed by the dairy industry in the 1990s. History Gureng Gureng (also known as Gooreng Gooreng, Goreng Goreng, Goeng, Gurang, Goorang Goorang, Korenggoreng) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Gureng Gureng people. The Gooreng Gooreng language region includes the towns of Bundaberg, Gin Gin and Miriam Vale extending south towards Childers, inland to Monto and Mt Perry. Miriam Vale Post Office opened on 1 April 1877. Miriam Vale Provisional School opened in March 1897 and became Miram Vale State School on 14 July 1897. St Mary's Anglican Church was opened on Sunday 18 February 1912 by Bishop George Halford. It was a timber church. It was replaced by a new church built circa 1975. Miriam Vale War Memorial was unveiled on 14 December 1921 by John William Fletcher, the Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Port Curtis. St Peter Chanel Catholic Church was opened in September 1954 by Bishop Andrew Gerard Tynan. It was a timber church. Timber industry The timber industry has roots in the late 19th century, with early timber cutters working along the Bobby Range cutting hoop pine. In these early days hoop pine was cut and two timer chutes allowed logs to be shot to the foot of the range where bullock wagons were waiting. Evidence of these old chutes can still be found at the back of Boreelum on the sides of the range. The southern chute was on tram rails and consisted of two carriages. As the log was lowered down the mountain the other empty carriage was drawn to the top. This was achieved by a small overtaking siding in the middle. The other chute to the west was smaller and built