Flying Fish Point, Queensland Explained

Type:town
Flying Fish Point
State:qld
Coordinates:-17.4972°N 146.0752°W
Pop:395
Postcode:4860
Area:5.5
Lga:Cassowary Coast Region
Stategov:Hill
Fedgov:Kennedy
Near-N:Wanjuru
Near-Ne:Coral Sea
Near-E:Coral Sea
Near-Se:Coral Sea
Near-S:Coral Sea
Near-Sw:Coconuts
Near-W:Coconuts
Near-Nw:Wanjuru

Flying Fish Point is a coastal town, locality and headland in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.[1] [2] [3] In the, the locality of Flying Fish Point had a population of 395 people.

Geography

Flying Fish Point is on the northern shore of the mouth of the Johnstone River as it enters the Coral Sea.

History

The town was originally called Musgrave, but on 1 December 1961 it was officially changed to Flying Fish Point. The town's name comes from the headland, which in turn was named by explorer George Elphinstone Dalrymple on 4 October 1873, after the twelve ton cutter Flying Fish which was the principal vessel of his North East Coast Expedition. The southern shore of the mouth of the Johnstone River, Coquette Point, was named after another cutter in the expedition.[4] C

Thomas Henry Fitzgerald had successfully established sugarcane plantations in the Mackay area and in April 1880 came to Flying Fish Point and planted sugarcane there on 15 June 1880. The focus of his sugarcane interests shifted further up the Johnstone River resulting in the establishing of Geraldton (later Innisfail) as the major sugarcane growing area. Flying Fish Point with its sandy beach instead became a popular holiday town for the area.[5]

The first Catholic mass was celebrated in Flying Fish Point on 1 January 1940 in Edwin Shaw's hut.[6]

Flying Fish Point Provisional School opened on 23 January 1899. It closed on a number of occasions due to low student numbers. It also closed for a period in 1918 after the school building was destroyed in a cyclone in March 1918.[7] The school also closed for a period in World War II from about February 1942 when people were evacuated from the district due to fears of a Japanese invasion but the school did not reopen until 1947.[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] It is unclear when it became Flying Fish Point State School as it is today.

Demographics

In the, the locality of Flying Fish Point had a population of 425 people.

In the, the locality of Flying Fish Point had a population of 395 people.

Education

Flying Fish Point State School is a government co-educational primary (P-6) school on Maud Street. In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 56 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 10 non-teaching staff (5 full-time equivalent).[13]

Community groups

The Flying Fish Point branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at QCWA Hall on Alice Street.[14]

Amenities

The town is home to the Flying Fish Point Tourist Park[15] and a cafe.[16]

External links

Notes and References

  1. 5 August 2017.
  2. 5 August 2017.
  3. 20 September 2017.
  4. 19 September 2017.
  5. News: Glimpses of Country Life. 12 November 1930. Sydney Mail. 21 September 2017. 972. New South Wales, Australia. XXXVIII. 2. National Library of Australia.
  6. News: Apostolic Blessing to Bishop. 5 January 1940. Johnstone River Advocate And Innisfail News. 21 September 2017. 8. Queensland, Australia. 1. National Library of Australia.
  7. News: THE CYCLONE AREA. INNISFAIL LOSSES.. 16 March 1918. The Brisbane Courier. 21 September 2017. 18,771. Queensland, Australia. 6. National Library of Australia.
  8. News: Flying Fish Point Exodus.. 11 February 1942. Cairns Post. 21 September 2017. 12,471. Queensland, Australia. 4. National Library of Australia.
  9. News: When Will Flying Fish Pt. School Open?. 3 September 1943. The Evening Advocate. 21 September 2017. Queensland, Australia. 4. National Library of Australia.
  10. News: School Closed At Flying Fish Point. 2 February 1944. The Evening Advocate. 21 September 2017. Queensland, Australia. 4. National Library of Australia.
  11. News: FLYING FISH POINT NEWS AND SOCIAL. 19 October 1945. The Evening Advocate. 21 September 2017. Queensland, Australia. 3. National Library of Australia.
  12. News: M.L.A. PLEASED AT SCHOOL RE-OPENING. 15 April 1947. The Evening Advocate. 21 September 2017. Queensland, Australia. 2. National Library of Australia.
  13. Web site: Annual Report 2016. Flying Fish Point State School. 21 September 2017.
  14. Web site: Branch Locations. Queensland Country Women's Association. 26 December 2018. 26 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181226010724/http://www.qcwa.org.au/branch-locations/. dead.
  15. https://ffpvanpark.com.au/ Flying Fish Point Tourist Park
  16. https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g499659-d3522379-Reviews-Flying_Fish_Point_Cafe-Innisfail_Queensland.html/Flying Fish Point Cafe