Victoria Plains, Queensland

"Victoria Plains" redirects here. For the local government area in Western Australia, see Shire of Victoria Plains.

Victoria Plains Queensland
Peak Downs Highway, Victoria Plains, 2024
Victoria Plains
Coordinates	21°13′12″S149°01′00″E / 21.22°S 149.0166°E / -21.22; 149.0166 (Victoria Plains (centre of locality))
Population	338 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	7.879/km2 (20.41/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4751
Area	42.9 km2 (16.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	21.5 km (13 mi) WSW of Mackay CBD 24.8 km (15 mi) ESE of Mirani 987 km (613 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Mackay Region
State electorate(s)	Mirani
Federal division(s)	Capricornia
Suburbs around Victoria Plains: Marian Greenmount Greenmount North Eton Victoria Plains Palmyra Eton Homebush Homebush

Victoria Plains is a rural locality in the Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2021 census, Victoria Plains had a population of 338 people. ^[1]

Geography

Victoria Plains has the following mountains: ^[3]

• Dals Lookout in the north-east of the locality ( 21°12′39″S149°01′12″E / 21.2108°S 149.0201°E / -21.2108; 149.0201 (Dals Lookout) ), rising to 147 metres (482 ft) above sea level ^{[4] [5]}
• Gins Leap in the north-west of the locality ( 21°12′21″S148°59′22″E / 21.2057°S 148.9894°E / -21.2057; 148.9894 (Gins Leap) ), rising to 45 metres (148 ft) ^{[4] [6]}

The Peak Downs Highway enters the locality from the north-west (Greenmount) and exits to the south-west (Eton). ^[7]

The land use is predominantly growing sugarcane in the north and west of the locality with a cane tramway to transport the harvested sugarcane to the local sugar mill. In the south and east of the locality, the land use is mostly grazing on native vegetation . There is some rural residential housing in the centre and north-east of the locality. ^[8]

History

The Mt Vince Rifle Range was established in the 1950s by the Australian Department of Defence which encouraged local rifle clubs to make use of the facility to improve the shooting skills of citizens in case there should be another war. The range closed in 2017 when the Defence Department decided to sell off the land as surplus to its needs and to avoid further maintenance costs. Following protests by North Queensland shooters, the Defence Department agreed to sell the rifle range to the Mackay Regional Council for a token payment of $1 so that it would remain a community facility. It reopened in February 2020. ^{[9] [10]}

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Victoria Plains had a population of 364 people. ^[11]

In the 2021 census, Victoria Plains had a population of 338 people. ^[1]

Education

There are no schools in Victoria Plains. The nearest government primary schools are: ^[12]

• Eton State School in neighbouring Eton to the south-west
• North Eton State School in neighbouring North Eton to the west
• Marian State School in neighbouring Marian to the north-west
• Walkerston State School in Walkerston to the north-east

The nearest government secondary schools are Mackay State High School in South Mackay to the north-east and Mirani State High School in Mirani to the north-west. ^[12]

Amenities

Mt Vince Rifle Range is at 659 Victoria Plains Road ( 21°11′05″S149°00′00″E / 21.1846°S 148.9999°E / -21.1846; 148.9999 (MT VINCE RIFLE RANGE CLUB) ). ^[13] It is used by the Mt Vince Rifle Range Club and is open to the public for training, practice, and competitions. It is operated by the Mackay Regional Council. ^[14]

Facilities

Victoria Plains pumping station is in the south-west of the locality, off the Peak Downs Highway ( 21°14′27″S149°00′06″E / 21.2409°S 149.0016°E / -21.2409; 149.0016 (VICTORIA PLAINS PUMPING STATION) ). ^[13] Operated by SunWater, it is part of the Eton Irrigation Scheme which delivers water to farms in the Eton area. It is supplied with water from the Kinchant Dam. The Victoria Plains pumping station is capable of pumping up to 82 megalitres (2.9×10^⁶ cu ft) each day, operating in conjunction with the Victoria Plains Balancing Storage with a capacity of 25 megalitres (880×10^³ cu ft). ^{[15] [16]}

Attractions

Dals Lookout is accessible from Austin Road, off the Peak Downs Highway ( 21°12′39″S149°01′09″E / 21.2108°S 149.0192°E / -21.2108; 149.0192 (Dals Lookout) ). ^[17]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Victoria Plains (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Victoria Plains – locality in Mackay Region (entry 49125)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 29 October 2019.
3. "Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourses". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
4. "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.
5. "Dals Lookout – mountain in Mackay Region (entry 9253)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
6. "Gins Leap – mountain in Mackay Region (entry 13834)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
7. "Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Railways; Railway stations". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
8. "Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use; Land parcel; Sugarcane areas". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
9. "Target shooting returns to Mt Vince Rifle Range". Mackay Regional Council. 21 February 2020. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
10. Petith, Heidi (22 February 2020). "Mt Vince Rifle Range reopening". Mackay Daily Mercury . Retrieved 10 November 2024.
11. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Victoria Plains (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
12. "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
13. "Building points - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
14. "Target shooting returns to Mt Vince Rifle Range". Mackay Regional Council. 21 February 2020. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
15. "Review of SunWater's Network Service Plans - Cluster 4" (PDF). Queensland Competition Authority. July 2011. pp. 94–95. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
16. "Eton Irrigation Scheme | Eton Irrigation Scheme". Archived from the original on 15 October 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
17. "Tourist points - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.