Proserpine, Queensland

Proserpine Queensland
Aerial image of Proserpine
Proserpine
Coordinates	20°24′06″S148°34′51″E / 20.4016°S 148.5808°E / -20.4016; 148.5808 (Proserpine (town centre))
Population	3,614 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	154.4/km2 (400.0/sq mi)
Established	1890s
Postcode(s)	4800
Elevation	20 m (66 ft) [2]
Area	23.4 km2 (9.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	67.4 km (42 mi) SE of Bowen 126 km (78 mi) NW of Mackay 262 km (163 mi) SE of Townsville 1,071 km (665 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Whitsunday Region
State electorate(s)	Whitsunday
Federal division(s)	Dawson
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 28.7 °C 84 °F 17.6 °C 64 °F 1,336.3 mm 52.6 in
Localities around Proserpine: Crystal Brook Hamilton Plains Glen Isla Kelsey Creek Proserpine Glen Isla Kelsey Creek Breadalbane Breadalbane

Proserpine ( /ˈprɒsərpaɪn/ ) ^[3] is a rural town and locality in the Whitsunday Region, Queensland, Australia. ^{[4] [5]} In the 2021 census, the locality of Proserpine had a population of 3,614 people.

In the 2021 census, the locality of Proserpine had a population of 3,614 people. ^[1]

Geography

Proserpine is situated on the Bruce Highway. ^[6]

Proserpine is located on the North Coast line with Proserpine railway station located in Hinschen Street in the town centre. ^[6]

The town is located along the banks of the Proserpine River and is immediately surrounded by floodplains used for sugarcane and cattle farming. Clarke Range is located to the west, Dryander National Park is to the north, and to the east is Conway National Park.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Clarke Range to the west of the town contains the small former gold mining town of Dittmer.

Proserpine is locally governed by Whitsunday Regional Council, a product of amalgamation of the former Shire of Whitsunday with the former Shire of Bowen. Proserpine is situated within the Queensland electorate of Whitsunday, and the federal electorate of Dawson.^{[ citation needed ]}

History

The Gia people are the traditional custodians of the Proserpine area. Giya (also known as Kia) is a language of North Queensland. The Giya language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Whitsunday Regional Council, particularly the towns of Bowen and Proserpine. ^[7]

George Elphinstone Dalrymple named the Proserpine River on an expedition in 1859. ^[8] Proserpine derives from the legend of the Greek goddess Persephone (whose Latin name is Proserpine), named as such due to Dalrymple's perception that the area was exceptionally fertile, and Persephone being the goddess of spring. ^[9]

The first British colonists arrived in the early 1860s with Daniel Emmerson forming the Proserpine pastoral station. Frederick Bode and William Dangar took up land at Bromby Park and Goorganga Creek, while Charles Bradley and James Colling established properties along the Gregory River. ^[8]

In 1866, Inspectors John Marlow and John Isley of the Native Police, a government funded paramilitary organisation, ^[10] conducted patrols through the Proserpine area. They and their troopers "dispersed" around six "large mobs" of Aboriginal people during this mission. ^[11] Marlow used Daniel Emmerson's property for his stock-yard and bought horses from him. ^[12]

The Crystal Brook Sugar Company was formed in 1882 and established a sugar industry in the region a year later. A sugar mill was built and the labouring on the plantation was performed by imported South Sea Islanders. In 1893 the plantation, which was located at Glen Isla close to the present Proserpine township, was closed and smaller sugar farms run by white owner-operators were established. ^[8]

Proserpine Lower Provisional School opened on 16 August 1897. In 1904, it was renamed Proserpine Provisional School, becoming Proserpine State School on 15 March 1906. ^[13] In 1937, the school was expanded to include a High Top to offer secondary schooling beyond Year 8. ^[14] In 1946, the Windermere school building at Cannon Valley was relocated to Proserpine State School which was expanding to offer secondary schooling. ^[15]

St Catherine's Catholic School was established in 1925 by the Sisters of Mercy. It was a primary school named in honour of St Catherine of Alexandria. ^[13] The school was on the northern side of Marathon Street, opposite Telia Street ( 20°24′14″S148°35′09″E / 20.4039°S 148.5857°E / -20.4039; 148.5857 (St Catherine's Catholic College The Whitsundays) ). ^[16] In 2012, the school relocated to a new larger campus known as St Catherine's Catholic College, enabling the school to provide secondary education. ^[17]

Main Street, Proserpine in the 1930s

In 1944, the Australian Field Experimental Station was constructed at Gunyarra just south of the town. It was constructed to test and research the effectiveness of Mustard Gas in tropical conditions. ^{[18] [19]}

Proserpine Airport (now Whitsunday Coast Airport) opened in 1951. ^[20]

Proserpine State High School opened on 29 January 1963. Initially the school operated from single building but a second building was constructed during 1963. ^{[13] [21]} It replaced the High Top at Proserpine State School. ^[14]

In 1986, construction commenced on the Peter Faust Dam 25 kilometres (16 mi) north-west of the town to be used for flood mitigation during the wet season and irrigation. The dam was completed in 1990.^{[ citation needed ]}

In March 2017, Proserpine suffered extensive damage from Cyclone Debbie. ^[22]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Proserpine had a population of 3,562 people. ^[23]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Proserpine had a population of 3,614 people. ^[1]

Heritage listings

Heritage-listed sites include:

• Proserpine Hospital, Herbert Street  ^[24]
• St Paul's Anglican Church, Main Street  ^[25]

Economy

One of the town's main industries is sugar production. A sugar mill was established in 1897 ^[26] and Proserpine Sugar Mill is now recognised as one of the most modern sugar mills in the world. ^[27]

Education

Proserpine State School is a government primary (Early Childhood-6) school for boys and girls at 33 Renwick Road ( 20°24′32″S148°34′56″E / 20.4090°S 148.5823°E / -20.4090; 148.5823 (Proserpine State School) ). ^{[28] [29]} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 565 students with 45 teachers (41 full-time equivalent) and 25 non-teaching staff (19 full-time equivalent). ^[30] It includes a special education program. ^[28]

St Catherine's Catholic College is a Catholic primary and secondary (Kindergarten to Year 12) school for boys and girls at 96 Renwick Road ( 20°24′38″S148°35′24″E / 20.4105°S 148.5899°E / -20.4105; 148.5899 (St Catherine's Catholic College) ). ^{[31] [32]} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 623 students with 59 teachers (52 full-time equivalent) and 60 non-teaching staff (38 full-time equivalent). ^[30]

Proserpine State High School is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at 4 Ruge Street ( 20°24′21″S148°34′54″E / 20.4059°S 148.5818°E / -20.4059; 148.5818 (Proserpine State High School) ). ^{[33] [28]} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1,062 students with 91 teachers (88 full-time equivalent) and 47 non-teaching staff (32 full-time equivalent). ^[34] It includes a special education program. ^[28]

Facilities

The Proserpine Hospital in Taylor St is the primary health service for the Whitsunday Region . ^[35]

Amenities

The Proserpine Entertainment Centre

The Proserpine Entertainment Centre is at 14 Main Street. In March 2022, it reopened after being rebuilt following damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Debbie in March 2017. ^{[36] [37] [38]}

The Proserpine Library opened in 1998. ^[39]

Climate

The town has a dry-winter humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cwa), similar to nearby Mackay.^{[ citation needed ]}

Climate data for Proserpine Airport
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	41.2 (106.2)	40.4 (104.7)	37.9 (100.2)	34.0 (93.2)	32.0 (89.6)	32.0 (89.6)	32.7 (90.9)	34.1 (93.4)	36.3 (97.3)	39.0 (102.2)	41.2 (106.2)	42.9 (109.2)	42.9 (109.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	31.4 (88.5)	31.1 (88.0)	30.2 (86.4)	28.7 (83.7)	26.5 (79.7)	24.5 (76.1)	24.3 (75.7)	25.6 (78.1)	28.4 (83.1)	30.2 (86.4)	31.4 (88.5)	32.0 (89.6)	28.7 (83.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22.6 (72.7)	22.9 (73.2)	21.5 (70.7)	19.1 (66.4)	15.8 (60.4)	12.7 (54.9)	11.0 (51.8)	11.7 (53.1)	14.4 (57.9)	17.5 (63.5)	19.9 (67.8)	21.8 (71.2)	17.6 (63.7)
Record low °C (°F)	15.9 (60.6)	15.0 (59.0)	14.2 (57.6)	7.6 (45.7)	5.0 (41.0)	0.5 (32.9)	−0.9 (30.4)	0.0 (32.0)	3.8 (38.8)	7.4 (45.3)	13.0 (55.4)	14.3 (57.7)	−0.9 (30.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	290.1 (11.42)	381.9 (15.04)	209.0 (8.23)	118.3 (4.66)	70.4 (2.77)	38.1 (1.50)	23.7 (0.93)	25.9 (1.02)	18.9 (0.74)	36.2 (1.43)	88.7 (3.49)	165.8 (6.53)	1,473.5 (58.01)
Source: [40]

Notable people

• Paul Bowman, Australian professional rugby league player, Queensland Origin representative and former captain of the North Queensland Cowboys.
• Alan Dufty, Australian former professional wheelchair racer.
• Sam Faust, Australian professional rugby league player.
• Andrew Fraser, Queensland State Politician.
• Max Grosskreutz, Australian speedway rider.
• Billy Sing, Australian sniper during the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I ^[41]
• Travis Waddell, Australian professional rugby league footballer, plays for Newcastle Knights ^[42]

See also

• Queensland portal

• List of tramways in Queensland

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Proserpine (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. Bureau of Meteorology Archived 2 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 22 November 2007.
3. Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. ISBN   1-876429-14-3
4. "Proserpine – town in Whitsunday Region (entry 27547)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 14 February 2022.
5. "Proserpine – locality in Whitsunday Region (entry 46895)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 14 February 2022.
6. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 15 February 2022.
7. This Wikipedia article incorporates CC-BY-4.0 licensed text from: "Indigenous languages map of Queensland". State Library of Queensland. State Library of Queensland . Retrieved 5 February 2020.
8. McClements, Mavis I (1 January 1975), A town called Proserpine, Royal Historical Society of Queensland, archived from the original on 6 November 2020, retrieved 1 November 2020
9. "Proserpine (entry 27547)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 13 March 2014.
10. Richards, Jonathan (2008). The Secret War: A True History of Queensland's Native Police. University of Queensland Press
11. "NORTHERN MEMS". Northern Argus . Queensland, Australia. 27 June 1866. p. 3. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2020– via National Library of Australia.
12. "LIEUT. MARLOW AND THE CONDUCT OF HIS BLACK TROOPERS". The Queenslander . Vol. V, no. 251. Queensland, Australia. 26 November 1870. p. 3. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2020– via National Library of Australia.
13. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN   978-1-921171-26-0
14. "PROSERPINE STATE SCHOOL: 125 years of Education". Mackay and Whitsunday life. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
15. "STATE SCHOOL". The Proserpine Guardian . Vol. 41, no. 2786. Queensland, Australia. 22 February 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 2 November 2024– via National Library of Australia.
16. "Town of Proserpine" (Map). Queensland Government. 1982. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
17. "College Spirituality". St Catherine's Catholic College. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
18. "Australian Field Experimental Station, Gunyarra, near Proserpine in north Queensland, during WW2". www.ozatwar.com. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
19. "An aerial view of the Australian Field Experimental Station camp built at Gunyarra, Qld, 12 miles ..." www.awm.gov.au. Archived from the original on 13 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
20. "Official Opening - Proserpine's £20,000 'Drome.TAA Service Receives Good Support". Proserpine Guardian. 9 November 1951. Retrieved 29 January 2017– via Trove.
21. "History". Proserpine State High School. 9 January 2019. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
22. Gregory, Katherine (31 March 2017). "No power or water, but Airlie locals pull together". ABC News. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
23. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Proserpine (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
24. "Proserpine Hospital (entry 601573)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
25. "St Paul's Anglican Church (entry 601589)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
26. "Proserpine Sugar Mill". 2006 Proserpine Co-operative Sugar Milling Association Limited. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
27. "Guide to Proserpine in QLD". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
28. "Proserpine State High School". Proserpine State High School. 2 January 2019. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
29. "Proserpine State School" . Retrieved 21 November 2018.
30. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
31. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
32. "St Catherine's Catholic College" . Retrieved 14 July 2024.
33. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
34. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority . Retrieved 28 January 2020.
35. "Whitsunday Health service Proserpine Hospital Campus Profile". Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
36. "Proserpine Entertainment Centre set to open this 2022". www.prd.com.au. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
37. "Proserpine Entertainment Centre: Project Update" (PDF). Whitsunday Regional Council . November 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
38. "Opening of new Proserpine Entertainment Centre to deliver jobs and opportunities for the region". Ministerial Media Statements. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
39. "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library Queensland. November 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
40. "PROSERPINE AIRPORT". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Bureau of Meteorology. January 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
41. Parsons, Angel (16 January 2021). "White Australia policy no barrier to Queensland man Billy Sing's World War I feats". ABC News. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
42. "Proserpine's Waddell named in Broncos squad". Whitsunday Times. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.

Further reading

• McClements, Mavis I. (1975). "A town called Proserpine". Journal of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland. 9 (6): 64–77 – via University of Queensland. — full text available

External links

• "Proserpine". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
• Whitsunday Regional Council
• Proserpine Museum
• Town map, 1972
• Annual reports Proserpine Hospitals Board, State Library of Queensland