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.