Grasstree Beach, Queensland
| Grasstree Beach Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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 Settlement on the Zelma Goldfields, circa 1900 | |||||||||||||||
  Grasstree Beach | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 21°20′42″S 149°16′03″E / 21.345°S 149.2675°E | ||||||||||||||
| Population | 717 (SAL 2021)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4740 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 16.9 km2 (6.5 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Mackay Region | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Mirani | ||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Capricornia | ||||||||||||||
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Grasstree Beach is a coastal locality in the Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] It contains two towns, Grasstree in the centre of the locality (21°21′43″S 149°17′38″E / 21.3619°S 149.2939°E) and Zelma on the coast (21°21′49″S 149°18′26″E / 21.3636°S 149.30722°E).[3][4] In the 2021 census, Grasstree Beach had a population of 717 people.[5]
Geography[edit]
The Coral Sea forms the eastern boundary of the locality while Cabbage Tree Creek and Castrades Inlet form the southern boundary.[6][7]
The locality has the following coastal features, clockwise:
- Victor Island (21°19′25″S 149°19′24″E / 21.3236°S 149.3233°E)[8][9]
- Point Victor (21°20′09″S 149°18′01″E / 21.3357°S 149.3003°E)[10][11]
- Mick Ready Beach (21°20′45″S 149°18′16″E / 21.3457°S 149.3045°E)[12]
- Grasstree Beach (21°21′56″S 149°18′28″E / 21.3656°S 149.3078°E)[12]
- Castrades Inlet (21°22′34″S 149°18′36″E / 21.3761°S 149.31°E)[13]
- Cabbage Tree Creek (21°22′05″S 149°18′05″E / 21.36816°S 149.30144°E)[14]
The locality has the following mountains:
- Mount Haden (21°21′26″S 149°17′51″E / 21.3573°S 149.2975°E) 157 metres (515 ft)[10][15]
- Raspberry Hill (21°21′35″S 149°15′50″E / 21.3598°S 149.2639°E) 37 metres (121 ft)[10][16]
The Goonyella railway line enters the locality from the south-west (Sarina / Sarina Beach) and exits the locality to the north (Hay Point).[7] The locality is served by the Dalrymple Junction railway station (21°20′52″S 149°16′53″E / 21.3478°S 149.2815°E).[17]
Much of the land in the east of locality is undeveloped. There is suburban housing in the two towns with some rural residential housing to the north-west of the town of Grasstree and in the south-west of the locality. Apart from that, the predominant land use in the west of the locality is grazing on native vegetation.[7]
History[edit]
Gold was found in the area in 1889.[18] The town of Grasstree first appears on an 1891 survey plan.[3]
In August 1891, residents commenced fundraising to establish a school.[19] Grass Tree Provisional School opened circa 1892 and closed in 1899. It reopened in 1901 and closed permanently in 1905 due to low student numbers.[20] It was located on the north-eastern side of Haden Street (21°21′40″S 149°17′45″E / 21.36105°S 149.29597°E).[21][7]
The town of Zelma first appears on a 1935 survey plan.[4]
The locality was officially named and bounded on 4 June 1999.[2]
Demographics[edit]
In the 2016 census, Grasstree Beach had a population of 745 people.[22]
In the 2021 census, Grasstree Beach had a population of 717 people.[5]
Education[edit]
There are no schools in Grasstree Beach. The nearest government primary school is Alligator Creek State School in neighbouring Alligator Creek to the west. The nearest government secondary school is Sarina State High School in neighbouring Sarina to the south-west.[23]
References[edit]
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Grasstree Beach (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Grasstree Beach – locality in Mackay Region (entry 46790)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
- ^ a b "Grasstree – population centre in Mackay Region (entry 14642)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
- ^ a b "Zelma – population centre in Mackay Region (entry 38834)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Grasstree Beach (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ Google (20 August 2021). "Grasstree Beach, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
- ^ "Marine islands - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Victor Island – island (entry 36005)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ a b c "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Point Victor – mountain in Mackay Region (entry 36007)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Mountain ranges beaches and sea passages - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Castrades Inlet – inlet in Mackay Regional (entry 6480)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ "Cabbage Tree Creek – watercourse in Mackay Regional (entry 5619)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ "Mount Haden – mountain in Mackay Region (entry 15177)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Raspberry Hill – mountain in Mackay Region (entry 28037)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ "Grasstree Mountain". The Telegraph. No. 5, 270. Queensland, Australia. 3 September 1889. p. 3. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Grass Tree Notes". Mackay Mercury. Vol. 54, no. 38. Queensland, Australia. 13 August 1891. p. 2. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
- ^ Queensland Surveyor General's Office. (1892). "Plan of section 1 to 4, Grass-Tree Township (on Grass-Tree Goldfield) Parish of Hector, County of Carlisle, Mackay Land Agent's District". Town maps of Queensland. Brisbane: Printed & published at the Surveyor-General's Office. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023 – via Trove.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Grasstree Beach (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
Further reading[edit]
- Alligator Creek State School (Qld.) (1996), Centenary, Alligator Creek State School, 1896-1996 : incorporating Cliftonville State School and Grasstree Provisional School, Alligator Creek State School
External links[edit]
- "Grasstree Beach". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
- Town map of Grasstree, 1974
- Town map of Zelma, 1984
