Port Curtis, Queensland Explained

Type:suburb
Port Curtis
City:Rockhampton
State:qld
Coordinates:-23.4197°N 150.5405°W
Local Map:yes
Zoom:11
Pop:309
Postcode:4700
Area:45.9
Timezone:AEST
Utc:+10:00
Dist1:4.2
Dir1:S
Location1:Rockhampton CBD
Dist2:627
Dir2:NNW
Location2:Brisbane
Lga:Rockhampton Region
Stategov:Mirani
Stategov2:Rockhampton
Fedgov:Flynn
Fedgov2:Capricornia
Near-N:The Common
Near-Ne:Koongal
Near-E:Lakes Creek
Near-Se:Nerimbera
Near-S:Midgee
Near-Sw:Bouldercombe
Gracemere
Near-W:Fairy Bower
Allenstown
Near-Nw:Depot Hill

Port Curtis is a suburb of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia.[1] In the, Port Curtis had a population of 309 people.

Geography

The Fitzroy River bounds the suburb to the north-east. Gavial Creek, a tributary of the Fitzroy River, flows through the locality with their confluence at the north of the suburb. The land is flat and low-lying (less than 10 metres above sea level).

The North Coast railway line passes along the western edge of the locality with the junction with the Central Western railway line at Rocklands railway station within Port Curtis.[2]

As at January 2021, very little of the land has been developed with only a few small pockets of residential and industrial use.

History

Port Curtis Road State School opened on 23 March 1875.

In 1912, a Baptist church opened in Port Curtis Road close to the state school.[3] [4] It was a "rapid erection" with construction of pre-fabricated sections commencing at 3pm to be completed in time for an official opening service at around 6pm on Saturday 30 November 1912.[5] [6]

Apart from some land south of Baxter Street, Port Curtis was completely flooded by the Fitzroy River in early January 2011.[7]

The Archer Hotel, formerly the Balmoral Hotel, was located at Port Curtis until a fire completely destroyed the pub on 1 January 2018.[8] [9] Built in the late 1800s, the hotel had been closed for four years before the fire.[10] [11] In 1983, a Ford Telstar sedan belonging to suspected murder victim Bradley Kerrisk was recovered from the Balmoral Hotel at Port Curtis after he went missing, having been last seen at Callaghan Park on 24 June 1983.[12] A $250,000 reward is still on offer for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for Kerrisk's disappearance and suspected murder.[13]

The Rockhampton site of mining and industrial equipment supplier Hastings Deering, one of Rockhampton's major employers, is located at Port Curtis.[14] [15]

Demographics

In the, Port Curtis had a population of 281 people.

In the, Port Curtis had a population of 309 people.

Education

Port Curtis Road State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Port Curtis Road (-23.4134°N 150.514°W).[16] [17] In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 54 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 6 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent).[18] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 67 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 7 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent).[19]

There are no secondary schools in Port Curtis. The nearest government secondary school is Rockhampton State High School in Wandal to the north.

Attractions

A pair of Tropic of Capricorn markers can be found beside the billabong on Port Curtis Road .

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. 29 December 2020.
  2. 17 November 2017.
  3. Web site: Queensland Baptist churches by date of erection/opening. 2021-11-29. Baptist Church Archives Queensland.
  4. Web site: 1912 Port Curtis Rd, Rockhampton. 2021-11-29. Baptist Church Archives Queensland.
  5. News: 30 November 1912. THE CHURCHES.. 8. Morning Bulletin. 15,018. Queensland, Australia. National Library of Australia. 29 November 2021.
  6. News: 2 December 1912. NEW BAPTIST CHURCH.. 6. Morning Bulletin. 15,019. Queensland, Australia. National Library of Australia. 29 November 2021.
  7. Web site: Port Curtis. Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland. 16 November 2017. 15 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171115143727/http://queenslandplaces.com.au/port-curtis. live.
  8. News: Hooker. Amber. Gately. Michelle. 1 January 2018. Dramatic photos as Rocky pub collapses in fire . The Morning Bulletin. News Corp Australia. 9 October 2021.
  9. News: Gately. Michelle. 1 January 2018. 'The whole sky was red': Fire rips through Rocky pub . The Morning Bulletin. News Corp Australia. 9 October 2021.
  10. News: Bulloch. Shayla. 2 January 2018. Floods, fights and pints: Destroyed Rocky pub's history . The Morning Bulletin. News Corp Australia. 9 October 2021.
  11. News: Jarrett. Vanessa. 8 January 2021. MEMORY LANE: 12 months since we lost an iconic building . The Morning Bulletin. 9 October 2021.
  12. News: Gately. Michelle. 2 May 2017. Five shocking crimes that changed Rockhampton forever . The Morning Bulletin. News Corp Australia. 9 October 2021.
  13. Web site: Missing - Suspected Murder of Bradley Richard Kerrisk: $250,000 Reward . . Queensland Police Service. Queensland Government. 9 October 2021.
  14. News: Evans. Jack. 22 April 2020. Key CQ employer faring well through COVID-19 . subscription. The Morning Bulletin. News Corp Australia. 9 October 2021.
  15. News: Houley. Jann. 13 October 2020. PM begins Rockhampton visit at Port Curtis plant. subscription. The Morning Bulletin. News Corp Australia. 9 October 2021.
  16. Web site: State and non-state school details. Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. 21 November 2018. 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. live.
  17. Web site: Port Curtis Road State School. 21 November 2018. 25 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130425171145/http://www.portcurtss.eq.edu.au/. live.
  18. Web site: 2015 Annual Report. Port Curtis Road State School. https://web.archive.org/web/20171117020257/https://portcurtss.eq.edu.au/Supportandresources/Formsanddocuments/Annual%20reports/School%20Annual%20Report.pdf. 17 November 2017. live. 17 November 2017.
  19. Web site: ACARA School Profile 2018. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. 28 January 2020. 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.