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Mackay Harbour, Queensland

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Mackay Harbour is a coastal mixed-use locality in the Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Mackay Harbour had a population of 686 people.[1]

Mackay Harbour
Mackay, Queensland
Aerial view of Mackay Harbour, 2005
Mackay Harbour is located in Queensland
Mackay Harbour
Mackay Harbour
Coordinates21°06′22″S 149°12′51″E / 21.1061°S 149.2141°E / -21.1061; 149.2141 (Mackay Harbour (centre of locality))
Population686 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density47.64/km2 (123.4/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4740
Area14.4 km2 (5.6 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Mackay Region
State electorate(s)Mackay
Federal division(s)Dawson
Suburbs around Mackay Harbour:
Andergrove Slade Point Slade Point
North Mackay Mackay Harbour Coral Sea
North Mackay Cremorne Coral Sea

Geography

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Bureau of Meteorology weather station at Mount Bassett, 2016

The locality of Mackay Harbour is bounded to the east by the Coral Sea and to the south by the Pioneer River.[3] It has the following headlands (clockwise):

The land is mostly low-lying and much of it is wetlands. However, Mount Bassett in the south of the locality rises to 64 metres (210 ft) above sea level (21°06′59″S 149°12′23″E / 21.11650°S 149.20637°E / -21.11650; 149.20637 (Mount Bassett)).[4][7]

Apart from the wetlands, the land use is mixed. The Port of Mackay is located on the oceanside supported by a number of associated industrial facilities (21°06′14″S 149°13′35″E / 21.1038°S 149.2265°E / -21.1038; 149.2265 (Port of Mackay)).[3]

To the immediate south of the port is a residential and tourism development called Mackay Marina Village with 479 marina berths (21°06′41″S 149°13′27″E / 21.11129°S 149.22407°E / -21.11129; 149.22407 (Mackay Marina Village)).[8][9]

There is a quarry on Mount Bassett extracting rocks and other materials for road building and construction.[10] There is a caravan park to the north-west of the mountain (21°06′46″S 149°12′22″E / 21.1128°S 149.2060°E / -21.1128; 149.2060 (Mackay Harbour Caravan Park)),[11] while the Mount Bassett Cemetery is south of the mountain (21°07′07″S 149°12′32″E / 21.1186°S 149.2089°E / -21.1186; 149.2089 (Mount Bassett Cemetery)).[12] A Bureau of Meteorology weather station is on the east of the mountain (21°07′02″S 149°13′02″E / 21.11728°S 149.21717°E / -21.11728; 149.21717 (weather station)) with an adjacent public lookout.[3][13]

The port is served by the Mackay Harbour railway station (21°06′23″S 149°12′59″E / 21.1063°S 149.2163°E / -21.1063; 149.2163 (Mackay Harbour railway station)) on the Mackay Harbour branch line of the North Coast railway line with its junction at Erakala / Glenella.[3][14][15] It is a single track without passing loops.[16]

History

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Sketch map of Mackay Harbour, 1939
 
Aerial view of Mackay Harbour, circa 1939

When Mackay was first settled, ships came into port in the Pioneer River. However, by 1884, there were problems accommodating larger ships in the river. Although a new port had been desired since 1887, there was no progress in building one until the Australian Government provided a grant of £250,000 and a loan of £1,000,000 in 1933. Work started on the port with the laying of a foundation stone on 14 September 1935.[17] On 27 August 1939, the new deep water port was officially opened by Queensland Premier William Forgan Smith.[18] It was an occasion for extensive celebrations in Mackay.[19][20]

On 1 July 1968, the Queensland Place Names Board officially named the locality Mackay Harbour.[2]

In 1981, the current Mackay Harbour Branch was opened, replacing an earlier branch railway that took a different route via the Mackay CBD.[15]

In 1989, a bulk sugar terminal was opened and became the largest storage facility for sugar in the world.[17]

In 1989, the Mackay Marina opened on the Harbour Beach shoreline with the Marina Village being a residential and tourist precinct.[17]

Demographics

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In the 2016 census, Mackay Harbour had a population of 555 people.[21]

In the 2021 census, Mackay Harbour had a population of 686 people.[1]

Economy

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Port of Mackay, 2016

The Port of Mackay is the fourth largest multi-commodity port in Queensland, servicing both the mining and agricultural industries in Central Queensland. The port has one of the world's largest bulk sugar terminals, reflecting the extensive sugarcane industry in and around the Mackay Region. Coal from the Bowen Basin and Galilee Basin is exported through the port.[8]

In the 2017-2018 financial year, the port handled over 3 million tonnes of cargo, including 1,573,629 tonnes of fuel, 876,519 tonnes of sugar and 148,245 tonnes of grain.[8]

Education

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There are no schools in Mackay Harbour. The nearest government primary and secondary schools are Mackay North State School and Mackay North State High School, both in neighbouring North Mackay to the west.[22]

Amenities

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Mackay Marina Village as seen from Mount Bassett, 2016

There is a sandy beach south of the marina with the adjacent Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club (21°07′06″S 149°13′22″E / 21.11842°S 149.22270°E / -21.11842; 149.22270 (Mackay Harbour beach)).[3][23]

There is a lookout on Mount Bassett (21°07′02″S 149°13′04″E / 21.11733°S 149.21768°E / -21.11733; 149.21768 (Mount Bassett lookout)) beside the weather station.[3]

There are a number of parks in the locality (from north to south):

References

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  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mackay Harbour (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  2. ^ a b "Mackay Harbour – locality in Mackay Region (entry 46803)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e "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.
  5. ^ "East Point – mountain in Mackay Region (entry 11077)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Fishermans Point – mountain in Mackay Region (entry 12535)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Mount Bassett – mountain in Mackay Region (entry 1828)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  8. ^ a b c "Port of Mackay". North Queensland Bulk Ports. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Mackay Marina Village". Mackay Marina Village. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Quarry Products in Mackay QLD 4740". CJD Investments. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Discovery Parks - Mackay Caravan & Holiday Park". Mackay Holiday & Caravan Park. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Cemeteries". Mackay Regional Council. 24 July 2018. Archived from the original on 6 January 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Mackay Contacts". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ a b "Mackay Area Integrated Transport Plan" (PDF). Queensland Government. p. 55. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  16. ^ "North Coast Line: System North: Information Pack" (PDF). Queensland Rail. pp. 21–22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  17. ^ a b c "The History of Mackay Port, North Queensland, Australia". Mackay Ports. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  18. ^ "MACKAY HARBOR". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Vol. LXI, no. 205. Queensland, Australia. 28 August 1939. p. 12. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "CARNIVAL SPIRIT". Daily Mercury. Vol. 73, no. 203. Queensland, Australia. 26 August 1939. p. 8. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ "80 year anniversary for Mackay's harbour". Queensland Museum & community collections. 30 August 2019. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  21. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Mackay Harbour (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  22. ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  23. ^ "About". Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  24. ^ a b c d "Land for public recreation - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
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