| Walkerston Queensland |
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Walkerston
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| Population: | 2,563[1] |
| Postcode: | 4751 |
| Location: | |
| LGA: | Mackay Regional Council |
| State District: | Mirani |
| Federal Division: | Capricornia |
Walkerston is a town in central Queensland, Australia. The town is situated on the Peak Downs Highway 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south-west of Mackay. Walkerston straddles Bakers Creek for about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi). At the 2006 census, Walkerston had a population of 2,563.[1]
The town boasts two primary schools, a post office, three bars (including a sports club), and a supermarket. It is also the hometown of the Buddhist author Angulimalo.
The railway reached Walkerston from Paget on 10 August 1885. Whilst there was a station building, there was no passenger platform, passengers accessing the trains from the ground.[2]
This town was commonly known as Scrubby Creek from as early as 1866, and sometimes as Baker’s Creek; later these two names were interchangeable with Walkerston and, to a lesser degree, Alsatia. Scrubby Creek was definitely not a nickname for Walkerston; there were no inverted commas included when the words were printed in newspapers or almanacs. The name was well deserved, for the wild bush scrub grew luxuriantly on the banks of Baker’s Creek.
In May 1860, Scots-born John Mackay was only 21 years old when he left Armidale, New South Wales in January 1860 with men, horses and provisions in search of land for cattle runs in north Queensland. They travelled up the east coast, taking a mainly inland route until they came to the junction of Cattle Creek and the Pioneer River, in an area about 15 miles west of present-day Walkerston. They then followed the river, firstly named by Mackay’s companions as the Mackay River but now known as the Pioneer.[3]