Mackay, Queensland

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Mackay
Queensland

Location of Mackay in Queensland (red)
Population: 92,183 [1] (18th)
Coordinates: 21°08′28″S 149°11′10″E / -21.14111, 149.18611Coordinates: 21°08′28″S 149°11′10″E / -21.14111, 149.18611
Elevation: 11.0 m (36 ft)
Time zone: AEST (UTC+10)
Location:
LGA: Mackay Regional Council
State District: Mackay
Federal Division: Dawson
Mean Max Temp Mean Min Temp Rainfall
27.0 °C
81 °F		 17.7 °C
64 °F		 1,533.4 mm
60.4 in
Mackay Marina.
Mackay Marina.

Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about 970 km (603 mi) north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar. The city has an average temperature of 24.7 °C (76.5 °F).

Contents

[edit] Economy

(1998-1999 financial year figures are used in the following section)[2]

Mining constitutes around one third (AUD $1.5 billion) of the Mackay region's annual gross product largely because of the coal loading terminals to the south at Hay Point, its proximity to the Bowen (Coal) Basin and the regional mining centres of Moranbah, Dysart, Clermont, Nebo and Glenden.

Retail sales and trade create around AUD $428 million of production in the Mackay region annually. AUD $69 million of these trades are attributed to tourism.

Extensive amounts of land around Mackay are used for growing sugarcane, agriculture (including crops, livestock and forestry) constitutes (AUD $890 million) of Mackay's annual gross production.[citation needed]

[edit] Tourism

Despite being close to Eungella National Park, the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands, Mackay has not capitalised greatly on its location. Only 5.3% of the region's production is generated from tourism; with 59% of tourism income coming from accommodation and 28% coming from retail sales.[citation needed] New facilities, such as Artspace Mackay, are being used not only as centres of culture for the town, but also as new ways of attracting tourists.

[edit] Beaches

Mackay is surrounded by picturesque coastline, with 31 beaches within short driving distance. Situated close to the city are Illawong, Far, and Town beaches. Harbour Beach, the most popular, locally patrolled swimming beach built is renowned for its locality to fishing hotspots and is located adjacent to the newly developed Mackay Marina. Further north of the city are Bucasia, Dophin Heads, Blacks Beach, Shoal Point, and Eimeo, otherwise known as the Northern Beaches, where world famous local landmark, the Eimeo Pacific Hotel, resides over spectacular views of the Coral Sea [3].

[edit] Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

The Gardens, opened and replaced Queen's Park as Mackay's Regional Botanic Garden in 2003. The gardens focus on rare native plants of Central Queensland and are located on Lagoon St, West Mackay, on the way to the City Gates. Before 2003, the area was commonly called "The Lagoons." "The Lagoons" were redeveloped into the Botanic Gardens.

[edit] Geography

Mackay is situated on latitude 21 on the banks of the Pioneer River. The Range lies on the eastern side of the city, with the Athelstane Range to the west. Mackay is experiencing one of the largest residential growths in Australia and the city is expanding to accommodate for these people with most of the expansion happening in the Beachside, Southern, Central and Pioneer Valley suburbs.

[edit] Suburbs

Panoramic image from levee near Mackay boat ramp near the mouth of the Pioneer River
Panoramic image from levee near Mackay boat ramp near the mouth of the Pioneer River
Panoramic image from pathway to Rats of Tobruk memorial in Queen's Park, Mackay.
Panoramic image from pathway to Rats of Tobruk memorial in Queen's Park, Mackay.

Mackay is made up of a number of suburbs or neighbourhoods, including:

  • Shoal Point
  • Bucasia
  • Rural View
  • Eimeo
  • Dolphin Heads
  • Blacks Beach
  • Nindaroo
  • Beaconsfield
  • Slade Point
  • Mackay Harbour
  • Andegrove
  • Richmond
  • Glenella
  • Mount Pleasant
  • Erakala
  • Foulden
  • North Mackay
  • Cremorne
  • Mackay City
  • Racecourse
  • West Mackay
  • Paget
  • Ooralea
  • South Mackay
  • East Mackay
  • Bakers Creek

[edit] History

 This section does not cite any references or sources. (February 2008)
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

One of the first Europeans to travel through the Mackay region was Captain James Cook, who reached the Mackay coast on 1 June 1770 and named several local landmarks, including Cape Palmerston, Slade Point and Cape Hillsborough. It was during this trip that the Endeavour's botanist, Sir Joseph Banks, briefly recorded seeing Aborigines. The City of Mackay was later founded on Yuibera traditional lands.

Although several other maritime explorers sailed through the waters off Mackay, it was not until 1860 when moves were made to claim the region’s virgin pastures.

Two eager young men, John McCrossin and Scottish-born John Mackay, assembled a party of eight, including an Aborigine named Duke, and left Armidale, New South Wales in January 1860. Two men left the party in Rockhampton while the others reached the top of the range overlooking the Mackay district's Pioneer Valley in May. After descending into the valley and exploring almost to the mouth of the river, which they named the Mackay, the members of the party selected land and began the trip back to civilisation. On the return journey, they all suffered from a fever that claimed the life of Duke.

Mackay returned to the area with 1,200 head of cattle in January 1862 and founded Greenmount station. Although the other members of his first expedition had marked runs, none but Mackay took up their claims. However, Mackay remained in possession of Greenmount for less than two years. Ownership transferred to James Starr in September 1864 and, despite Mackay’s protests, he never succeeded in regaining control. Greenmount passed through a number of owners’ hands before being bought by A.A. Cook in 1913. Before leaving the district, John Mackay chartered the vessel Preston, which landed stores from him on the riverbank about a kilometre upstream from the present Hospital Bridge. Mackay made a survey of the river and the chart was sent to Rockhampton. The Port of Mackay was then officially declared a port of entry.

In 1918, Mackay was hit by a major Tropical Cyclone causing severe damage and loss of life with hurricane-force winds and a large storm surge. The resulting death toll was further increased by an outbreak of Bubonic plague.

The largest loss of life in an Australian aircraft accident, with 29 deaths, occurred on 10 June 1960 when a Fokker F27 flew into the sea 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) east of Mackay Airport.

[edit] Climate

On 18 February 1958, Mackay was hit with massive flooding caused by heavy rainfall upstream with 878mm of rain falling at Finch Hatton in 24 hours. The water flowed down the valley and flooded Mackay within hours. Residents were rescued off rooftops by boats and taken to emergency accommodation.

On 15 February 2008, almost 50 years from the last major flood, Mackay was devastated by severe flooding caused by over 600mm of rain in 6 hours. Over $100 million of dollars of damage was caused mainly in Glenella, North and East Mackay, with around 2000 homes affected. The clean up is still in progress.

Climate Table
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum temperature (°C) 30.1 30.0 29.2 27.6 25.2 22.9 22.4 23.6 25.6 28.2 29.4 30.6 27.1
Mean daily minimum temperature (°C) 22.8 23.1 21.9 19.5 15.6 12.7 11.0 12.0 14.4 18.2 20.4 22.1 17.8
Mean total rainfall (mm) 327.2 368.2 197.6 178.4 100.0 69.9 32.3 37.3 19.0 37.0 73.2 110.9 1551.0
Mean number of rain days 13.3 14.2 11.3 10.8 7.6 6.5 3.8 3.9 2.9 3.8 5.7 8.1 91.9
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

[edit] Infrastructure

[edit] Roads, Rail and Ports

Mackay is connection point of two major National Highway routes, the A1 (Bruce Highway), and highway 70 (Peak Downs Highway). The A1 connects Mackay to Townsville and Cairns in the north, and Rockhampton and Brisbane in the south. The Peak Downs Highway connects Mackay to Moranbah, Clermont and Emerald in the south-west.

Numerous major road projects are under construction within the Mackay Region, these include the Forgan Smith Bridge duplication, the Hospital Bridge replacement, the Joint Levee Road and the Mackay-Bucasia Road duplication.

The North Coast railway line, operated by Queensland Rail, meets the Western line in the city's south. Rail services from Brisbane pass through Mackay and continue through to Townsville and further to Cairns, including the regular Tilt Train service between Brisbane and Cairns. The minerals from the western line (Moranbah and other coal mining centres) are transported to Hay Point for trans-shipment to other destinations. The Port of Mackay (the Harbour) deals mainly with the exportation of sugar and the accomdation of International passenger ocealiners.

The City is served by Mackay Airport, in which Qantas, Virgin Blue, Jetstar Airways and Tiger Airways offer flights to Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, as well as to regional destinations such as Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton and Gladstone.

[edit] Health

The Mackay Base Hospital is situated in West Mackay, and is located around 4km from Mackay City next the Hospital Bridge, and is the major hospital for the Central Queensland Region. The Pioneer Valley Hospital and Mater Hospital are located on the city's northside.

[edit] Education

See List of schools in Mackay

Mackay has numerous primary and secondary schools. Separate systems of private and public schools operate in Queensland. There are 11 state primary schools and 3 state high schools operated by the Queensland state government Department of Education within the Mackay City Council area.

The private system encompasses 5 primary schools, 1 secondary colleges, two P-12 college, one P-10, one 8-10 and the state's only 11-12.

The Mackay Campus of the Central Queensland University is located in the rural suburb Ooralea and the Mackay campus of James Cook University is located in South Mackay. The city is also home to a TAFE college which is located in the south of the inner city.

[edit] Government

Mackay City Council Building, Gordon Street, Mackay.
Mackay City Council Building, Gordon Street, Mackay.

Mackay is governed locally by the Mackay Regional Council, a product of the amalgamation of the former City of Mackay, formed in 1869, with surrounding shires. The mayor is Col Meng. Tim Mulherin and James Bidgood (Dawson) are the state and national government representatives.

[edit] Recreation

[edit] Sporting Life

The Mackay Cutters rugby league team will play their first season in 2008 in the Queensland Cup and will act as a feeder team to the North Queensland Cowboys who play in the National Rugby League.

[edit] Media Outlets

  • The Daily Mercury (newspaper)
  • Seven Local News (Monday to Friday local news bulletin)
  • Hot FM
  • Sea FM
  • 4MK FM
  • ABC Tropical North
  • 1026AM Easy Listening

[edit] Notable People From Mackay

[edit] Sister Cities

[edit] Gallery

Looking west across West Mackay from the city's airport

The Pioneer River weaving through the Pioneer Valley viewed westward with the Forgan Smith (near) and Ron Camm (far) bridges

Looking west across estuarine mangroves and North Mackay suburbs. Sugar plantations fill out the region beyond the city limits

Mackay marina and habour showing fuel oil storage depots (centre and left), commercial marina precinct (lower right), molasses tanks (right) and sugar loading terminal (top centre)

Directly above the newer marina development (foreground). Molasses storage tanks are seen at lower right. Sugar and grain storage facilities are to the top right

Another view of the marina (foreground), with fuel storage tanks in centre, and industrial area beyond

Mackay harbour and harbour beach (foreground). Mt Basset Meteorological Observatory centred, with Mackay City beyond the Pioneer River in the distance

Mackay Harbour sugar loading terminal, the largest sugar exporting facility in the world. The largest of the sugar sheds is over a kilometre long.

Mackay suburbs Slade Point (near), and Eimeo and Blacks Beach (distance)

Mosaic at the foot of Rats of Tobruk Memorial in Queen's Park

[edit] References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). Mackay (QLD) (Statistical District). 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
  2. ^ Mackay Whitsunday Regional Statistical Profile – Labour and Industry. Regional Economic Development Corporation (1998-99). Retrieved on 2007-12-27. page 9 chart 2
  3. ^ www.mackayregion.com
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