Farnborough, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Farnborough Queensland
Farnborough Location in Queensland
Population	476 (2016 census)
• Density	3.218/km2 (8.33/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4703
Area	147.9 km2 (57.1 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)	Shire of Livingstone
State electorate(s)	Keppel
Federal Division(s)	Capricornia
Suburbs around Farnborough: Woodbury Stockyard Coral Sea Bungundarra Farnborough Bangalee Adelaide Park Pacific Heights Coral Sea Yeppoon

Farnborough is a coastal area in the Shire of Livingstone, Queensland, Australia. It is a rural locality, meaning it has a countryside feel with some homes. In 2016, about 476 people lived in Farnborough.

Geography

Farnborough is located at the very northern end of the Capricorn Coast. This area is known for its beautiful beaches.

The eastern side of Farnborough has a long beachfront. It stretches for about 17 kilometers along the Coral Sea. Most people get to the beach through Bangalee. Bangalee is a smaller beachside area within Farnborough. In the southern part of Farnborough, you can find large rural blocks of land. These are often used for homes with lots of space. The northern part of Farnborough is mostly taken up by the Capricorn International Resort. This resort includes a large golf course. The very tip of northern Farnborough is a mix of government-owned land and parts of the Byfield National Park.

History

Yeppoon Sugar Mill

The sugar industry started in Farnborough. This was a short-lived industry on the Capricorn Coast. In 1883, William Broome started the Yeppoon Sugar Company. He owned land north of Yeppoon. Broome built a sugar crushing mill in Farnborough. The mill was located at 23°04′45″S 150°44′12″E / 23.0791°S 150.7368°E / -23.0791; 150.7368 (Farnborough Sugar Mill).

Broome did not grow sugarcane himself. He relied on other farmers to supply it. Sugar prices were good back then. So, sugarcane farms grew in Farnborough, Cawarral, and Joskeleigh.

Pacific Island workers clearing land in Farnborough in 1895

In 1889, there was a poor growing season. Not enough sugarcane was grown for the mill to make money. Banks took over the business. It was then sold at a big loss to two former owners. In 1891, Rutherford Armstrong became the manager. He greatly increased sugar production for several good years.

However, in 1902, the sugar crop failed again. The mill did not crush any sugar that year. It closed down completely in 1903.

Capricorn International Resort

In 1971, a Japanese group bought a lot of land in Farnborough. This land included beachfront and wetlands. Their plan was to build a large resort. Many people were upset about this sale. Australian citizens had tried to buy the land before but were refused.

There was a lot of public anger about the deal. Some people even printed fake money. It showed a cartoon of Mr. Iwasaki, the head of the Japanese group. This was a way to show their protest. When construction started, the local RSL club also put up an anti-Japanese display. The resort was first called the Iwasaki Resort. Later, its name changed to the Capricorn International Resort. The Rydges company managed the resort until 2011. Then, Mercure took over the management.

School

Farnborough Provisional School first opened its doors on June 9, 1903. A provisional school is a temporary school. On March 25, 1913, it became Farnborough State School. This meant it was a permanent government school.

Education

Farnborough State School is a government primary school. It teaches students from Prep to Year 6. Both boys and girls attend this school. It is located at 8 Hinz Avenue (23°04′35″S 150°44′14″E / 23.0763°S 150.7371°E / -23.0763; 150.7371 (Farnborough State School)). In 2018, the school had 310 students. There were 19 teachers and 15 non-teaching staff working there.