Mackenzie River, Queensland
Download coordinates as:
| Mackenzie River Queensland | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
  Mackenzie River | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 22°58′23″S 148°51′47″E / 22.9730°S 148.8630°E | ||||||||||||||
| Population | 84 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 0.02478/km (0.0642/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4705 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 3,389.8 km (1,308.8 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
| ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Isaac Region | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | |||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Capricornia | ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Mackenzie River is a locality in the Isaac Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Mackenzie River had a population of 84 people.
Geography
The Mackenzie River forms the southern and eastern boundary of the locality.
In the far north of the locality are two protected areas, the Junee National Park and the Junee State Forest.
The locality is within the Bowen Basin coalfields and there are a number of active coal mines in the locality, including Foxleigh, Oak Park and Lake Lindsay coal mines with other areas being considered for future mines.
A railway line which is part of the Blackwater rail system passes through the south-west of the locality. There are three railway stations on this line within the locality (from north to south):
- Fairhill railway station (23°18′28″S 148°33′23″E / 23.3077°S 148.5563°E)
- Yongala coal siding (23°20′02″S 148°34′21″E / 23.3338°S 148.5725°E), which services the Yongala coal mine in neighbouring Wyuna to the south-west
- Mackenzie railway station (23°25′33″S 148°37′40″E / 23.4259°S 148.6279°E)
Being in the north-west of the locality, the mines within Mackenzie River are not serviced by these stations but via the Goonyella railway line in neighbouring Middlemount.
The Fitzroy Developmental Road enters the locality from the east (Bingegang) and exits to the north-west (Middlemount / May Downs).
The land use is predominantly grazing on native vegetation.
History
The locality's name presumably derives from the Mackenzie River, which in turn was named by explorer Ludwig Leichhardt on 10 January 1845, after his friend pastoralist Evan Mackenzie of Kilcoy Station.
Mackenzie River State School opened on 21 May 1973, but closed in 2018 after having no students enrol in 2017. It was at 31145 Fitzroy Developmental Road (22°57′01″S 148°55′43″E / 22.9503°S 148.9287°E). The school's website was archived.
The Foxleigh opencut coal mine was established in 1999. Oak Park opencut coal mine was established in 2004. Lake Lindsay opencut coal mine was established in 2008.
Demographics
In the 2016 census, Mackenzie River had a population of 71 people.
In the 2021 census, Mackenzie River had a population of 84 people.
Education
There are no schools in Mackenzie River. The nearest primary schools are in Middlemount and Tieri. The nearest secondary schools are in Middlemount, Blackwater and Capella. However, some parts of Mackenzie River are too distant to attend these schools, so other options are distance education and boarding school.
References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mackenzie River (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Mackenzie River – locality in Isaac Region (entry 47025)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
- ^ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ "Asset overview: Foxleigh". QMetco Limited. Archived from the original on 12 March 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- ^ "CAPCOAL" (PDF). Anglo American. September 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
- ^ "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ "Mackenzie River – river in the Central Highlands Region (entry 20454)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
- ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
- ^ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
- ^ Caldwell, Felicity (8 June 2017). "The Queensland school with zero students enrolled". Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
- ^ "Mackenzie River State School". 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "CAPCOAL complex" (PDF). Anglo American. p. 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Mackenzie River (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
