Apart from the national park and the coal mine, the land use is predominantly grazing on native vegetation with a small amount of crop growing in the east of the locality around Oaky Creek.[18]
History
Hard granite formations were created by a series of volcanic eruptions 30 million years ago which covered older basalt rocks with lava. As the basalt erodes more easily, the remaining formations are visually dramatic. Fossils found in the area have been dated back to the Permian period between 280-225 million years ago.[19]
Homevale National Park was previously the Homevale pastoral station where cattle were grazed.[20][21] Te national park was gazetted in 1995 under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 by regulation, Nature Conservation (Protected Areas) Amendment (No.5) 1995. Its area was extended in 1996, 2009, and 2024.[22] As at 2024, the homestead of the Homevale pastoral station remains within the national park on Homevale Homestead Road (21°26′24″S148°31′33″E / 21.4399°S 148.5259°E / -21.4399; 148.5259 (Homevale (homestead))) and conservation plans are to be developed for it.[20][21]
Demographics
In the 2016 census, Hail Creek had a population of 148 people.[23]
In the 2021 census, Hail Creek had a population of 179 people.[1]
Economy
Apart from the mine, the locality has a number of homesteads (from north to south):[24]
There are no schools in Hail Creek. The nearest government primary schools are Nebo State School in neighbouring Nebo to the south-east, Glenden State School in neighbouring Glenden to the west, and Eungella State School in Eungella to the north. The nearest government secondary school is Glenden State School (to Year 12), but some parts of Hail Creek would be too distant from this school and other options would be distance education and boarding school.[25]
