Grahams Creek, Queensland Explained

Type:suburb
Grahams Creek
State:qld
Coordinates:-25.5747°N 152.6052°W
Pop:149
Postcode:4650
Area:15.4
Timezone:AEST
Utc:+10:00
Dist1:16.2
Dir1:WSW
Location1:Maryborough
Dist2:45.2
Dir2:SSW
Location2:Hervey Bay
Dist3:260
Dir3:N
Location3:Brisbane
Lga:Fraser Coast Region
Stategov:Maryborough
Fedgov:Wide Bay
Near-N:Yengarie
Near-Ne:Tinana
Near-E:Tinana South
Near-Se:Mungar
Near-S:Mungar
Near-Sw:Yerra
Near-W:Yerra
Near-Nw:Yengarie

Grahams Creek is a rural locality in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.[1] In the, Grahams Creek had a population of 149 people.

Geography

The locality is bounded to the north by the creek Grahams Creek and to the east by the Mary River.

The North Coast railway line enters the locality from the south (Mungar) and exits to the north (Yengarie). The locality was served by the now-abandoned Grahams Creek railway station (-25.5701°N 152.6017°W).[2]

The land use is a mixture of grazing on native vegetation, crop growing, and rural residential housing.

History

The locality takes its name from its former railway station, which in turn was derived from the creek name. The creek in turn takes its name from pastoralist Hugh Graham who established the Marianna pastoral run in 1848.[1] [3] [4]

The construction of the railway line from Gympie to Maryborough in the late 1870s (now part of the North Coast railway line) was delayed by the difficulties of crossing Graham's Creek which required considerable ingenuity to construct a bridge.[5] The line was officially opened in August 1881.[6] In 1916, the railway bridge's superstructure was replaced and the bridge strengthened. This was to enable the use of the heavier B17 class locomotives.[7] [8] [9]

In May 2012, a 3.5m (11.5feet) saltwater crocodile was found in the Mary River between Brothers Island and the mainland near the locality of Beaver Rock, significantly further south than the normal range for such a crocodile.[10] [11] As per Queensland Government policy, crocodiles spotted south of the Boyne River are trapped and relocated to their natural habitat by wildlife official.[12] However, the crocodile eluded the trap for many months,[13] [14] with wildlife officials reporting confirmed sightings of a second smaller crocodile in the river in July 2013. The smaller female crocodile was trapped in November 2013.[15] In November 2014, the larger male crocodile was harpooned approximately up the river at Grahams Creek to be relocated to Koorana crocodile farm at Rockhampton.[16]

Demographics

In the, Grahams Creek had a population of 157 people.

In the, Grahams Creek had a population of 149 people.

Education

There are no schools in Grahams Creek. The nearest government primary school is Mungar State School in neighbouring Mungar to the south. The nearest government secondary school is Aldridge State High School in Maryborough to the north-east.[17]

Notes and References

  1. 10 June 2019.
  2. Web site: 2 October 2020 . Railway stations and sidings - Queensland . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201005070354/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd . 5 October 2020 . 5 October 2020 . Queensland Open Data . Queensland Government.
  3. 20 October 2019.
  4. News: Back To The Early Days Of Settlement. 5 June 1952. Maryborough Chronicle. 20 October 2019. 25,044. Queensland, Australia. 7. National Library of Australia.
  5. News: 22 February 1879 . A Visit to the Railway Bridge at Graham's Creek. . 2 . . 2263 . Queensland, Australia . 14 September 2023 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: 9 August 1881 . Opening of the Maryborough and Gympie Railway. . XXXVI . 3 . . 7,356 . Queensland, Australia . 14 September 2023 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: 20 October 1914 . SUPERSTRUCTURE FOR GRAHAM'S CREEK BRIDGE . 5 . . 12,925 . Queensland, Australia . 14 September 2023 . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: 14 September 1918 . Bridge-strengthening Methods. . 4 . . 18,926 . Queensland, Australia . 14 September 2023 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: 7 August 1917 . Engines on the North Coast Line. . 6 . . 18,582 . Queensland, Australia . 14 September 2023 . National Library of Australia.
  10. News: Hall . Peter . Maynard . Neale . 2 May 2012 . First photo of saltwater crocodile in Mary River near Beaver Rock outside Maryborough in south-east Queensland . . 12 June 2022.
  11. Web site: Tapim . Francis . 2012-05-02 . 3.5-metre croc spotted in Queensland's south . 2022-06-12 . ABC News . en-AU.
  12. Web site: Large crocodile sighted in Mary River . 2022-06-12 . Ministerial Media Statements . en.
  13. Web site: Trapping recommences for Mary River crocodile . 2022-06-12 . Ministerial Media Statements . en.
  14. Web site: 13 August 2013 . Trap slammed shut but there are no Mary River crocs inside . 12 June 2022 . Fraser Coast Chronicle.
  15. News: 2013-11-07 . Rangers catch Mary River croc . en-AU . ABC News . 2022-06-12.
  16. News: 12 November 2014 . Video: Rangers harpoon 3.8m croc in Mary River . . 12 June 2022.
  17. Web site: Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments . 13 September 2023 . Queensland Globe . Queensland Government.