ous ▁word ▁meaning ▁large ▁plain ). ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁town ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁Arthur ▁Mac al ister , ▁Premier ▁of ▁Queensland ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁to ▁ 1 8 6 7 . ▁The ▁name ▁Ap un yal ▁is ▁an ▁Ab original ▁word ▁meaning ▁large ▁plain . ▁ ▁Mac al ister ▁Post ▁Office ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 ▁July ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁( a ▁receiving ▁office ▁had ▁been ▁open ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 6 , ▁known ▁as ▁Jim bour ▁Creek ▁until ▁ 1 8 7 8 ) ▁and ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁Mac al ister ▁Pro vis ional ▁School ▁opened ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁August ▁ 1 8 9 4 , ▁becoming ▁Mac al ister ▁State ▁School ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁it ▁was ▁renamed ▁Ap un yal ▁State ▁School , ▁while ▁a ▁newly ▁opened ▁school ▁took ▁the ▁name ▁Mac al ister ▁State ▁School . ▁Ap un yal ▁State ▁School ▁closed ▁about ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁while ▁the ▁second ▁Mac al ister ▁State ▁School ▁closed ▁on ▁ 4 ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁census , ▁Mac al ister ▁and ▁the ▁surrounding ▁area ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 4 8 6 . ▁ ▁Community ▁groups ▁ ▁The ▁Mac al ister ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Queensland ▁Country ▁Women ' s ▁Association ▁meets ▁at ▁the ▁Ken more ▁Library ▁at ▁the ▁Q C WA ▁Hall ▁at ▁