Ayr, Queensland

Ayr
Queensland

Gubulla Munda is a 60 metre carpet snake sculpture located in Plantation Park.
Ayr
Coordinates 19°35′0″S 147°24′0″E / 19.58333°S 147.40000°ECoordinates: 19°35′0″S 147°24′0″E / 19.58333°S 147.40000°E
Population 8,093 (2006)[1]
Established 1882
Postcode(s) 4807
Elevation 12.0 m (39 ft)
Location
  • 1,273 km (791 mi) from Brisbane
  • 88 km (55 mi) from Townsville
  • 290 km (180 mi) from Mackay
LGA(s) Shire of Burdekin
State electorate(s) Burdekin
Federal Division(s) Dawson
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
29.0 °C
84 °F		 17.8 °C
64 °F		 953.9 mm
37.6 in

Ayr is a town and locality in the Shire of Burdekin, Queensland, Australia.[2][3]

Geography

Ayr is located 88 kilometres (55 mi) south of Townsville on the Bruce Highway and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) away from the (smaller) town of Home Hill. It is 112 kilometres (70 mi) north of Bowen and 290 kilometres (180 mi) north of Mackay. Ayr is located near the delta of the Burdekin River. It is within the Burdekin Shire, which produces the most sugar cane per square kilometre in Australia utilising underground water supplies and water from the Burdekin Dam to irrigate crops when rains fail.

Alva beach, a popular area for fishing and swimming, is located 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) east of Ayr.

Ayr has a population of approximately 8,000.

History

Ayr is believed to be named after the Scottish town of Ayr, the birthplace of Queensland Premier Sir Thomas McIlwraith.[2]

Ayr Post Office opened on 25 August 1883.[4]

War Memorial Park arch over the gate at the Memorial Park, 1937-1938

The Ayr War Memorial Arch is the entrance to the Memorial Park and commemorates those who served in World War 1. It was dedicated in November 1925 by the shire chairman, Councillor Barsby.[5][6]

Heritage listings

Ayr has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Education

Ayr has several state primary schools (Ayr, East Ayr, Kalamia and several others in surrounding areas) and two non-government primary schools, St Francis School (Catholic) and Burdekin Christian College. Ayr has one state high school and one non-government high school. Ayr State High School was the 8th public secondary high school in Queensland. The non-government high school is called the Burdekin Catholic High School.

Health

Ayr is home to a small, state owned hospital. The one-storey building offers basic emergency care. The hospital features a helipad, which is utilized during more serious emergencies.

Transport

The A1 passes through the town. This, mostly two laned highway, is the major road of the Burdekin. It links Ayr with neighboring Brandon and Home Hill. Ayr's main street, Queen street, is a wide two laned street capable of handling a large amount of slow travelling cars. The street can be upgraded to a 5-lane street, by removing car parks.

Ayr Railway Station is the town's rail transit stop. Regular services run from Brisbane to Cairns, via Ayr, Townsville and all stations to Cairns.

While the town has no public transport, several bus routes pick up school children across the region.

Sport

A wide variety of sports are played in Ayr, including Touch football, which is competitive and draws an increasing number of participants each year, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer, tennis and golf. Netball and Table Tennis (ping pong) are also popular. The Ayr Surf Life Saving club is a small yet highly established club boasting a number of past and present skilled members and competitors.

Media

Ayr is home to one newspaper. The Ayr Advocate has a Burdekin wide circulation of just under 4000 people. The paper is published by Sydney based News Corporation, and has 3 full-time journalists.

The town is home to the popular satirical publication The Burdekin Herald which was launched in 2013.[10] In January 2014 the Burdekin Herald shot to fame after it published an article claiming that the conservative Queensland government was going to introduce 22 000 poisonous snakes into homes to rid the state of cane toads.[11][12]

Amenities

Ayr has the usual chain stores, ten pin bowling, a toyshop, cinema, 6 pubs as well as a range of sports, electrical and fashion stores. Ayr has several banks including the Commonwealth, ANZ, Suncorp, National and Bendigo Bank.

Notable persons from Ayr

See also

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Ayr (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Ayr (entry 1066)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Ayr (entry 44665)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  4. ↑ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "NEWS OF THE NORTH.". Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954) (Qld.: National Library of Australia). 27 November 1925. p. 9. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "War Memorial Arch". Monument Australia. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Ayr State High School (entry 16335)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
  8. ↑ "Burdekin Shire Council Chambers (entry 16658)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
  9. ↑ "Ayr Court House (entry 15899)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 2013-07-07.
  10. ↑ http://www.burdekinherald.com/our-policies/
  11. ↑ http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/468274-government-to-introduce-22-000-black-mambas-to-help-eradicate-cane-toads-article-is-satire/
  12. ↑ http://www.hoax-slayer.com/black-mamba-cane-toad-control.shtml
  13. ↑ Whiticker, Alan and Hudson, Glen (2005). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players - Wests Tigers. Melbourne, Victoria: Bas Publishing. pp. 191–192. ISBN 1-920910-61-1.

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Ayr (Queensland).