Gregory River, Queensland (Whitsunday Region)

Not to be confused with Gregory River, Queensland (Bundaberg Region) or Gregory River (Australia).

Gregory River Queensland
Gregory River
Coordinates	20°15′55″S148°30′22″E / 20.2652°S 148.5061°E / -20.2652; 148.5061
Population	427 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	2.2090/km2 (5.721/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4800
Elevation	0–806 m (0–2,644 ft)
Area	193.3 km2 (74.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	20.9 km (13 mi) N of Proserpine 146 km (91 mi) NNW of Mackay 251 km (156 mi) SE of Townsville 1,118 km (695 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Whitsunday Region
State electorate(s)	Whitsunday
Federal division(s)	Dawson
Suburbs around Gregory River: Bowen Coral Sea Cape Gloucester Mount Pluto Gregory River Woodwark Riordanvale Foxdale Myrtlevale Strathdickie Sugarloaf

Gregory River is a coastal rural locality in the Whitsunday Region, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2021 census, Gregory River had a population of 427 people. ^[1]

Geography

The locality is bounded to the north by Edgecumbe Bay, a bay of the Coral Sea ( 20°06′49″S148°23′25″E / 20.1137°S 148.3902°E / -20.1137; 148.3902 (Edgecumbe Bay) ). ^[3] Greta Creek flows into the bay and forms the north-western boundary of the locality ( 20°11′00″S148°25′00″E / 20.18333°S 148.41667°E / -20.18333; 148.41667 (Greta Creek (mouth)) ), while the Gregory River (the watercourse) also flows into the bay and forms the north-eastern boundary of the locality ( 20°09′44″S148°25′47″E / 20.1621°S 148.4297°E / -20.1621; 148.4297 (Gregory River (mouth)) ). ^[4] The locality is bounded to the west by the North Coast railway line. ^[5]

Most of the locality is low flat land 5 to 20 metres (16 to 66 ft) above sea level, but the south-east of the locality where the Gregory River rises is mountainous terrain rising to 806 metres (2,644 ft) above sea level. ^[5]

Mount Dryander is on the locality's eastern boundary with Cape Gloucester ( 20°14′44″S148°33′27″E / 20.2455°S 148.5575°E / -20.2455; 148.5575 (Mount Dryander) ), rising to 792 metres (2,598 ft) above sea level. ^[5] It was named in July 1820 by Lieutenant Phillip Parker King of HM Colonial Cutter Mermaid, after the Swedish botanist Jonas Carllson Dryander who was librarian for Sir Joseph Banks. ^{[6] [7]}

The Bruce Highway enters the locality from the south (Myrtlevale) and exits the locality to the north-west (Bowen). ^[8]

The North Coast railway line follows the western boundary of the locality, entering the locality from the south (Foxdale / Myrtlevale) and exiting to the north-west (Bowen). There are a number of railway stations within the locality, from north to south: ^[8]

• Debella railway station, now abandoned ( 20°14′17″S148°24′30″E / 20.2380°S 148.4082°E / -20.2380; 148.4082 (Debella railway station (former)) ) ^{[9] [10]}
• Bubialo railway station ( 20°17′44″S148°28′36″E / 20.2956°S 148.4768°E / -20.2956; 148.4768 (Bubialo railway station) ) ^{[11] [10]}
• Koolachu railway station, now abandoned ( 20°19′06″S148°30′15″E / 20.3183°S 148.5043°E / -20.3183; 148.5043 (Koolachu railway station (former)) ) ^{[12] [10]}

The mountainous terrain in the south-east of the locality is within the Dryander National Park and the Dryander State Forest. Apart from these protected areas, the predominant land use is grazing on native vegetation. The land in the south of the locality near the Gregory River is mostly used to grow sugarcane. In the north of the locality near the bay, there is coastal marshland and aquaculture (mostly prawn farming). There is also rural residential housing in the south-east of the locality. ^[13]

There is a small network of cane tramways in the south to the locality to transport the harvested sugarcane to the Proserpine Sugar Mill. ^[8]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Gregory River had a population of 307 people. ^[14]

In the 2021 census, Gregory River had a population of 427 people. ^[1]

Economy

Proserpine Prawn Farm operated by Tassal is Australia's largest prawn farm ( 20°11′46″S148°26′42″E / 20.1961°S 148.4449°E / -20.1961; 148.4449 (Proserpine Prawn Farm) ). ^{[15] [16]}

Education

There are no schools in Gregory River. The nearest government primary and secondary schools are Proserpine State School and Proserpine State High School, both in Proserpine to the south, There is also a Catholic primary-and-secondary school in Proserpine. ^[17]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Gregory River (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Gregory River – locality in Whitsunday Region (entry 46873)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 26 October 2019.
3. "Edgecumbe Bay – bay in the Whitsunday Region (entry 11180)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 16 August 2024.
4. "Greta Creek – watercourse in the Whitsunday Region (entry 14857)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 16 August 2024.
5. "Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourses; Bay; Road and rail". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
6. "Mount Dryander – mountain in Whitsunday Regional (entry 10628)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 21 May 2024.
7. "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.
8. "Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Railway; Railway stations". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
9. "Debella – rail station - feature no longer exists in Whitsunday Regional (entry 9559)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 21 May 2024.
10. "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.
11. "Bubialo – Railway station in the Whitsunday Region (entry 4856)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 16 August 2024.
12. "Koolachu – railway station in the Whitsunday Region (entry 18435)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 16 August 2024.
13. "Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use; Land parcel; Watercourse; Contours; Sugarcane areas". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
14. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Gregory River (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
15. "Proserpine Prawn Farm". thechannel.tassal.com.au. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
16. "Tassal, CQUniversity show off hi-tech aquaculture to Whitsunday students". Mackay Daily Mercury . 15 April 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
17. "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2024.