Silky Oak Queensland | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coordinates | 17°58′29″S145°56′58″E / 17.9747°S 145.9494°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 178 (2021 census) [1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 8.44/km2 (21.85/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4854 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 21.1 km2 (8.1 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location |
| ||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | Cassowary Coast Region | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Hinchinbrook | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Kennedy | ||||||||||||||
|
Silky Oak is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. [2] In the 2021 census, Silky Oak had a population of 178 people. [1]
The locality is bounded to the south by the Tully River, while its tributary Banyan Creek bounds the locality to the west. [3]
The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the south (Euramo) by crossing the Tully River and exits to the north-west (Tully). [4] The locality was served by the now-abandoned Hewitt railway station in the north-west of the locality ( 17°57′44″S145°56′07″E / 17.96222°S 145.93528°E ). [5] [6]
The Bruce Highway also enters the locality from the south (Euramo) crossing the river on the Tully River Bridge about 300 metres (980 ft) east of the railway line crossing, but then runs immediately parallel and east of the railway line through the locality until both exit to the north-west (Tully). [4] This route is a 2008 deviation of the highway designed to reduce the flooding risk; it was the largest flood immunity project funded by the Australian Government. [7] [8] [9] The previous Bruce Highway route was further east and is now known as Jack Evans Drive (and informally as Old Bruce Highway). [10] [4]
Silky Oak Creek is a small township within Silky Oak situated on the Old Bruce Highway ( 17°59′00″S145°56′47″E / 17.9833°S 145.9465°E ). [11] [12]
The land use is predominantly growing sugarcane. [13] There is a network of cane tramways to transport the harvested sugarcane to the local sugar mill. [4]
In 1900, the Queensland Government passed The Sugar Experiment Stations Act, creating the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations was under the supervision of the Queensland Minister for Agriculture and Stock. [14] In 1968-9, a site was selected in Silky Oak as a suitable site for an experiment station to focus on the needs of the Tully sugar industry. [15]
In 1922, Silky Oak Creek was seriously considered as the site for a sugar mill in the Tully area. In its favour, the site had good access to the Tully River, but being higher was safe from floods. It had abundant timber suitable for both construction and firewood. Against the location was that it could be cut off during flooding and that the limited water supply in the local creek would probably not be sufficient for the operation of the mill and the needs of the town that would develop around it, so a pipeline would be needed. [16] [17] However, the decision was made to build the mill further north (in what would then develop as the town of Tully). [18] [19]
Silky Oak Creek State School opened on 1 November 1940 and closed on 31 December 1974. [20] It was at 254 Jack Evans Drive ( 17°58′54″S145°56′45″E / 17.98160°S 145.94591°E ). [21] [22]
In the 2016 census, Silky Oak had a population of 139 people. [23]
In the 2021 census, Silky Oak had a population of 178 people. [1]
There are no schools in Silky Oak. The nearest government primary schools are Tully State School in neighbouring Tully to the north-west and Lower Tully State School in Lower Tully to the east. The nearest government secondary school is Tully State High School, also in Tully to the north-west. [24]
Sugar Research Australia (a successor organisation of the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations) has its Tully research centre on a 37.66-hectare (93.1-acre) site at 216 Dallachy Road in the south-west of the locality ( 17°58′39″S145°55′27″E / 17.9775°S 145.9241°E ). By working closely with farmers, mill operators, and other stakeholders, it undertakes research and provides advice on improvements in efficiency and sustainability, and explores new opportunities for sugar and other byproducts. [25] The Tully research centre seeks to increase farm productivity in the Tully area through improved pest and disease management and plant nutrition. [26]
Tully Motorcycle Club operates a motorcycle dirt course on Dallachy Road in the south-west of the locality for recreational use and race events ( 17°58′54″S145°55′51″E / 17.9818°S 145.9307°E ). [27] [28] [29]
Tully is a rural town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. It is adjacent to the Bruce Highway, approximately 140 kilometres (87 mi) south of Cairns by road and 210 kilometres (130 mi) north of Townsville. Tully is perhaps best known for being one of the wettest towns in Australia, and home to the 7.9 m tall Golden Gumboot.
Babinda is a rural town and locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. Babinda and Tully annually compete for the Golden Gumboot, an award for Australia's wettest town. Babinda is usually the winner, recording an annual average rainfall of over 4,279.4 millimetres (168.48 in) each year. In the 2021 census, the locality of Babinda had a population of 1,287 people.
El Arish is a rural town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of El Arish had a population of 337 people.
Kennedy is a coastal locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Kennedy had a population of 136 people.
Feluga is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Feluga had a population of 306 people.
Lower Tully is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Lower Tully had a population of 88 people.
Wrights Creek is a rural locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Wrights Creek had a population of 160 people.
Euramo is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Euramo had a population of 114 people.
Japoonvale is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Japoonvale had a population of 107 people.
Ellerbeck is a coastal locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Ellerbeck had a population of 207 people.
Bilyana is a coastal locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Bilyana had a population of 190 people.
Nahrunda is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Nahrunda had a population of 192 people.
Mighell is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Mighell had a population of 363 people.
Goolboo is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region of Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Goolboo had a population of 25 people.
Pin Gin Hill is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Pin Gin Hill had a population of 191 people.
Jaffa is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Jaffa had a population of 35 people.
Djarawong is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Djarawong had a population of 103 people.
Maadi is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Maadi had a population of 49 people.
Maria Creeks is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Maria Creeks had a population of 143 people.
Murrigal is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Murrigal had a population of 106 people.