Canal Creek
Queensland
Melaleuca viridiflora in Canal Creek
Canal Creek is located in Queensland
Canal Creek
Canal Creek
Coordinates22°56′42″S 150°23′43″E / 22.945°S 150.3952°E / -22.945; 150.3952 (Canal Creek (centre of locality))
Postcode(s)4702
Area537.3 km2 (207.5 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Livingstone Shire
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Capricornia
Suburbs around Canal Creek:
Kunwarara Shoalwater Byfield
Kunwarara Canal Creek Maryvale
Canoona Jardine
Rossmoya		 Greenlake

Canal Creek is a rural locality in the Livingstone Shire, Queensland, Australia.[1] In the 2021 census, Canal Creek had a population of 11 people.[2]

Geography

The ridge of the Pointer Range forms the south-western boundary of the locality.[3] The terrain in the locality ranges from flatter land at approx 20 metres (66 ft) above sea level to numerous named peaks including (from west to east):[4]

  • North Pointer 223 metres (732 ft)
  • The Pointer 167 metres (548 ft)
  • Mount Jardine 98 metres (322 ft)
  • Pleasant Hill 46 metres (151 ft)
  • Conical Mountain 200 metres (660 ft)
  • Charley Peak 260 metres (850 ft)
  • The Gate Mountain 112 metres (367 ft)

Three creeks enter through the locality from the north (Shoalwater) flowing south, Alligator Creek to Canoona/Jardine and Canal Creek (from which the locality presumably takes its name) and Werribee Creek to Rossmoya.[4] These creeks are ultimately tributaries to the Fitzroy River which enters the Coral Sea between Thompsons Point and Port Alma.[4]

There are a number of protected areas in the locality, including:[4]

  • North Pointer Conservation Park in the south-west of the locality
  • Alligator Creek State Forest in the north and centre of the locality
  • Canal Creek State Forest in the centre of the locality
  • Werribee State Forest in the north-east of the locality

The predominant land use is grazing on native vegetation, plantation forestry and a small amount of crop growing.[4]

History

On 19 December 1943 a USA military aircraft crashed at Canal Creek Cattle Station and 31 people were killed. The C47 aircraft of 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron 374th Transport Group was flying from Townsville to Brisbane with a stop in Rockhampton. The port engine caught fire, which caused an explosion and the plane crashed and all 31 people on board were killed. The aircraft was carrying 20 USA military personnel, 8 Australian military personnel, and three civilians (one from the YMCA, one from the Salvation Army, and a war photographer). On 16 June 2002 a memorial to the crash was officially dedicated; it is at 22°58′47″S 150°28′53″E / 22.97974°S 150.48141°E / -22.97974; 150.48141 (Canal Creek Air Crash monument) approximately 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from the crash site due to the boggy terrain at the site. The memorial was organised by Yeppoon resident John Millroy. It was the 2nd worst aircrash in Australia's history (Bakers Creek air crash in June 1943 killed 40 people).[5][6][7]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Canal Creek had a population of 8 people.[8]

In the 2021 census, Canal Creek had a population of 11 people.[2]

Education

There are no schools in Canal Creek. The nearest government primary school is Milman State School in Millman to the south. The nearest government secondary schools are Yeppoon State High School in Yeppoon to the south-east and Glenmore State High school in Kawana, Rockhampton to the south. The north-western parts of Canal Creek are too distant from these secondary schools for a daily commute, so distance education and boarding school are other options.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Canal Creek – locality in Livingstone Shire (entry 48559)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  2. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Canal Creek (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Pointer Range – range in the Shire of Livingstone (entry 27184)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  5. ↑ Roberts, Alice; Mackay, Jacquie (22 May 2012). "A site to remember: Canal Creek air disaster]". ABC Capricornia. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  6. ↑ "Canal Creek Air Crash". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  7. ↑ "Crash of C-47 of 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron 374th Transport Group". Oz at War. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019.
  8. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Canal Creek (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
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