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Walkerston is a town and locality in Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia. The town is situated on the Peak Downs Highway 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south-west of Mackay. In the 2021 census, the locality of Walkerston had a population of 3,615 people.

Geography

Walkerston is bounded by the Pioneer River to the north.

The Peak Downs Highway enters the locality from Alexandra in the east, passes through the town (which is in south-west of the locality and then heads south-west exiting the locality to Greenmount.

The town is situated on the Peak Downs Highway 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south-west of Mackay. Walkerston straddles Bakers Creek for about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi).

Palms is a neighbourhood within Walkerston, located to the east of the town (21°10′00″S 149°04′59″E / 21.16667°S 149.08306°E / -21.16667; 149.08306 (Palms, Queensland)).

History

In May 1860, Scots-born John Mackay was only 21 years old when he left Armidale, New South Wales in January 1860 with men, horses and provisions in search of land for cattle runs in north Queensland. They travelled up the east coast, taking a mainly inland route until they came to the junction of Cattle Creek and the Pioneer River, in an area about 15 miles west of present-day Walkerston. They then followed the river, firstly named by Mackay's companions as the Mackay River but now known as the Pioneer River.

This town was commonly known as Scrubby Creek from as early as 1866, and sometimes as Baker's Creek; later these two names were interchangeable with Walkerston and, to a lesser degree, Alsatia. Scrubby Creek was definitely not a nickname for Walkerston; there were no inverted commas included when the words were printed in newspapers or almanacs. The name was well deserved, for the wild bush scrub grew luxuriantly on the banks of Baker's Creek.

Walkerston Provisional School opened in November 1874 but closed soon after due to low student numbers. It reopened but then closed on 31 March 1880 with the students transferred to the Alsatia State School which opened on 21 April 1880. About 1891 the school was renamed Walkerston State School.

When the Queensland Surveyor-General combined the two former townships of Walkerston and Alsaia in 1881, he chose to name the combined town Walkerston. John Walker was the lessee of the Homebush pastoral run since 31 May 1866.

The Pioneer Valley railway reached Walkerston from Paget on 10 August 1885. Whilst there was a station building, there was no passenger platform, passengers accessing the trains from the ground.

St John's Catholic Primary School was established on 29 January 1924 by the Sisters of Mercy to provide Catholic education to both children of the town and the largely Maltese farming community. A boarding school was introduced to cater for students further along the Pioneer Valley, an arrangement that continued until 1976. The first lay principal was appointed in 1982 but the Sisters continued to be associated with the school until 1996.

The Polynesian Provisional School opened on 1933 but closed that same year.

The Walkerston public library opened in 1977.

Demographics

In the 2006 census, the town of Walkerston had a population of 2,563 people.

In the 2011 census, the locality of Walkerston had a population of 3,089 people.

In the 2016 census, the locality of Walkerston had a population of 3,403 people.

In the 2021 census, the locality of Walkerston had a population of 3,615 people.

Heritage listings

Walkerston has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Walkerston State Butcher's Shop, 13 Dutton Street
Greenmount Homestead, Greenmount Road

Education

Walkerston State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Dutton Street (21°09′32″S 149°03′54″E / 21.1589°S 149.0649°E / -21.1589; 149.0649 (Walkerston State School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 349 students with 25 teachers (21 full-time equivalent) and 18 non-teaching staff (11 full-time equivalent).

St John's Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 23 Creek Street (21°09′40″S 149°03′59″E / 21.1612°S 149.0663°E / -21.1612; 149.0663 (St John's Catholic Primary School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 236 students with 20 teachers (15 full-time equivalent) and 13 non-teaching staff (6 full-time equivalent).

Amenities

The Mackay Regional Council operates a library in Dutton Street.

The town has a supermarket and three bars (including a sports club).

References

^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Walkerston (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
^ "Walkerston – town (entry 44221)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
^ "Walkerston – locality (entry 46846)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
^ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
^ "Palms – neighbourhood (entry 39308)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
^ Hamilton, Pat (1994). Sugar from the scrub : a pictorial history of Walkerston. Boolarong Press. p. 1. ISBN 0-646-21710-0.
^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
^ Scott, Glen (February 1992). "Recollections of the Netherdale Line". Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin: 27–41.
^ "St John's Catholic Primary School". Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
^ "History & Profile". St John's Primary School, Walkerston. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
^ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
^ "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Walkerston (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Walkerston (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Walkerston (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
^ "Walkerston State Butcher's Shop (former) (entry 602659)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
^ "Greenmount Homestead (entry 600987)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
^ "Walkerston State School". Retrieved 21 November 2018.
^ "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
^ "St John's Catholic Primary School". Retrieved 21 November 2018.
^ "Libraries: Contact/Opening Hours". Mackay Regional Council. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
^ "Walkerston Library". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 29 April 2015. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.