Grahams Creek, Queensland

Grahams Creek Queensland
High trestle railway bridge carrying the North Coast railway line over Grahams Creek, 1882
Grahams Creek
Coordinates	25°34′29″S152°36′19″E / 25.5747°S 152.6052°E / -25.5747; 152.6052 (Grahams Creek (centre of locality))
Population	149 (SAL 2021) [1]
Postcode(s)	4650
Area	15.4 km2 (5.9 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	16.2 km (10 mi) WSW of Maryborough 45.2 km (28 mi) SSW of Hervey Bay 260 km (162 mi) N of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Fraser Coast Region
State electorate(s)	Maryborough
Federal division(s)	Wide Bay
Suburbs around Grahams Creek: Yengarie Yengarie Tinana Yerra Grahams Creek Tinana South Yerra Mungar Mungar

Grahams Creek is a rural locality in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2021 census, Grahams Creek had a population of 149 people. ^[3]

Geography

The locality is bounded to the north by the creek Grahams Creek and to the east by the Mary River. ^[4]

The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the south (Mungar) and exits to the north (Yengarie). ^[4] The locality was served by the now-abandoned Grahams Creek railway station ( 25°34′12″S152°36′06″E / 25.5701°S 152.6017°E / -25.5701; 152.6017 (Grahams Creek railway station) ). ^[5]

The land use is a mixture of grazing on native vegetation, crop growing, and rural residential housing. ^[4]

History

The locality takes its name from its former railway station, which in turn was derived from the creek name. The creek in turn takes its name from pastoralist Hugh Graham who established the Marianna pastoral run in 1848. ^{[2] [6] [7]}

The construction of the railway line from Gympie to Maryborough in the late 1870s (now part of the North Coast railway line) was delayed by the difficulties of crossing Graham's Creek ( 25°33′42″S152°36′33″E / 25.5616°S 152.6091°E / -25.5616; 152.6091 (Graham's Creek Bridge (Yengarie Bridge)) ) which required considerable ingenuity to construct a bridge. ^[8] The line was officially opened in August 1881. ^[9]

The improved Grahams Creek Bridge, 1916

In 1916, the railway bridge's superstructure was replaced and the bridge strengthened. This was to enable the use of the heavier B17 class locomotives. ^{[10] [11] [12]}

In May 2012, a 3.5-metre (11 ft) saltwater crocodile was found in the Mary River between Brothers Island and the mainland near the locality of Beaver Rock, significantly further south than the normal range for such a crocodile. ^{[13] [14]} As per Queensland Government policy, crocodiles spotted south of the Boyne River are trapped and relocated to their natural habitat by wildlife official. ^[15] However, the crocodile eluded the trap for many months, ^{[16] [17]} with wildlife officials reporting confirmed sightings of a second smaller crocodile in the river in July 2013. The smaller female crocodile was trapped in November 2013. ^[18] In November 2014, the larger male crocodile was harpooned approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) up the river at Grahams Creek to be relocated to Koorana crocodile farm at Rockhampton. ^[19]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Grahams Creek had a population of 157 people. ^[20]

In the 2021 census, Grahams Creek had a population of 149 people. ^[3]

Education

There are no schools in Grahams Creek. The nearest government primary school is Mungar State School in neighbouring Mungar to the south. The nearest government secondary school is Aldridge State High School in Maryborough to the north-east. ^[21]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Grahams Creek (Suburb and Locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
2. "Grahams Creek – locality in Fraser Coast Region (entry 47267)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 10 June 2019.
3. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Grahams Creek (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
4. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 13 September 2023.
5. "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.
6. "Grahams Creek – watercourse in the Fraser Coast Region (entry 14546)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 20 October 2019.
7. "Back To The Early Days Of Settlement". Maryborough Chronicle . No. 25, 044. Queensland, Australia. 5 June 1952. p. 7. Retrieved 20 October 2019– via National Library of Australia.
8. "A Visit to the Railway Bridge at Graham's Creek". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser . No. 2263. Queensland, Australia. 22 February 1879. p. 2. Retrieved 14 September 2023– via National Library of Australia.
9. "Opening of the Maryborough and Gympie Railway". The Brisbane Courier . Vol. XXXVI, no. 7, 356. Queensland, Australia. 9 August 1881. p. 3. Retrieved 14 September 2023– via National Library of Australia.
10. "SUPERSTRUCTURE FOR GRAHAM'S CREEK BRIDGE". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser . No. 12, 925. Queensland, Australia. 20 October 1914. p. 5. Retrieved 14 September 2023– via National Library of Australia.
11. "Bridge-strengthening Methods". The Brisbane Courier . No. 18, 926. Queensland, Australia. 14 September 1918. p. 4. Retrieved 14 September 2023– via National Library of Australia.
12. "Engines on the North Coast Line". The Brisbane Courier . No. 18, 582. Queensland, Australia. 7 August 1917. p. 6. Retrieved 14 September 2023– via National Library of Australia.
13. Hall, Peter; Maynard, Neale (2 May 2012). "First photo of saltwater crocodile in Mary River near Beaver Rock outside Maryborough in south-east Queensland". The Courier-Mail . Retrieved 12 June 2022.
14. Tapim, Francis (2 May 2012). "3.5-metre croc spotted in Queensland's south". ABC News. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
15. "Large crocodile sighted in Mary River". Ministerial Media Statements. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
16. "Trapping recommences for Mary River crocodile". Ministerial Media Statements. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
17. "Trap slammed shut but there are no Mary River crocs inside". Fraser Coast Chronicle . 13 August 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
18. "Rangers catch Mary River croc". ABC News. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
19. "Video: Rangers harpoon 3.8m croc in Mary River". Fraser Coast Chronicle . 12 November 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
20. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Grahams Creek (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
21. "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government . Retrieved 13 September 2023.