Wrights Creek, Queensland

Wrights Creek is a locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2016 census, Wrights Creek had a population of 156 people.[1]

For Wrights Creek in New South Wales, see Wrights Creek, New South Wales.
Wrights Creek
Queensland
Collinson's house, Bruce Highway, Wrights Creek
Wrights Creek is located in Queensland
Wrights Creek
Wrights Creek
Coordinates17.0211°S 145.7738°E / -17.0211; 145.7738
Population156 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density6.53/km2 (16.91/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4869
Area23.9 km2 (9.2 sq mi)
LGA(s)Cairns Region
State electorate(s)Mulgrave
Federal division(s)
Suburbs around Wrights Creek:
Edmonton Portsmith Packers Camp
Edmonton Wrights Creek Packers Camp
Mount Peter Mount Peter Gordonvale

The origin of the suburb name is from the Wright brothers who brought cattle to Wrights Creek in the year 1878.[3]

Geography

The locality is mostly low-lying flat land (approx 10 metres above sea level) with a small area of mountainous area in the south-west of the locality rising to an unnamed peak of 200 metres above sea level. The Trinity Inlet (aka Smith Creek) is the northern boundary of the locality while Wrights Creek (the watercourse from which the locality takes its name) and Mackey Creek form parts of the eastern and western boundaries of the locality. Warner Road is the southern boundary. The northern part of the locality is undeveloped wetlands and the mountainous region is also undeveloped. However, most of the locality is used for farming (predominantly sugarcane).[4]

The Bruce Highway and North Coast railway line pass through the south-western part of the locality; Kamma railway station services the local area. There is also a network of cane tramways to transport the harvested sugarcane to the Mulgrave Sugar Mill.[4][5]

History

Wrights Creek is situated in the Yidinji traditional Aboriginal country.[6] Wright's Creek Provisional School opened on 8 October 1894, becoming Wright's Creek State School on 1 January 1909. It closed in 1953.[7]

Development

As part of the Wrights Creek development plan, a trade, enterprise, freight and industry zone has been proposed in the southern part of Wrights Creek nearby Gordonvale to diversify the economy of the Cairns region and to provide employment opportunities. The development plan utilises the location of the Bruce Highway and North Coast railway line transport corridors. Significant portions of land would be retained for the purpose of sugarcane farming in the area and environmental management purposes.[8] The local council supported the state development area on the basis that existing private businesses in the region would not be impacted by competition.[9]

As part of the Bruce Highway Southern Access Corridor development project, the construction of an off-road cycling path and an upgrade of the Bruce Highway has been funded by the state and federal governments, with construction expected to be completed from 2021–2023.[10][11]

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Wrights Creek". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  2. "Wrights Creek – locality in Cairns Region (entry 48946)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  3. "W Suburbs" (PDF). Cairns Heritage Page. Cairns Regional Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  4. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  5. "Kamma – railway station in Cairns Region (entry 17631)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  6. "Indigenous culture and history". Cairns Regional Council. Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  7. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  8. "Cairns South state development area". State Development. Queensland Government. 13 October 2019. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  9. Cluff, Renee (8 October 2019). "Council concerned industrial hub could bring unwelcome competition". TropicNow. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  10. "Bruce Highway - Cairns Southern Access Corridor - Stage 3: Edmonton to Gordonvale". Transport and Main Roads. Queensland Government. 2 August 2019. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  11. Cluff, Renee (23 September 2019). "Bike path to connect Cairns and Gordonvale". TropicNow. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.

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