Rockhampton, Queensland
From Freepedia
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| Mayor | Margaret Strelow | ||||
| Area | 187 km² | ||||
| Population | 59,120 (2003) (ABS) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC + 10 | ||||
| Latitude Longitude | 23°22.9′ S 150°28.5′ E | ||||
Rockhampton is a small city and Local Government Area in Central Queensland, Australia, located slightly inland from the coast on the Bruce Highway, approximately 640 kilometres north of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane.
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History
The Rockhampton district is the traditional home of the Darumbal people.
The European history of the area began in 1855, with the future site of the city being visited by the Archer Brothers, who were seeking grazing lands. The Fitzroy River provided a convenient waterway for shipping of supplies for those who followed them, and a settlement grew on the riverbanks just downstream of a bar of rocks which prevented further upstream navigation from the coast. These rocks were incorporated with the traditional English term for a village, and the name Rockhampton was born.
Like many other Australian cities, Rockhampton's fortunes were assured with the discovery of gold, in this case at Canoona to the north. Later, the significant gold deposit at Mount Morgan to the south was discovered, and Rockhampton became a service town for the local area. The early tents and shantys were slowly replaced by more substantial buildings. The historic streetscape of Quay Street still displays a number of substantial historic buildings, built when Rockhampton was envisaged as being capital of a state of North Queensland. Most prominent of these is the sandstone Customs House, which today houses an information centre.
The City of Rockhampton was proclaimed in 1902.
Law and government
The city is governed by the Rockhampton City Council, which comprises the Mayor and 10 councillors. Elections are held every four years, with the Mayor being elected by direct vote, and councillors being elected in their respective divisions. The council operates to a budget of approximately $75 million each year.
Image:Rockhampton from Mt Archer.jpg
Geography
Rockhampton lies on the Tropic of Capricorn in Central Queensland. The city is located on the banks of the Fitzroy River, approximately 40 kilometres from the river mouth. The Berserker Range lies on the eastern side of the city, with the Athelstane Range to the west. The coastal area to the east of the city is known as the Capricorn Coast, with the rapidly growing town of Yeppoon as its administrative centre.
Economy
The city is the self styled "Beef Capital of Australia", and the fortunes of the city to a large part depends on the health of rural industry. The city hosts a major Beef Expo triennially, which showcases all facets of the beef industry.
Grazing is the predominant industy in Central Queensland. Two large abattoirs are located in the Rockhampton area. Due to a long term drought and general economic conditions, one of these facilities was mothballed from 2002 until 2004, but has now reopened. The Gracemere Saleyards, one of the largest livestock sales facilities in the country, lies just to the west of the city.
Queensland Rail has a large workforce in the city, which is the meeting point for the main north coast rail line and the line to the major coalfields to the west. Enormous coal trains regularly pass from the west to the coal port of Gladstone to the south. The coal fired 1440 megawatt Stanwell Power Station lies 30 kilometres west.
Tourism is increasingly playing a role in the development of city and surrounds. The city is a convenient distance north from Brisbane to provide an overnight stop for tourists, who can then branch out to visit local attractions. The Capricorn Coast is located half an hours drive from Rockhampton, with the islands of the Keppel group easily accessible from there.
To the north of the city lies the extensive Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area, where large scale ground, air and amphibious operations can be conducted. The Singapore Armed Forces have a permanent base in the city, and the large numbers of Australian, Singaporean and United States military personnel who visit the city on rest and recreation have become an economic lifeline to business.
Demographics
Rockhampton has an estimated population of 59120 (ABS estimate 2003).
Education
Colleges and universities
The largest campus of the Central Queensland University is located in North Rockhampton. The University has a large student body living locally and on campus, and also conducts an array distance education courses both inside Australia and in a number of countries.
" Tha National School" Rockhampton's First School
In the very year of the Canoona rush, when the women in Rockhampton were few, and the children of school age still fewer, parents gave serious thought to the education of their offspring. That is characteristic of a Australia, and certainly of Queensland, for everywhere that a little hamlet a springs up the necessary necessity of having some means of teaching the children soon brought to the front, even should the difficulties to be overcome such caused long delays.
So on February 15th, 1859, there was a meeting of those appointed as the Rockhampton School and Church committee, over which the Sub-Collector of Customs, Henry Lumsden, presided, when it was resolved to erect a school building, 40 ft long and 20 ft wide in which Divine service could also be held on Sundays. There was no newspaper in which to call for tenders, but the size and requirements of the building having been decided on, the tender of a contractor name Jenkins was accepted, and he no doubt started on the contract directly he saw that the promised subscriptions were coming in.
Before the building was erected, however, Mr Lumsden was recalled to Sydney and William John Brown filled his position as Sub-Collector of Customs, and also accepted his predecessors position on the school committee. The building having been completed, it was opened for business on August 16th, 1859, F K Milne, afterwards the first town clerk, being appointed schoolmaster, each scholar to pay 1 s 6 d per week. Thus at this cost a day a school was started, the population been only a few hundreds, principally men.
Up to this date there were no religious assemblages, unless they were in the open air, and in September the committee decided to open a Sunday school. Frank N. Beddek, the clerk of Petty Sessions, or who afterwards held that position, was appointed Sunday school superintendent. Six teachers volunteered, Misses Gaden, Gibson and Dick for the girls, and John Palmer, W. J. Brown, and F K Milne for the boys. It was also decided to hold Divine Service in the school building on Sunday morning and evenings, at which probably F.N. Beddek, and the three school teachers took an active part, there been no ordained clergy.
Things were now going on swimmingly, there being a day school, Sunday school, and organise worship twice on Sundays. Six months passed away, during which the population steadily increased and the town was gradually putting on an increased appearance of permanence. Buildings, particularly business premises, were going up in various directions, all been quickly occupied.
By May 1860, it was found that the school building was not large enough, and it was resolved to petition the new Queensland Government for a site for a public school. This request was granted and the allotments at the corner of William and Denison Streets was granted-where the Girls' Central School now stands.
By J. T. S. Bird 1920
Image:NationalSchoolRockhampton.jpg
Earliest Known Image of the National School Rockhampton
History of Central Boys School Rockhampton see [1]
Sports teams
- Basketball - Rockhampton Rockets (Men's) Rockhampton Cyclones (Women's)
- Rugby League - Central Queensland Comets
Notable residents or persons born in Rockhampton
- Anderson Dawson (b 1863 d 1910), Premier of Queensland
- Frank Forde (b 1890 d 1983), Prime Minister of Australia
- De-Anne Kelly (b 1954), Politician
- William Kidston (b 1849 d 1919), Premier of Queensland
- Rod Laver (b 1938), Sportsman (Tennis)
- John Moore, (b 1936), Politician
Miscellaneous information
- The Fitzroy River is inhabited by salt water crocodiles, some recent specimens of which have been 4 metres in length. River swimming is not advisable in the city.
- The highest recorded official temperature in Rockhampton was 47 degrees Celsius.
- Rockhampton is home to the grey-headed flying fox.
- In 2003 an old rumour surfaced in the town's local newspaper that from an outer mountaintop, the lights of the city spelt the word hell. Although some imagination is needed, there is a slight resemblance to the word. Rockhampton's mayor at the time joked that she would change the lighting patterns of the city to add an 'o' to the end so it would greet viewers with the word 'hello'.
- Home town of Palaeontology student Alex Foster at James Cook University.
See also
External links
- Forty or more profiles of relevant websites, categorised by subject-matter
- Rockhampton City Council
- Rockhampton Community Organisations
- Central Queensland University
