Watsonville, Queensland

Watsonville
Queensland
Watsonville mine pit after the treated water has been released
Watsonville is located in Queensland
Watsonville
Watsonville
Coordinates17°22′39″S 145°18′48″E / 17.3775°S 145.3133°E / -17.3775; 145.3133 (Watsonville (town centre))
Population176 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density0.6283/km2 (1.627/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4887
Area280.1 km2 (108.1 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Mareeba
State electorate(s)Hill
Federal division(s)Kennedy
Localities around Watsonville:
Mutchilba Mutchilba Tolga
Atherton
Irvinebank Watsonville Carrington
Wongabel
Silver Valley Kalunga Herberton
Moomin

Watsonville is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Watsonville had a population of 176 people.[1]

Geography

Watsonville is 107 kilometres (66 mi) south-west of Cairns via the Bruce Highway, Gillies Range Road, State Route 25 (bypassing Atherton) and the Herberton Petford Road. From further west it can be accessed from the Burke Developmental Road at Petford.

The locality is bounded to the east and south by the Great Dividing Range with a number of named peaks within the locality:

History

Looking down towards the Rocky Bluff township, circa 1905

Watsonville is a former mining town. The town was named after Robert H. Watson, a tin prospector, who discovered a local deposit on 19 February 1881. The town was surveyed by William J. White on 9 March 1882.[2][3]

Watsonville State School opened circa 1882 and closed circa 1943.[8] It was located on the block surrounded by Ann, Mary, Ethel and Edith Streets (17°22′44″S 145°18′53″E / 17.3790°S 145.3148°E / -17.3790; 145.3148 (Watsonville State School (former))).[9][10][11][12]

Although historically and currently Watsonville is with the Shire of Mareeba, between 2008 and 2013 Watsonville (and all other parts of the Shire of Mareeba) was within the Tablelands Region, an unpopular decision that was reversed in 2014.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, the locality of Watsonville had a population of 344 people.[13]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Watsonville had a population of 191 people.[14]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Watsonville had a population of 176 people.[1]

Heritage listings

Abandoned mining equipment at the Rocky Bluff Battery

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

Education

There are no schools in Watsonville. The nearest government primary schools are Herberton State School in neighbouring Moomin to the south-east, Atherton State School in neighbouring Atherton to the north-east, and Irvinebank State School in Irvinebank to the south-west. The nearest government secondary schools are Herbert State School (to Year 10) in Herberton to the south-east and Atherton State High School in Atherton. However, for some students, these schools may be too distant in which case distance education and boarding school are options.[12]

Attractions

Watsonville Pioneer Cemetery is on Watsonville Cemetery Access Road to the north-west of the town (17°22′27″S 145°18′28″E / 17.3743°S 145.3079°E / -17.3743; 145.3079 (Watsonville Pioneer Cemetery)).[16][17][18]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Watsonville (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ a b "Watsonville – town in Shire of Mareeba (entry 45861)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Watsonville – locality in Shire of Mareeba (entry 48923)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Cave Hill – mountain in Mareeba Shire (entry 6675)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Lion Mountain – mountain in Mareeba Shire (entry 19474)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Western Hill – mountain in Mareeba Shire (entry 37120)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  8. ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  9. ^ "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m404" (Map). Queensland Government. 1943. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Herberton" (Map). Queensland Government. 1943. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Town of Watsonville" (Map). Queensland Government. 1973. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  13. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Watsonville (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 14 July 2013. Edit this at Wikidata
  14. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Watsonville (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  15. ^ "Rocky Bluff Battery and Township (entry 601861)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  16. ^ "Cemetery Areas - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  17. ^ "Cemeteries". Mareeba Shire Council. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Watsonville Cemetery - Mareeba Shire, Queensland, Australia". www.interment.net. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2021.