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Bellenden Ker
Queensland
Looking from Telecom Road in the locality of Bellenden Ker toward the mountain summit, 2018
Bellenden Ker is located in Queensland
Bellenden Ker
Bellenden Ker
Map
Coordinates17°15′40″S 145°55′31″E / 17.2611°S 145.9252°E / -17.2611; 145.9252 (Bellenden Ker (town centre))
Population229 (2021 census)
 • Density7.179/km (18.59/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4871
Area31.9 km (12.3 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Cairns Region
State electorate(s)Hill
Federal division(s)Kennedy
Localities around Bellenden Ker:
Wooroonooran Deeral East Russell
Wooroonooran Bellenden Ker East Russell
Wooroonooran Babinda Babinda

Bellenden Ker is a rural town and locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Bellenden Ker had a population of 229 people.

Geography

Looking along Harvey Creek towards the North Coast railway bridge at the Harvey Creek Scenic Reserve, 2014

The locality is bounded to the east by the Russell River and to the south by Frenchmans Creek (which becomes a tributary of the Russell River in the south-east of the locality). The locaity is bounded to the west by the eastern extent of the Wooroonooran National Park. The Bellenden Ker Range runs through the national park where the three peaks of Mount Bellenden Ker are located (i.e. west of this locality which shares its name).

The Bruce Highway enters the locality from the south (Babinda) and exits to the north (Deeral). The North Coast railway also enters the locality from the south (Babinda) immediately east of the highway and also exits to the north (Deeral).

History

Bellenden Ker Memorial Hall, opened 1936

The town and locality take their names from the Bellenden Ker Range. The range in turn was named on 22 June 1819 by Lieutenant Phillip Parker King, the hydrographer on the HM Colonial Cutter Mermaid after botanist John Bellenden Ker at the suggestion of Allan Cunningham who was the botanist on board the Mermaid.

Bellenden Ker State School opened on 14 August 1922.

Sugar cane farming, Bellenden Ker, 2018

Bellenden Ker Post Office opened on 1 July 1936 and closed on 23 November 1974.

Bellenden Ker Memorial Hall opened on Saturdy 5 December 1936 in the presence of over 300 people. The community had raised funds over a number of years to build the hall.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, the locality of Bellenden Ker had a population of 475 people.

In the 2016 census, the locality of Bellenden Ker had a population of 252 people.

In the 2021 census, the locality of Bellenden Ker had a population of 229 people.

Education

Bellenden Ker State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Harvey Creek Road (17°16′00″S 145°55′30″E / 17.2666°S 145.9251°E / -17.2666; 145.9251 (Bellenden Ker State School)). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 10 students with 2 teachers (1 full-time equivalent) and 4 non-teaching staff (1 full-time equivalent).

There are no secondary schools in Bellenden Ker. The nearest government secondary school is Babina State School in neighbouring Babinda to the south.

Amenities

Boat ramp on Russell River Road, 2018

Bellenden Ker Memorial Hall is at 78 Harvey Creek Road (17°16′02″S 145°55′32″E / 17.26722°S 145.92555°E / -17.26722; 145.92555 (Bellenden Ker Memorial Hall)).

There is a boat ramp with jetty on the Russell River Road on the north bank of the Russell River (17°16′21″S 145°56′54″E / 17.2726°S 145.9484°E / -17.2726; 145.9484 (Russell River Road boat ramp)). It is managed by the Cairns Regional Council.

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Bellenden Ker (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "Bellenden Ker – town in Cairns Region (entry 2180)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Bellenden Ker – locality in Cairns Region (entry 48522)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourses". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Railways; Railway stations". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  7. ^ "History". Bellenden Ker State School. 6 June 2019. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Bellenden Ker". Post Office Reference. Phoenix Auctions. Archived from the original on 12 June 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Dance at Bellenden Ker". The Cairns Post. No. 10, 864. Queensland, Australia. 4 December 1936. p. 3. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "BABINDA NOTES". The Cairns Post. No. 10, 870. Queensland, Australia. 11 December 1936. p. 15. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Bellenden Ker". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 27 July 2017. Edit this at Wikidata
  12. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Bellenden Ker (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  13. ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  14. ^ "Bellenden Ker State School". Bellenden Ker State School. 21 May 2019. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  15. ^ "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Council facilities". Cairns Regional Council. 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Recreational Boating Facilities Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.

Further reading