Canoona facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Canoona Queensland
Eucalyptus fibrosa tree, Canoona, 2011
Canoona Location in Queensland
Population	81 (2016 census)
• Density	0.1322/km2 (0.342/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4702
Area	612.6 km2 (236.5 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	60 km (37 mi) WNW of Yeppoon 50 km (31 mi) NW of Rockhampton 565 km (351 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Shire of Livingstone
State electorate(s)	Mirani
Federal Division(s)	Capricornia
Suburbs around Canoona: Marlborough Kunwarara Canal Creek Glenroy Canoona Jardine Morinish Garnet Yaamba

Canoona is a small country area in the Shire of Livingstone, Queensland, Australia. In 2016, about 81 people lived there.

Canoona is famous for being the place where the very first gold rush in North Australia happened. It was a big deal back in the day!

History of Canoona's Gold Rush

Imagine a time when finding gold could make you rich! Many gold miners in New South Wales and Victoria had already dug up most of the easy gold. They were looking for new places to try their luck.

Around July 1858, news spread that gold had been found at Canoona. This news caused a huge rush! About 15,000 miners quickly came to Canoona in just a few months. Everyone hoped to find a lot of gold.

However, not much gold was actually found at Canoona. It turned out to be a big disappointment. People started calling Canoona a "duffer," which means a place that doesn't have much gold, even though people thought it would.

Many miners had spent all their money to travel to Canoona. Now, they had nothing left. The government in Victoria even sent a ship to help the miners who were stuck. They could return to Victoria and pay for their trip by working in Melbourne.

While many miners went back south, others stayed in Queensland. They helped build up the new colony of Queensland. Some even tried their luck in later gold rushes in Queensland. For example, a man named Hugo William Du Rietz came to Australia for the gold rushes. He went from Ballarat to Canoona, and then to the Gympie gold rush. He wasn't very lucky as a miner, but he became a successful architect and builder. He also played an important role in the cities of Brisbane and Gympie.

Geography of Canoona

Canoona is a rural area with some interesting natural features. The Fitzroy River forms the southern edge of the area. Other creeks, like Marlborough Creek, make up most of its western border.

The Bruce Highway runs along most of the north-eastern side of Canoona. The North Coast railway line also runs very close to the highway. Many smaller creeks flow through Canoona, and they all eventually join the Fitzroy River.

In the west of Canoona, you'll find the Princhester Conservation Park. This is a special area where nature is protected. In the east, there's the Lake Learmouth State Forest, which is a managed forest area.

Most of the land in Canoona, apart from these parks, is used for grazing animals like cattle. Even though a town centre was planned for Canoona a long time ago, there isn't a town there anymore. That land is now a protected area.