River Heads, Queensland Explained

Type:town
River Heads
State:qld
Coordinates:-25.4133°N 152.9136°W
Pop:2044
Postcode:4655
Area:20.7
Timezone:AEST
Utc:+10:00
Dist1:13.4
Dir1:S
Location1:Urangan
Dist2:26.5
Dir2:SE
Location2:Hervey Bay
Dist3:42.7
Dir3:NE
Location3:Maryborough
Dist4:301
Dir4:N
Location4:Brisbane
Lga:Fraser Coast Region
Stategov:Hervey Bay
Fedgov:Hinkler
Near-N:Booral
Near-Ne:Great Sandy Strait
Near-E:Great Sandy Strait
Near-Se:Great Sandy Strait
Near-S:Susan River
Near-Sw:Susan River
Near-W:Susan River
Near-Nw:Bunya Creek

River Heads is a coastal town and locality in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.[1] [2] In the, the locality of River Heads had a population of 2,044 people.

Geography

River Heads is 18km (11miles) south of the city of Hervey Bay. The town is built on a narrow peninsula surrounded by the Great Sandy Strait (to the east), the mouth of the Mary River (to the south) and the mouth of the Susan River (a tributary of the Mary River) to the south-west.

River Heads Road enters the locality from the north (Booral) and extends south to the tip of the peninsula (being renamed Ariadne Street on the tip of the peninsula); it divides the locality with the urban area to the east and farmland to the west (mostly used as grazing on native vegetation).

History

River Heads was originally called Bingham after Richard Bingham Sheridan, but was renamed on 22 November 1986. Bingham, in turn, was previously called Tyroom, an aboriginal word.[3] [4]

The first 40 town lots in Bingham were offered for sale in August 1864.[5]

Bingham State School opened on 10 May 1915 (possibly then known as Mary River Heads Provisional School).[6] It closed on 5 September 1926. It was on a 5acres site.[7]

Demographics

In the, the locality of River Heads had a population of 1,294 people.

In the, the locality of River Heads had a population of 1,539 people.

In the, the locality of River Heads had a population of 2,044 people.

Education

There are no schools in River Heads. The nearest government primary school is Sandy Strait State School in Urangan to the north. The nearest government secondary school is Urangan State High School, also in Urangan.

Transport

Vehicular ferries linking the mainland with Wanggoolba Creek and Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island depart from River Heads. The journey to Fraser Island takes 45 minutes.[8]

There are a number of boating facilities managed by the Fraser Coast Regional Council, including:[9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. 18 July 2024.
  2. 10 June 2019.
  3. News: 31 October 1866 . TO THE BURRUM AND BACK, AND WHAT I SAW THERE. . VI . 2 . . 419 . Queensland, Australia . 17 September 2023 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: 18 April 1861 . BRISBANE . I . 5 . . 22 . Queensland, Australia . 17 September 2023 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: 19 August 1864 . GOVERNMENT LAND SALES. . 18 July 2024 . . Queensland, Australia . 2 . National Library of Australia . XIX . 2047.
  6. News: 11 March 1915 . NEW STATE SCHOOLS. . 18 July 2024 . . Queensland, Australia . 2 (SECOND EDITION) . National Library of Australia . 13,199.
  7. News: 7 September 1916 . RESERVES PROCLAIMED. . 18 July 2024 . . Queensland, Australia . 3 (SECOND EDITION) . National Library of Australia . 13,664.
  8. Book: Flynn, Justin . Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef . Olivia Pozzan . Paul Harding . 2008 . Lonely Planet . 978-1741047004 . 211 . 9 July 2013 . 11 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411022323/https://books.google.com/books?id=Ge2pY-YAZxsC . live .
  9. Web site: 12 November 2020 . Recreational Boating Facilities Queensland . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201122210008/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/recreational-boating-facilities-queensland/resource/60ce6cc3-af0c-4806-bc8c-ab0ee981819c . 22 November 2020 . 22 November 2020 . Queensland Open Data . Queensland Government.