Central Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Central QueenslandQueensland |
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The Regions of Queensland
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 Central Queensland
Location in Queensland
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| Population | 233,931 (2011 census) |
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| Federal Division(s) | Capricornia |
Central Queensland is a large area in the state of Queensland, Australia. It's located on the eastern coast, right around an imaginary line called the Tropic of Capricorn. The main city in this region is Rockhampton.
This area stretches from the Capricorn Coast west to the Central Highlands near Emerald. It goes north towards the southern part of the Mackay Regional Council area and south to Gladstone. People sometimes call this region Capricornia. In 2011, about 233,931 people lived here. Central Queensland is also known for exporting a lot of coal.
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What Central Queensland Makes
Central Queensland is very important for producing food and other goods from the land. It includes the Bowen Basin, which has lots of high-quality coal. The Port of Gladstone helps export many goods, bringing in 40% of Queensland's export money. The Fitzroy River is Australia's second-largest river system and provides a lot of water, like from the Fairbairn Dam. Gladstone also has a big factory that makes aluminium.
Cattle Farming
Rockhampton is often called the "beef capital of Australia." This title is sometimes debated with Casino in New South Wales. Cattle farming in the region mainly happens on Brigalow and speargrass land. Every three years, Rockhampton hosts a big event called Beef Australia. This event celebrates the cattle industry and helps Australian beef farmers find new buyers.
Mining for Resources
Central Queensland is one of the world's top places for producing and exporting black coal. The first European to find coal here was Ludwig Leichhardt in 1845. In 2011-2012, this region produced 40% of all the coal in Queensland.
Coal is dug up from the Bowen Basin. It's then sent to ports in Port of Gladstone using the Blackwater railway system. Coal also goes to Hay Point and Abbot Point on the Goonyella railway line. New coal mines are opening further west in the Galilee Basin, which will need more railway lines. Many mines were badly affected by floods during the 2010–11 Queensland floods.
Other valuable things mined here include gold, silver, limestone, coal seam gas, magnesite, and gemstones. Sapphires were found in 1875. Gold was discovered near Mount Morgan around 1865. The Mount Morgan Mine became one of Australia's richest mines.
Some towns in Central Queensland were built just for mining. These include Dysart, Middlemount, Moranbah, Mount Morgan, and Moura.
Citrus Canker Problem
In 2004, a plant disease called citrus canker was found on a farm in Central Queensland. To stop it from spreading, a large area of citrus crops (about 6,000 acres or 24 square kilometers) had to be destroyed. In 2005, more outbreaks happened, so even private backyard citrus trees were removed. The cause of this outbreak is still not fully known. In 2009, the Queensland government said the disease had been successfully removed.
Amazing Natural Places
Central Queensland has 33 national parks. Great Keppel Island has been a popular tourist spot since the 1960s. This island and others nearby are surrounded by beautiful coral reefs.
In the western part of the region, you'll find the Carnarvon Gorge. This gorge is protected within the Carnarvon National Park. It has white sandstone cliffs, deep valleys, and many unique plants and animals. There are also lots of walking tracks to explore.
Kroombit Tops National Park is home to a special frog called the Kroombit tinker frog. Deepwater National Park is a great place to watch turtles. From November to March, three different types of turtles lay their eggs on the beaches in this park.
Communities and Towns
The main cities in Central Queensland are Emerald, Gladstone, and Rockhampton. Some towns along the Capricorn Coast include Byfield, Yeppoon, Great Keppel Island, Emu Park, and Cawarral.
History of the Region
The land of Central Queensland has been home to many Aboriginal language groups for thousands of years. Some of these include:
- Gungabula (also known as Kongabula) near the Dawson River.
- Wadja (also known as Wadjigu) in areas like the Aboriginal Shire of Woorabinda and Central Highlands Region.
- Yagalingu (also known as Jagalingu) in the Isaac Region.
- Yambina (also known as Jambina) in the Central Highlands Region.
- Yetimarala (also known as Jetimarala) on the Boomer Range and Broadsound Range.
In 1889, people in Rockhampton formed the Central Queensland Territorial Separation League. They wanted Central Queensland to become its own separate state. They felt that the government in Brisbane was too far away and didn't pay enough attention to their region. Women in Rockhampton also started their own group in 1892 to support this idea. They even wrote a petition to Queen Victoria, explaining how huge Queensland was (twelve times the size of England and Wales!).
Learning and Libraries
Central Queensland University has campuses in Emerald, Gladstone, and Rockhampton.
The Central Highlands Regional Council runs several library branches in the area, including:
- Emerald Library
- The Gemfields library
- Blackwater Library
- Dingo Library
- Duaringa Library
- Capella Library
- Tieri Library
- Springsure Library
- Rolleston Library
- Bauhinia Library
