86-649: North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the Australian state of Queensland that lies just south of Far North Queensland . Queensland is a massive state, larger than many countries, and its tropical northern part has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and identity. Townsville is the largest urban centre in North Queensland, leading it to be regarded as an unofficial capital. The region has
172-406: A self-governing Crown colony with responsible government . Brisbane was selected as the capital city. On 10 December 1859, a proclamation was read by George Bowen , the first Governor of Queensland , formally establishing Queensland as a separate colony from New South Wales. On 22 May 1860 the first Queensland election was held and Robert Herbert , Bowen's private secretary, was appointed as
258-584: A force of settlers and native police at Battle Mountain near modern Cloncurry . The subsequent battle of Battle Mountain ended in disaster for the Kalkadoon, who suffered heavy losses. Fighting continued in North Queensland , however, with First Nations raiders attacking sheep and cattle while Native Police mounted heavy retaliatory massacres. Tens of thousands of South Sea Islanders were kidnapped from islands nearby to Australia and sold as slaves to work on
344-557: A great rush to take up the surrounding land in the Darling Downs , Logan and Brisbane Valley and South Burnett onwards from 1840, in many cases leading to widespread fighting and heavy loss of life. The conflict later spread north to the Wide Bay and Burnett River and Hervey Bay region, and at one stage the settlement of Maryborough was virtually under siege. The largest reasonably well-documented massacres in southeast Queensland were
430-555: A population of 231,628 and covers 80,041.5 km (30,904.2 sq mi). There is no official boundary that separates North Queensland from the rest of the state. Unofficially it is usually considered to have a southern border beginning south of the Mackay Region southern boundary, but historically it has been as far south as Rockhampton . To the north is the Far North Queensland region, centred on Cairns and out west
516-630: A population of half a million people. Since then, Queensland has remained a federated state within Australia, and its population has significantly grown. In 1905 women voted in state elections for the first time. The state's first university, the University of Queensland , was established in Brisbane in 1909. In 1911, the first alternative treatments for polio were pioneered in Queensland and remain in use across
602-536: A primary and secondary (Prep-12) special education program. The Burdekin campus of TAFE Queensland provides technical training at Seventeenth Avenue ( 19°39′27″S 147°24′19″E / 19.6575°S 147.4054°E / -19.6575; 147.4054 ( Burdekin campus of TAFE Queensland ) ). Home Hill Police Station is at 138–140 Eighth Avenue ( 19°39′42″S 147°24′44″E / 19.6616°S 147.4122°E / -19.6616; 147.4122 ( Home Hill Police Station ) ); it
688-472: A process known as blackbirding or press-ganging, and their employment conditions constituted an allegedly exploitative form of indentured labour. Italian immigrants entered the sugar cane industry from the 1890s. During the 1890s, the six Australian colonies, including Queensland, held a series of referendums which culminated in the Federation of Australia on 1 January 1901. During this time, Queensland had
774-457: A small section opening the following year. An Immigration Port was established at Bowen in 1866. This was because Queensland sugar plantations relied heavily on Pacific Island labour. At first blackbirding was standard practice, until the trade became voluntary. Over 40 years about 60,000 kanakas were brought to Queensland to work. In July 1942, Japanese naval flying boats conducted air raids on Townsville. The Perc Tucker Regional Gallery
860-566: Is sugarcane . Other crops include mango and various vegetables. The Inkerman Sugar Mill is in the north of the locality at Mill Lane ( 19°38′35″S 147°24′03″E / 19.6431°S 147.4007°E / -19.6431; 147.4007 ( Inkerman Sugar Mill ) ). Home Hill State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 113 Fourteenth Avenue ( 19°39′12″S 147°25′01″E / 19.6533°S 147.4170°E / -19.6533; 147.4170 ( Home Hill State School ) ). In 2018,
946-667: Is Australia's highest, permanent single-drop waterfall. Gugu Badhun (also known as Koko-Badun and Kokopatun ) is an Australian Aboriginal language of North Queensland. The language region includes areas within the local government area of Charters Towers Region , particularly the localities of Greenvale and the Valley of Lagoons , and in the Upper Burdekin River area and in Abergowrie . Warrgamay (also known as Waragamai , Wargamay , Wargamaygan , Biyay , and Warakamai )
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#17328456839131032-660: Is a state in northeastern Australia , and is the second-largest and third-most populous of the Australian states. It is bordered by the Northern Territory , South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south, respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and the Pacific Ocean ; to the state's north is the Torres Strait , separating the Australian mainland from Papua New Guinea , and
1118-657: Is a 14-bed public hospital at 72–82 Tenth Street, predominantly providing aged care services ( 19°39′42″S 147°25′00″E / 19.6617°S 147.4167°E / -19.6617; 147.4167 ( public hospital ) ). Home Hill Fire Station ( 19°39′39″S 147°24′59″E / 19.6607°S 147.4165°E / -19.6607; 147.4165 ( Home Hill Fire Station ) ) and Home Hill Ambulance Station ( 19°39′40″S 147°24′57″E / 19.6610°S 147.4159°E / -19.6610; 147.4159 ( Home Hill Ambulance Station ) ) both operate from 83 Tenth Avenue, adjacent to
1204-405: Is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at First Street ( 19°40′04″S 147°25′24″E / 19.6677°S 147.4233°E / -19.6677; 147.4233 ( Home Hill State High School ) ). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 241 students with 32 teachers (30 full-time equivalent) and 20 non-teaching staff (13 full-time equivalent). The school operates
1290-537: Is a neighbourhood in the south of the locality ( 19°40′54″S 147°25′24″E / 19.6817°S 147.4233°E / -19.6817; 147.4233 ( Badilla (neighbourhood) ) ). Home Hill lies approximately 98 kilometres (61 mi) south of Townsville and 1,269 kilometres (789 mi) north of the state capital Brisbane on the Bruce Highway . It is a part of the Shire of Burdekin which includes
1376-487: Is a sewage treatment plant at 60 Bojack Road ( 19°41′03″S 147°25′49″E / 19.6841°S 147.4302°E / -19.6841; 147.4302 ( sewage treatment plant ) ). Burdekin Memorial Hall is a community centre at 77–79 Ninth Avenue ( 19°39′44″S 147°24′55″E / 19.6622°S 147.4154°E / -19.6622; 147.4154 ( Burdekin Memorial Hall ) ). It has
1462-503: Is adjacent to the Old Home Hill Court House ( 19°39′41″S 147°24′44″E / 19.6615°S 147.4121°E / -19.6615; 147.4121 ( Home Hill Court House ) ). Home Hill SES Facility is at 84 Eleventh Avenue ( 19°39′39″S 147°25′00″E / 19.6608°S 147.4166°E / -19.6608; 147.4166 ( Home Hill SES Facility ) ). Home Hill Health Service
1548-488: Is an Australian Aboriginal language in North Queensland. The language region includes the Herbert River area, Ingham , Hawkins Creek , Long Pocket , Herbert Vale, Niagara Vale, Yamanic Creek, Herbert Gorge, Cardwell , Hinchinbrook Island and the adjacent mainland. Yuru (also known as Juru, Euronbba, Juru, Mal Mal, Malmal ) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Yuru country. The Yuru language region includes
1634-433: Is centred on the two towns of Ayr and Home Hill and while producing the largest amount of sugar, also produces seasonal fruit such as Lychees and Mangos in summer, which is the wet season. Other communities in North Queensland include Home Hill , Sarina , Bowen , Ayr , and Proserpine . Great Palm Island is home to the largest discreet Indigenous community in Australia. Wallaman Falls located near Wallaman ,
1720-477: Is home to the Torres Strait Islander peoples . Torres Strait Islanders are ethnically and culturally distinct from mainland Aboriginal peoples. They have a long history of interaction with both Aboriginal peoples of what is now Australia and the peoples of New Guinea . In February 1606, Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon landed near the site of what is now Weipa , on the western shore of Cape York . This
1806-527: Is serviced by Townsville Airport which is ranked as the 11th busiest airport in Australia. The airport was granted international status in 1980 and plans to return to international services in 2025. Along the coast, the Bruce Highway passes from the south through to the north of the region. The Flinders Highway links Townsville with Charters Towers and the Peak Downs Highway extends west from Mackay. The Tilt Train and Spirit of Queensland travel
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#17328456839131892-568: Is the Gulf Country . A coastal region centred on its largest settlement is the city of Townsville. The city is the location of a major seaport handling exports from mines in Mount Isa and cattle exports from coastal and inland areas. The region also contains a bulk sugar exporting terminal at Lucinda in the region's north. Mackay and the Burdekin region are Australia's sugar capital and produces
1978-570: The 138th meridian east , and to the southwest by northeastern South Australia . The state's southern border with New South Wales is constituted in the east by the watershed from Point Danger to the Dumaresq River , and the Dumaresq, Macintyre and Barwon rivers. The west of the southern border is defined by the 29th parallel south (including some minor historical encroachments ) until it reaches South Australia. Like much of eastern Australia,
2064-619: The Australian frontier wars of the 19th century, colonists killed tens of thousands of Aboriginal people in Queensland while consolidating their control over the territory. On 6 June 1859 (now commemorated as Queensland Day ), Queen Victoria signed the letters patent to establish the colony of Queensland, separating it from New South Wales and thereby establishing Queensland as a self-governing Crown colony with responsible government . A large part of colonial Queensland's economy relied on blackbirded South Sea Islander slavery. Queensland
2150-512: The Brisbane River . He returned in 1824 and established a penal settlement at what is now Redcliffe . The settlement, initially known as Edenglassie , was then transferred to the current location of the Brisbane city centre . Edmund Lockyer discovered outcrops of coal along the banks of the upper Brisbane River in 1825. In 1839 transportation of convicts was ceased, culminating in the closure of
2236-751: The Burdekin Bridge (also known as the Silver Link) in April 1947 but it was not operational until 27 March 1957. The new bridge was 100 metres (330 ft) upstream of the Inkerman Bridge. The Burdekin Bridge officially opened on 15 June 1957. At 1,097 metres (3,599 ft), the Burdekin Bridge is one of the longest multi-span bridges in Australia and the only one in Australia without a firm footing. Some pylons of
2322-558: The Crimean War . However it has also been claimed that it was named after Colonel Home who lived in the district and had fought in the Crimea. Another claim is that the name was originally Holme Hill which was corrupted into Home Hill , possibly by a signwriter painting the name at the railway station . A newspaper report in September 1912 calls the proposed town Holme Hill but also makes
2408-609: The Gayiri Aboriginal people in response. Frontier violence peaked on the northern mining frontier during the 1870s, most notably in Cook district and on the Palmer and Hodgkinson River goldfields, with heavy loss of Aboriginal lives and several well-known massacres. Raids conducted by the Kalkadoon held settlers out of Western Queensland for ten years until September 1884 when they attacked
2494-601: The Great Dividing Range runs roughly parallel with, and inland from, the coast, and areas west of the range are more arid than the humid coastal regions. The Great Barrier Reef , which is the world's largest coral reef system, runs parallel to the state's Coral Sea coast between the Torres Strait and K'gari (Fraser Island) . Queensland's coastline includes the world's three largest sand islands: K'gari (Fraser Island) , Moreton , and North Stradbroke . The state contains six World Heritage -listed preservation areas:
2580-538: The Gulf of Carpentaria to the north-west. With an area of 1,723,030 square kilometres (665,270 sq mi), Queensland is the world's sixth-largest subnational entity ; it is larger than all but 16 countries . Due to its size, Queensland's geographical features and climates are diverse, and include tropical rainforests , rivers , coral reefs , mountain ranges and white sandy beaches in its tropical and sub-tropical coastal regions, as well as deserts and savanna in
2666-567: The Kilcoy and Whiteside poisonings, each of which was said to have taken up to 70 Aboriginal lives by use of a gift of flour laced with strychnine . At the Battle of One Tree Hill in September 1843, Multuggerah and his group of warriors ambushed one group of settlers, routing them and subsequently others in the skirmishes which followed, starting in retaliation for the Kilcoy poisoning. Central Queensland
North Queensland - Misplaced Pages Continue
2752-642: The Kingdom of Great Britain on 22 August 1770 at Possession Island , naming eastern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales . The Aboriginal population declined significantly after a smallpox epidemic during the late 18th century and massacres by the European settlers. In 1823, John Oxley , a British explorer, sailed north from what is now Sydney to scout possible penal colony sites in Gladstone (then Port Curtis ) and Moreton Bay . At Moreton Bay, he found
2838-561: The North Coast railway line along the coast. Throughout the years, there have been many calls for the formation of a new state. Many proposals have been drawn up, regarding the borders, name and the debate over which town will become the capital. 20°15′40″S 146°01′12″E / 20.26111°S 146.02000°E / -20.26111; 146.02000 Queensland Queensland ( locally / ˈ k w iː n z l æ n d / KWEENZ -land , commonly abbreviated as Qld )
2924-537: The Sunshine Coast , Townsville , Cairns , Ipswich , and Toowoomba . 24.2% of the state's population were born overseas . The state has the highest inter-state net migration in Australia. Queensland was first inhabited by Aboriginal Australians , with the Torres Strait Islands inhabited by Torres Strait Islanders . Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon , the first European to land in Australia, explored
3010-594: The Sunshine State for its tropical and sub-tropical climates, Great Barrier Reef , and numerous beaches, tourism is also important to the state's economy. Queensland was one of the largest regions of pre-colonial Aboriginal population in Australia. The Aboriginal occupation of Queensland is thought to predate 50,000 BC, and early migrants are believed to have arrived via boat or land bridge across Torres Strait . Through time, their descendants developed into more than 90 different language and cultural groups. During
3096-414: The Torres Strait to the north, with Boigu Island off the coast of New Guinea representing the northern extreme of its territory. The triangular Cape York Peninsula , which points toward New Guinea, is the northernmost part of the state's mainland. West of the peninsula's tip, northern Queensland is bordered by the Gulf of Carpentaria . To the west, Queensland is bordered by the Northern Territory , at
3182-616: The White Australia policy came into effect, which saw most foreign workers in Australia deported under the Pacific Island Labourers Act 1901 , which saw the Pacific Islander population of the state decrease rapidly. A public meeting was held in 1851 to consider the proposed separation of Queensland from New South Wales. On 6 June 1859, Queen Victoria signed letters patent to form the separate colony of Queensland as
3268-474: The White Australia policy in 1973 saw the beginning of a wave of immigration from around the world, and most prominently from Asia, which continues to the present. In 1981 the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland's northeast coast, one of the world's largest coral reef systems, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In 2003 Queensland adopted maroon as the state's official colour. The announcement
3354-519: The semi-arid and desert climatic regions of its interior . Queensland has a population of over 5.5 million, concentrated along the east coast, particularly in South East Queensland . The capital and largest city in the state is Brisbane , Australia's third-largest city . Ten of Australia's thirty largest cities are located in Queensland, the largest outside Brisbane being the Gold Coast ,
3440-523: The ''Home Hill Observer'' commenced in 1923 under proprietor and editor Thomas (Tom) Jackson, relocating offices a number of times over the years. In June 2014, the newspaper ceased publication; the then editor was David Jackson, grandson of Tom. The Home Hill Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Society held its first show on 20 November 1926. In 1935 the society established its own grounds and erected pavilions. The shows were held annually (apart from 1942 to 1944 due to World War II ) until 2001 when
3526-634: The Brisbane penal settlement. In 1842 free settlement, which had already commenced, was officially permitted. In 1847, the Port of Maryborough was opened as a wool port. While most early immigrants came from New South Wales, the first free immigrant ship to arrive in Moreton Bay from Europe was the Artemisia , in 1848. Earlier than this immigrant ship was the arrival of the Irish famine orphan girls to Queensland. Devised by
North Queensland - Misplaced Pages Continue
3612-568: The Burdekin River and hence it was necessary to establish a separate town to support the new farming community. The first blocks of town land were offered for sale in December 1912 under the name of Home Hill. The origin of the name Home Hill is much disputed. The Queensland Government claims it was named after Home Hill , a hilltop defended by the British Army in the Battle of Inkerman in
3698-592: The Feisty Colleens, never set foot on Sydney soil, and instead sailed up to Brisbane (then Moreton Bay) on 21 October 1848 on board the Ann Mary . This scheme continued until 1852. In 1857, Queensland's first lighthouse was built at Cape Moreton . The frontier wars fought between European settlers and Aboriginal tribes in Queensland were the bloodiest and most brutal in colonial Australia. Many of these conflicts are now seen as acts of genocide. The wars featured
3784-951: The Great Barrier Reef along the Coral Sea coast, K'gari (Fraser Island) on the Wide Bay–Burnett region's coastline, the wet tropics in Far North Queensland including the Daintree Rainforest , Lamington National Park in South East Queensland , the Riversleigh fossil sites in North West Queensland , and the Gondwana Rainforests in South East Queensland. The state is divided into several unofficial regions which are commonly used to refer to large areas of
3870-529: The Inkerman Bridge are still visible. The farming allocations were taken up to grow sugar cane and the town developed quite quickly after the establishment of the Inkerman sugar mill in 1914. The earliest recorded burials in Home Hill cemetery were in 1917. In 2007 a lawn cemetery section was added. In 1922, a power station was built enabling electricity to be supplied for the first time in Home Hill. In 1923,
3956-643: The Native Police between 1859 and 1897. The military force of the Queensland Government in this war was the Native Police , who operated from 1849 to the 1920s. The Native Police was a body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander troopers that operated under the command of white officers. The Native Police were often recruited forcefully from far-away communities. Conflict spread quickly with free settlement in 1838, with settlement rapidly expanding in
4042-520: The North Coast railway line. As the nearest road bridge across the river was 37 miles (60 km) upstream, a low-level road bridge was built across the river ( 19°37′42″S 147°24′16″E / 19.6283°S 147.4044°E / -19.6283; 147.4044 ( Former road bridge ) ) in 1929 and was completed in January 1930 and within two weeks was 3 feet (0.91 m) under water due to
4128-538: The Queensland Rice Marketing Board experienced financial difficulties bringing this crop to an end in the Home Hill area. However, other crops have been introduced to the area and found their niche in the economy; they include mangoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, chillies, sorghum, maize, cotton and cassava. Town water via a water tower was supplied in Home Hill from 27 March 1968. Prior to this many used windmills and electric pumps to extract water from beneath
4214-408: The age of sixteen. In total, approximately 15,000 South Sea Islander slaves died while working in Queensland, a figure which does not include those who died in transit or who were killed in the recruitment process. This represents a mortality rate of at least 30%, which is high considering most were only on three year contracts. It is also similar to the estimated 33% death rate of enslaved Africans in
4300-456: The closure of the state borders. With a total area of 1,729,742 square kilometres (715,309 square miles), Queensland is an expansive state with a highly diverse range of climates and geographical features. If Queensland were an independent nation, it would be the world's 16th largest. Queensland's eastern coastline borders the Coral Sea , an arm of the Pacific Ocean. The state is bordered by
4386-642: The colony's agricultural plantations through a process known as blackbirding . This trade in what were then known as Kanakas was in operation from 1863 to 1908, a period of 45 years. Some 55,000 to 62,500 were brought to Australia, most being recruited or blackbirded from islands in Melanesia , such as the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu ), the Solomon Islands and the islands around New Guinea . The majority of those taken were male and around one quarter were under
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#17328456839134472-497: The connection with the Battle of Inkerman. There are also numerous early references to the town as Holm Hill . Certainly the Hill part of the name does not relate to the local geography which is quite flat with the nearest hill is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) away. Home Hill Post Office opened by 1913 (a receiving office had been open from 1912). In the 1990s there were rumours that
4558-507: The first Premier of Queensland . In 1865, the first rail line in the state opened between Ipswich and Grandchester . Queensland's economy expanded rapidly in 1867 after James Nash discovered gold on the Mary River near the town of Gympie , sparking a gold rush and saving the State of Freddy-Mercury-land from near economic collapse. While still significant, they were on a much smaller scale than
4644-414: The first commercial production of oil in Queensland and Australia began at Moonie . During World War II Brisbane became central to the Allied campaign when the AMP Building (now called MacArthur Central ) was used as the South West Pacific headquarters for General Douglas MacArthur , chief of the Allied Pacific forces, until his headquarters were moved to Hollandia in August 1944. In 1942, during
4730-406: The first courthouse in Home Hill opened, operating from a timber building that had formerly been used as Jensen's Boot Palace. The building was relocated to the present courthouse site, where it was replaced by the extant brick structure in 1937. The court house closed in 1991 after which it was occupied by a tourist information centre and then local radio station Sweet FM. Home Hill's own newspaper
4816-458: The first three years of being taken to America. The trade was legally sanctioned and regulated under Queensland law, and prominent men such as Robert Towns made massive fortunes off of exploitation of slave labour, helping to establish some of the major cities in Queensland today. Towns' agent claimed that blackbirded labourers were "savages who did not know the use of money" and therefore did not deserve cash wages. Following Federation in 1901,
4902-422: The gold rushes of Victoria and New South Wales. Immigration to Australia and Queensland, in particular, began in the 1850s to support the state economy. During the period from the 1860s until the early 20th century, many labourers, known at the time as Kanakas , were brought to Queensland from neighbouring Pacific Island nations to work in the state's sugar cane fields. Some of these people had been kidnapped under
4988-416: The ground. Sewerage was installed from 1976 to 1979 with most household using septic tanks before then. In the mid-1980s, the economics of sugarcane farming worsened with rising costs and falling prices. Mechanisation was needed to reduce labour costs but the cost of purchasing the equipment was high. Small farms became increasingly less viable leading to the slogan "Get big or get out" which saw many leave
5074-469: The highway, also entering from the south-east (Fredericksfield / Inkerman) and exiting to the north-west (McDesme) via the Burdekin Bridge . There are three railway stations within the locality: To the west of the town is Gardiner's Lagoon. Despite its name, the land in the locality is very flat. Yuru (also known as Juru, Euronbba, Juru, Mal Mal, Malmal ) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Yuru country. The Yuru language region includes
5160-474: The hospital. Home Hill Aged Hostel is a nursing home at 127–143 Tenth Avenue ( 19°39′22″S 147°24′49″E / 19.6562°S 147.4137°E / -19.6562; 147.4137 ( Home Hill Aged Hostel ) ). Home Hill Cemetery is at 63–85 Fourth Street ( 19°39′49″S 147°25′34″E / 19.6637°S 147.4261°E / -19.6637; 147.4261 ( Home Hill Cemetery ) ). Home Hill Wastewater Treatment Plant
5246-427: The industry allowing those who remained to create larger more viable farms. Home Hill library opened in 1984 and in 2017 underwent a major refurbishment. In August 2016, two British backpackers were killed in a stabbing attack at the Home Hill Backpackers hostel , leaving others injured, by a French national shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the killings and during his arrest and who had allegedly used cannabis on
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#17328456839135332-401: The landscape within the local government boundaries of the Shire of Burdekin , including the town of Home Hill . Captain James Cook passed by the region in 1770, naming several places including Magnetic Island and Cape Cleveland. Allan Cunningham was the first European to explore parts of the region. John Mackay explored the Pioneer Valley near Mackay in 1860. The first settlement in
5418-412: The landscape within the local government boundaries of the Shire of Burdekin , including the town of Home Hill. Home Hill was originally part of the Inkerman Downs Cattle Station. In August 1910, the Inkerman estate was resumed by the Queensland Government under the Closer Settlement Act. It was subdivided into farming allotments. Although the town of Ayr was very close by, there was no bridge across
5504-424: The last ice age , Queensland's landscape became more arid and largely desolate, making food and other supplies scarce. The people developed the world's first seed-grinding technology. The end of the glacial period brought about a warming climate, making the land more hospitable. It brought high rainfall along the eastern coast, stimulating the growth of the state's tropical rainforests. The Torres Strait Islands
5590-490: The later decades of the 20th century, the humid subtropical climate —regulated by the availability of air conditioning—saw Queensland become a popular destination for migrants from interstate. Since that time, Queensland has continuously seen high levels of migration from the other states and territories of Australia. In 1966, Lyndon B. Johnson became the first U.S. president to visit Queensland. During his visit, he met with Australia prime minister Harold Holt . The end of
5676-436: The main street. One hundred people were made homeless. The first Home Hill Harvest Festival was held in 1963. It continues to be held annually in November to celebrate the end of the sugar cane crushing season. Home Hill State High School opened on 28 January 1964. Some farmers began to experiment with rice in the 1960s with a local rice mill opening in 1968. However, the rice industry collapsed in Queensland in 1994 when
5762-452: The most frequent massacres of First Nations people, the three deadliest massacres on white settlers, the most disreputable frontier police force, and the highest number of white victims to frontier violence on record in any Australian colony. Across at least 644 collisions at least 66,680 were killed — with Aboriginal fatalities alone comprising no less than 65,180. Of these deaths, around 24,000 Aboriginal men, women and children were killed by
5848-414: The most sugar in Australia and is shipped at Mackay Harbour. Mackay is also one of Australia's biggest coal exporters as it is close to Queensland's major mines. Abbot Point , north of Bowen, is a large, coal exporting port. Dalrymple Bay, south of Mackay is another port where coal is exported. It also contains the inland city of Charters Towers and the coastal towns of Ayr and Ingham . The Burdekin
5934-486: The night of the attack. In the 2006 census , the town of Home Hill had a population of 2,907 people. In the 2011 census , the locality of Home Hill had a population of 3,027 people. In the 2016 census , the locality of Home Hill had a population of 2,954 people. In the 2021 census , the locality of Home Hill had a population of 2,876 people. Home Hill has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: The town relies on its primary industries. The major crop
6020-399: The only Australian state with a unicameral parliament . In 1935 cane toads were deliberately introduced to Queensland from Hawaii in an unsuccessful attempt to reduce the number of French's cane and greyback cane beetles that were destroying the roots of sugar cane plants, which are integral to Queensland's economy. The toads have remained an environmental pest since that time. In 1962,
6106-410: The post office would be closed. However, eventually the decision was made to privatise it in 1997. A tent school was opened in the district on 23 March 1913 but was replaced by the Inkerman State School on 25 October 1913 which was renamed Home Hill State School on 19 January 1914. The Inkerman Bridge across the Burdekin River to McDesme officially opened on 8 September 1913. The bridge carried
6192-532: The region was established at Port Denison in 1861, at what is now known as Bowen. In 1865, the first surveys of what was to become Townsville were conducted. In 1871, gold was discovered at Charters Towers. This led to much development for the town and for Townsville which served as a major port and service centre as both the pastoral and sugar industry spread along the coast. Work on the Great Northern Railway from Townsville to Mount Isa began in 1879 with
6278-512: The river flooding. Due to the frequent flooding of the river, the rail and road bridges were often closed or damaged, leading to the decision to build a single higher-level road-and-rail bridge. Due to the lack of rock in the sandy soil to use as foundations, for many years it was not believed possible to build a high-level bridge across the Burdekin River. However, by copying construction techniques used in India for sand-footing bridges, work began on
6364-564: The school had an enrolment of 266 students with 20 teachers (16 full-time equivalent) and 18 non-teaching staff (12 full-time equivalent). St Colman's School is a Catholic primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Eleventh Avenue ( 19°39′33″S 147°24′57″E / 19.6593°S 147.4157°E / -19.6593; 147.4157 ( St Colman's School ) ). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 50 students with 5 teachers (4 full-time equivalent) and 6 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent). Home Hill State High School
6450-733: The shows were no longer economically viable. For two years beginning September 1943, the Royal Australian Air Force operated a radar station at Charlies Hill south of the town, staffed by approximately two dozen servicemen and women. St Colman's Catholic School opened on 7 April 1927. It was operated by the Sisters of Mercy until 1967 when it came under the control of the Townsville Catholic Education Office . On 16 February 1959, Cyclone Connie struck Home Hill. No building escaped damage with every window broken in
6536-523: The state's vast geography. These include: Home Hill, Queensland Download coordinates as: Home Hill is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Burdekin , Queensland , Australia. In the 2021 census , the locality of Home Hill had a population of 2,876 people. At the delta of the Burdekin River , it is a sugarcane growing area with underground water supplies to irrigate crops. Badilla
6622-545: The then British Secretary of State for the Colonies, The Earl Grey Scheme established a special emigration scheme which was designed to resettle destitute girls from the workhouses of Ireland during the Great Famine. The first ship, the "Earl Grey", departed Ireland for a 124-day sail to Sydney. After controversy developed upon their arrival in Australia, a small group of 37 young orphans, sometimes referred to as The Belfast Girls or
6708-609: The town of Ayr to the north. Both towns are governed by the Burdekin Shire Council . The Burdekin River forms the locality's north-western boundary. The town is situated centrally within the locality surrounded by crop farming. The Bruce Highway passes through the town from the south-east ( Fredericksfield / Inkerman ) to the north-west crossing the river via the Burdekin Bridge to McDesme en route to Ayr . The North Coast railway line runs immediately parallel and west of
6794-428: The war, Brisbane was the site of a violent clash between visiting US military personnel and Australian servicemen and civilians, which resulted in one death and hundreds of injuries. This incident became known colloquially as the Battle of Brisbane . The end of World War II saw a wave of immigration from across Europe, with many more immigrants coming from southern and eastern Europe than in previous decades. In
6880-534: The west coast of the Cape York Peninsula in 1606. In 1770, James Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for the Kingdom of Great Britain . In 1788, Arthur Phillip founded the colony of New South Wales, which included all of what is now Queensland. Queensland was explored in subsequent decades, and the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement was established at Brisbane in 1824 by John Oxley . During
6966-582: The world today. World War I had a major impact on Queensland . Over 58,000 Queenslanders fought in World War I and over 10,000 of them died. Australia's first major airline, Qantas (originally standing for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services"), was founded in Winton in 1920 to serve outback Queensland. In 1922 Queensland abolished the Queensland Legislative Council , becoming
7052-580: Was among the six colonies which became the founding states of Australia with Federation on 1 January 1901. Since the Bjelke-Petersen era of the late 20th century, Queensland has received a high level of internal migration from the other states and territories of Australia and remains a popular destination for interstate migration. Queensland has the third-largest economy among Australian states, with strengths in mining, agriculture, transportation, international education , insurance, and banking. Nicknamed
7138-694: Was established at Townsville in 1981 and the TYTO Regional Art Gallery at Ingham opened in 2011. The North Queensland Cowboys entered the Australian Rugby League in 1995. The region has a number of significant tourist attractions including the Great Barrier Reef and reef islands, rainforests in the Wet Tropics of Queensland , Eungella , Magnetic Island , and the Whitsunday Islands . The region has 36 national parks. The region
7224-570: Was made as a result of an informal tradition to use maroon to represent the state in association with sporting events. After three decades of record population growth, Queensland was impacted by major floods between late 2010 and early 2011 , causing extensive damage and disruption across the state. In 2020 Queensland was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic . Despite a low number and abrupt decline in cases from April 2020 onward, social distancing requirements were implemented from March 2020 including
7310-552: Was particularly hard hit during the 1860s and 1870s, several contemporary writers mention the Skull Hole, Bladensburg, or Mistake Creek massacre on Bladensburg Station near Winton , which in 1901 was said to have taken up to 200 Aboriginal lives. First Nations warriors killed 19 settlers during the Cullin-La-Ringo massacre on 17 October 1861. In the weeks afterwards, police, native police and civilians killed up to 370 members of
7396-545: Was the first recorded landing of a European in Australia , and it also marked the first reported contact between Europeans and the Aboriginal people of Australia . The region was also explored by French and Spanish explorers (commanded by Louis Antoine de Bougainville and Luís Vaez de Torres , respectively) before the arrival of Lieutenant James Cook in 1770. Cook claimed the east coast under instruction from King George III of
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