Historic El Arish Soldier Settlement
Prior to the 1918 Cyclone that interrupted the surveying of this township, the Queensland Department of Lands sent a survey and his wife to survey the blocks for the Maria Creek Soldiers' Settlement, which later became known as 'El Arish'.
The roads, mountains and creeks in this area are all named after Generals in the World War 1 or the Supervisors of the Settlement or Surveyors.
Examples of the streets names are highlighted:
General Sir John Monash
Brigadier General Sir Henry George (Harry) Chauvel
Brigadier General Jon Robinson Royston
Major General Sir Thomas William Glasgow
Brigadier General Granville (Bull) Ryrie
Major General Lachlan Chisholm Wilson
Francis Martin ( Supervisor of the Settlement)
Mt. Myrtle ( Wife of the original surveyor)
In 1923 they erected the State School, Railway Station Master's residence, and several residences.
EL ARISH was named after the town which was located on the Sinai Peninsula in Palestine and nowadays is in Egypt. During World War 1 it was the site of a strategically important battle, the winning of which enabled the Allied Forces to push forward to Damascus.