Lakeland, Queensland Explained

Type:town
Lakeland
State:qld
Coordinates:-15.8591°N 144.8566°W
Pop:333
Postcode:4871
Area:4738.0
Timezone:AEST
Utc:+10:00
Dist1:78.5
Dir1:SW
Location1:Cooktown
Dist2:248
Dir2:NNW
Location2:Cairns
Dist3:1902
Dir3:NNW
Location3:Brisbane
Lga:Shire of Cook
Stategov:Cook
Fedgov:Leichhardt
Near-N:Cooktown
Near-Ne:Rossville
Near-E:Bloomfield
Dedin
Near-Se:Spurgeon
Mount Carbine
Near-S:Hurricane
Desailly
Near-Sw:Groganville
Near-W:Palmer
Near-Nw:Laura

Lakeland is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia.[1] [2] In the, the locality of Lakeland had a population of 333 people.

Geography

Lakeland is a small farming centre on the Cape York Peninsula. It is at the junction of the main Peninsula Developmental Road (which is paved all the way from Cairns to Lakeland), and the Mulligan Highway (formerly the Cooktown Developmental Road).

An area of basalt in the Lakeland region contains locally significant groundwater supplies which feed numerous springs, and also provides irrigation water and fertile soils for farming.[3]

Lakeland has the following mountains:

History

Yalanji (also known as Kuku Yalanji, Kuku Yalaja, Kuku Yelandji, and Gugu Yalanji) is an Australian Aboriginal language of Far North Queensland. The traditional lands of the Western Yalanji people commence just north of the township of Lakeland and continue southwards past the southern boundary of the locality of Lakeland.[28]

James Earl was granted a lease to occupy pastoral land in March 1877. He named his station Butcher's Hill after Butcher’s Hill Farm in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England where he lived as a child. It was also known as Turalba Station. The locality was variously known as being in the Cooktown or Laura districts.[29] [30] In September 1899 Earl's daughter Sarah Campbell Earl of Turalba Station married Samuel William Wellington Cook, a part owner of the adjacent Spring Vale Station.[31] These two stations comprise the majority of the current locality of Lakeland.

Mining had commenced on the West Normanby Goldfield by the end of 1874. This goldfield should not be confused with the Normanby Goldfield near Bowen, which opened in 1871. Mining continued intermittently, depending on gold prices, until 1999.[32]

The Normanby Diggings Native Mounted Police camp was located on the West Normanby River just south-east of Butchers Hill and operated for 7 years between 1885 and 1892.[33]

The Normanby Reefs Post Office was renamed Earlton (Earltown) Post Office in 1890.[34] It was closed in December 1892.[35] [36]

Clive J Foyster was an entrepreneur, mining company chief and farmer who bought Butchers Hill in 1968. In a private venture known as Lakeland Downs development began with the clearing of land intended for agriculture, and two irrigation dams were constructed. Dry land and irrigated cropping commenced with plantings of maize and sorghum and later of peanuts and coffee.[37] [38] More intensive cattle grazing also commenced. Eventually 70000acres were cleared.[39] In the 1980s Lakeland Downs was sold, divided into freehold farms averaging about .[40]

Lakeland Downs is named for William (Billy) Lakeland who was one of the earliest prospectors of Cape York Peninsula.[41] [42] The township of Lakeland Downs came into being to service this development, and is now known as Lakeland.

Butcher's Hill State School opened on 23 August 1969. The first teacher was Lorraine Woergoetter. Within two years it had been renamed Lakeland Downs State School.[43] [44]

Demographics

In the, the locality of Lakeland had a population of 227 people.

In the, the locality of Lakeland had a population of 299 people.

In the, the locality of Lakeland had a population of 333 people.

Heritage listings

Lakeland has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Economy

At Lakeland, most of the irrigation water comes from farm dams. Licenses are required to extract surface or bore water for irrigation purposes. In 2012 there were 16 licenses to impound water in the Normanby catchment, with most occurring in the Lakeland area. Many of the dams are located on small creeks. Honey Dam is the largest and is located on Bullhead Creek, which flows into the Laura River. Dams are only permitted to store wet season run off.[46]

The main products are cattle and cropping, including bananas.[47]

Education

Lakeland State School is a government primary (Early Childhood-6) school for boys and girls on the corner of Peninsula Developmental Road and the Mulligan Highway (-15.8569°N 144.8568°W).[48] [49] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 17 students with 2 teachers and 4 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).[50] There is no secondary school in Lakeland. The nearest government secondary school is Cooktown State School in Cooktown to the north-east. Given the distances involved, distance education and boarding school are other options.

Environmental

The Lakeland Agricultural Area Water Quality Monitoring Program is a project to work with landowners to monitor water quality.[51] In 2016 the Queensland Government purchased Springvale Station, a 56295hectare property situated in the east of the locality. Springvale Station was purchased to add to the State's protected area network and complement activities being taken to reduce sediment run-off entering the Normanby River catchment that flows into Princess Charlotte Bay and the Great Barrier Reef. The Department of Environment and Science contracted Cape York Natural Resource Management (Cape York NRM) to work with traditional owners, Griffith University, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and erosion, water quality and vegetation scientists to develop the Springvale Erosion Management Plan.[52] [53] [54]

Springvale Station Nature Refuge provides important habitat for endangered or vulnerable flora and fauna including the Cooktown orchid, ghost bat, northern quoll, red goshawk, spectacled flying-fox, spotted-tailed quoll, Semon's leaf nosed bat and large eared-horseshoe bat. There is no public access on the Nature Refuge.

Amenities

Lakeland has a hotel,[55] a cafe, and roadhouse[56] and a hardware store.

Attractions

James Earl Lookout is off the Mulligan Highway, SSE of the town (-15.9751°N 144.8289°W).[57]

See James Earl for more information regarding the lookout namesake.

Transport

Lakeland Airport (YLND) is located north of the township, beside the Mulligan Highway.[58]

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. 19 July 2021.
  2. 19 July 2021.
  3. Web site: Story Map Series . 2023-03-01 . qgsp.maps.arcgis.com . Physical features..
  4. Web site: 12 November 2020. Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201125215033/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/06ff12a9-862e-4aac-bf9d-693f0a63b4c9. 25 November 2020. 25 November 2020. Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government.
  5. 25 November 2020.
  6. 25 November 2020.
  7. 25 November 2020.
  8. 25 November 2020.
  9. 25 November 2020.
  10. 25 November 2020.
  11. 25 November 2020.
  12. 25 November 2020.
  13. 25 November 2020.
  14. 25 November 2020.
  15. 25 November 2020.
  16. 25 November 2020.
  17. 25 November 2020.
  18. 25 November 2020.
  19. 25 November 2020.
  20. 25 November 2020.
  21. 25 November 2020.
  22. 25 November 2020.
  23. 25 November 2020.
  24. 25 November 2020.
  25. 25 November 2020.
  26. 25 November 2020.
  27. 25 November 2020.
  28. Web site: August 2017 . LAKELAND LOCAL AREA PLAN BACKGROUND REPORT . 19 February 2023 . . 2.
  29. Book: Pike, Glenville . The last frontier . 1983 . Mareeba, North Queensland : Pinevale Publications . Internet Archive . 978-0-9593785-0-4 . 94.
  30. News: 1 February 1896 . THE SKETCHER . XLIX . 213 . . 1058 . Queensland, Australia . 18 February 2023 . National Library of Australia . 18 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230218092323/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/20444718 . live .
  31. News: 14 October 1899 . Family Notices . 4 . . Queensland, Australia . 18 February 2023 . National Library of Australia . 18 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230218092321/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/84871647 . live .
  32. Book: Denaro, T J . July 2013 . Queensland Geological Record 2013/02 Orogenic gold and gold–antimony mineralisation in the Hodgkinson and Broken River Provinces, north Queensland. . 18 February 2023 . . 19 . Geological Survey of Queensland . 978-1-922067-26-5 . 1039-5547 . 18 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230218091651/https://gsq-horizon.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/QDEX/86155/cr_86155_1.pdf . live .
  33. Web site: 13 December 2016 . Normanby Diggings [Camp] ]. 18 February 2023 . FRONTIER CONFLICT AND THE NATIVE MOUNTED POLICE IN QUEENSLAND . 18 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230218092316/https://database.frontierconflict.org/default?ReturnUrl=%2Fentries%2Fentry%3FEID%3D4105 . live .
  34. News: 22 November 1890 . Current News. . 1002 . . Queensland, Australia . 15 February 2023 . National Library of Australia . 18 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230218092321/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/20287917 . live .
  35. News: 13 December 1892 . Telegraph Department Postal Guide. . 4 . . 6289 . Queensland, Australia . 17 February 2023 . National Library of Australia.
  36. Book: Wallace, Lennie . The Battlers of Butcher's Hill . 2012 . Boolarong Press . 978-1-921920-69-1 . 18 . en . 19 February 2023.
  37. Book: Wallace, Lennie . The Battlers of Butcher's Hill . 2012 . Boolarong Press . 978-1-921920-69-1 . 101 . en . 19 February 2023.
  38. Web site: 13 November 1969 . Legislative Assembly Hansard 1969 Parliamentary Debates . 2 February 2023 . . 1495, 1496.
  39. Book: Pike, Glenville . The last frontier . 1983 . Mareeba, North Queensland : Pinevale Publications . Internet Archive . 978-0-9593785-0-4 . 2.
  40. Web site: 27 February 2019 . Strategic Business Case. Technical Feasibility Report for Preferred Option. Lakeland Irrigation Area Project . 19 February 2023 . SMEC Australia Pty Limited . 2.
  41. Web site: Lakeland and Laura. Cape York and Cooktown. Tourism Cape York. 31 July 2014. 19 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140719154931/http://www.tourismcapeyork.com/go/lakelandandlaura. live.
  42. Web site: 2017-07-07. Queensland Places - Cape York - William Lakeland. live. 2021-12-22. State Library Of Queensland. en. 16 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210416201901/https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/queensland-places-cape-york-william-lakeland.
  43. Web site: ArchivesSearch Queensland State Archives Queensland Government . 2023-02-19 . www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au.
  44. Book: Wallace, Lennie . The Battlers of Butcher's Hill . 2012 . Boolarong Press . 978-1-921920-69-1 . Appendix . en . 19 February 2023.
  45. 7 July 2013.
  46. Web site: Howley . Christina . Shellberg . Jeff . Stephan . Kim . Brooks . Andrew . 4 April 2014 . Normanby Catchment Water Quality Management Plan . . 3.4.
  47. Web site: Story Map Series . 2023-03-04 . qgsp.maps.arcgis.com . Economic values.
  48. Web site: 9 July 2018. State and non-state school details. live. 21 November 2018. Queensland Government. https://web.archive.org/web/20181121065959/https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997. 21 November 2018.
  49. Web site: 2020-03-27 . Lakeland State School . 2022-05-11 . Lakeland State School . en . 22 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211222081722/https://lakelandss.eq.edu.au/ . live .
  50. Web site: ACARA School Profile 2018. 28 January 2020. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. 27 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200827085246/https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-2018.xlsx. live.
  51. Web site: Lister . Ben . 2021-09-21 . Lakeland Agricultural Area Water Quality Monitoring Program . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221028131818/https://capeyorknrm.com.au/projects/lakeland-agricultural-area-water-quality-monitoring-program . 28 October 2022 . 2023-02-18 . Cape York NRM . en.
  52. Web site: The State of Queensland . Department of Environment and Science . 7 July 2022 . Springvale Station Nature Refuge Coastal catchment management . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216144400/https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/plans/catchment-management/springvale-station . 16 February 2023 . 2023-02-16 . . en.
  53. Web site: One Search . 2018 . Springvale Station erosion management plan. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216142859/https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/discovery/fulldisplay?&context=L&vid=61SLQ_INST:SLQ&search_scope=Everything&tab=All&docid=alma99183594716402061 . 16 February 2023 . 2023-02-16 . . en.
  54. Web site: Contributed . Solution at hand for saving Great Barrier Reef . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216161100/https://news.griffith.edu.au/2015/11/23/tackling-giant-alluvial-gullies-key-to-saving-the-great-barrier-reef/ . 16 February 2023 . 2023-02-16 . news.griffith.edu.au . en-EN.
  55. Web site: ABOUT US - Lakeland Hotel Motel About Us Accommodation and Meals . 2024-06-02 . Lakeland Hotel Motel . en-AU.
  56. Web site: lakelandroadhouse.com.au . 2024-06-02 . lakelandroadhouse.com.au . en.
  57. Web site: 18 November 2020. Tourist points - Queensland. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201124222328/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/c0b6c26c-6bde-452c-b60a-d77b969b60d2. 24 November 2020. 24 November 2020. Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government.
  58. Web site: Lakeland Airport - YLND - Airport Guide . 2023-02-18 . AirportGuide . en . 14 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210814175836/https://airportguide.com/airport/info/YLND . live .

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