| Alton Downs Queensland | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Alton Downs Hall, 2022 | |||||||||||||||
  Alton Downs | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 23°18′57″S150°21′52″E / 23.3158°S 150.3644°E | ||||||||||||||
| Population | 1,278 (2016 census) [1] | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 7.216/km2 (18.690/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4702 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 177.1 km2 (68.4 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Rockhampton Region | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Mirani | ||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Flynn | ||||||||||||||
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Alton Downs is a rural locality in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. [2] In the 2016 census, Alton Downs had a population of 1,278 people. [1]
The locality name was derived from a pastoral property. The name was assigned to a railway station named by the Queensland Railways Department on 18 Aug 1916. [2]
Alton Downs Provisional School opened on 10 February 1890. In 1908 it became Alton Downs State School. It closed on 26 March 1964. [3] It was at 1247 Ridgelands Road ( 23°18′26″S150°23′13″E / 23.3071°S 150.3869°E ). [4] [5]
Dalma Road Provisional School opened on 25 February 1901. On 1 January 1909, it became Dalma Road State School. It closed in 1934. [6] It was at 32 Harding Road (north-west corner of Nicholson Road, 23°20′43″S150°20′52″E / 23.3454°S 150.3478°E ). [7] [8]
The Alton Downs Community Hall officially opened on 2 January 1905. [9]
The Alton Downs War Memorial was officially unveiled on 16 October 1920 by Mrs H.G. Wheeler to honour those from the district who served in World War I. The memorial is made of Ulam marble and is a 12-foot (3.7 m) broken column (signifying young life cut short). It cost £180 to erect and the stonemason was Frederick Moulton Allan of Rockhampton. [10] [11] [12]
A seven-hour siege occurred at Alton Downs on the night of 20 July 2000 after police responded to reports of a serious domestic dispute on a hobby farm where gunshots had been fired. [13] Just after midnight on 21 July 2000, former air force officer Royce William Cooper fired a shot at Queensland Police Service dog squad officer Norm Watt who was hit in the leg. [14] Watt subsequently bled to death from the bullet wound. [14] Cooper later surrendered to police. [13] A two-week trial was held at the Rockhampton Supreme Court in 2003 where Cooper pleaded not guilty. [15] At the conclusion of the trial, a jury deliberated for five hours before finding Cooper guilty of murder. [16] Justice Peter Dutney sentenced Cooper to life in prison. [16] Watt is regularly remembered on the anniversary of his death and at events commemorating Queensland police officers who have been killed in the line of duty. [17] In March 2020, a new police vessel was named in Watt's honour. [18]
In the 2016 census, Alton Downs had a population of 1,278 people. [1]
Access to a reliable water supply has been an ongoing concern for the Alton Downs community for many years. [19] A public meeting was held in January 2020 which was attended by local residents and local state MP for Mirani Stephen Andrew. [19] Residents voiced their concerns about never having been able have a main water pipeline established despite being in close proximity to the Fitzroy River. [20] [21] The unreliable water supply is a concern for the local rural fire brigade and many property owners are reliant on dams and bore water. [22]
Following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions at the beginning of May 2020, an Alton Downs grazier opened his large sunflower field to the public who were able to purchase sunflower heads in exchange for a donation to charity. [23] [24] With the sunflowers in full bloom and with people having just been permitted to travel within a 50 kilometre radius on the Labour Day long weekend, the sunflower field proved to be popular with locals. [23] [25] An estimated 10,000 people visiting the field to and more than $25,000 was raised for charity. [24] Police attended the sunflower field to ensure social distancing was being observed. [23] The local farmer had previously stated in 2013 that he had planted the crop because sunflowers were beautiful to look at but had been surprised at the amount of attention the flowers had garnered from passing motorists who often stopped to take photos. [26]
The Alton Downs Community Hall is at 1569 Ridgelands Road ( 23°18′10″S150°21′22″E / 23.3028°S 150.3560°E ). [9] The Alton Downs War Memorial is in the grounds of the hall ( 23°18′10″S150°21′23″E / 23.3027°S 150.3563°E ). It commemorates those who served and died in World War I and World War II. [10] [11]
Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of the cities of South East Queensland, and the 22nd-largest city in Australia. Today, Rockhampton is an industrial and agricultural centre of the north.
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Shoalwater Bay is a large bay on the Capricorn Coast of Central Queensland, Australia 100 km north of the coastal town of Yeppoon and 628 km north-north-west of the state capital, Brisbane. Since 1966, the land surrounding Shoalwater Bay has been under the ownership of the Australian Defence Force, for the purpose of military training exercises. Shoalwater Bay is also a noted dugong habitat and is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The bay is bounded by the Torilla Peninsula to the west and the Warginburra Peninsula and Leicester and Townshend islands to the east.
Rockhampton City is the central suburb of the city of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census. Rockhampton City had a population of 1,953 people. It is informally known as Rockhampton central business district (CBD).
The Shire of Fitzroy was a local government area located in the Capricornia region of Central Queensland, Queensland, Australia, to the immediate west and south of the regional city of Rockhampton. The shire, administered from the town of Gracemere, covered an area of 5,898.7 square kilometres (2,277.5 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1899 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils to become the Rockhampton Region. It is named for the Fitzroy River, that passes along the northern boundary of the shire.
Young's Bus Service is an Australian bus operator in Rockhampton, Queensland operating services under the Translink scheme in Regional Queensland. It is the largest operator in the Rockhampton region.
Marmor is a rural town and locality in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Marmor had a population of 212 people.
Parkhurst is a suburb of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Parkhurst had a population of 2,476 people.
Matthew Paul Minto is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who has previously played for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League. He also played for the Central Queensland Capras and Souths Logan Magpies in the Queensland Cup. He played at halfback and fullback.
Kabra is a rural town and locality in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census the locality of Kabra had a population of 421 people.
Yaamba is a rural town and locality in the Livingstone Shire, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Yaamba had a population of 62 people.
Port Curtis is a suburb of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Port Curtis had a population of 281 people.
Ridgelands is a rural locality in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Ridgelands had a population of 166 people.
Dalma is a rural locality in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Dalma had a population of 78 people.
Thompson Point is a coastal locality in the Livingstone Shire, Queensland, Australia. It was the site of a short-lived town and port called Broadmount. In the 2021 census, Thompson Point had a population of 4 people.
Syeid Alam was an Australian man who was killed and then beheaded in Rockhampton, Queensland on 5 April 2016.
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The North Rockhampton Cemetery is a cemetery in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, which was established in 1879.
Former air force officer Royce William Cooper has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Senior Constable Norm Watt almost three years ago.
