Finch Hatton, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Finch HattonQueensland |
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The locality occupies part of the Cattle Creek valley (background)
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 Finch Hatton
Location in Queensland
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| Population | 531 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 3.590/km2 (9.30/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4756 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 147.9 km2 (57.1 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Mackay Region | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Mirani | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Capricornia | ||||||||||||||
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Finch Hatton is a small rural town and area in the Mackay Region of Queensland, Australia. It's a quiet place nestled in a beautiful valley. In 2021, about 531 people called Finch Hatton home.
Contents
Exploring Finch Hatton's Landscape
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Finch Hatton is located in the valley of Cattle Creek. This creek flows from west to east through the area. It's a branch of the larger Pioneer River.
While the town centre is about 100 metres above sea level, the northern and southern parts of Finch Hatton are very mountainous. The mountains in the north reach up to 970 metres high. In the south, they rise to 870 metres.
The main road, called the Mackay–Eungella Road, goes right through the valley and the town. In town, this road is known as Anzac Parade.
A Look Back: Finch Hatton's History
The town of Finch Hatton is thought to be named after Harold Heneage Finch-Hatton. He was a British aristocrat who became a grazier, meaning he raised cattle. He owned a property called Mount Spencer from 1881 to 1883. Harold also wrote a book called Advance Australia!. This book shared his experiences in the area. It talked about the sugar industry, cattle farming, and gold mining.
Early Settlers and the Sugar Mill
The first settlers in the area were Hermann Wilhelm Zahmel and his wife Adeline Wilhelmina. They came from Germany to Queensland in the 1870s. In 1889, they bought land near where the town is today. They raised nine children there.
A large sugar factory, the Cattle Creek Sugar Mill, started operating in 1906. It was a big part of the town's economy for many years. The mill finally closed down in 1990. It was located on the south side of Anzac Parade, between the railway station and the school.
Important Town Milestones
The Finch Hatton Post Office opened in December 1906. Before that, there was a smaller mail office called Pelion since 1895.
Finch Hatton State School, the local primary school, welcomed its first students on July 5, 1909.
The Finch Hatton War Memorial was built in 1921. It honours the soldiers from Finch Hatton and Netherdale who died in World War I. Later, another plaque was added to remember those who died in World War II. You can find this memorial on Anzac Parade.
The Great Flood of 1958
On February 18, 1958, the nearby city of Mackay experienced massive flooding. This was caused by extremely heavy rainfall upstream. Finch Hatton itself received an incredible 878 millimetres of rain in just 24 hours!
The floodwaters in the creek peaked at 9.14 metres. This huge amount of water rushed down the valley and flooded Mackay within hours. People had to be rescued from their rooftops by boats and taken to safe places. This flood was one of the biggest ever recorded in Australia at the time.
Population of Finch Hatton
In the 2016 census, Finch Hatton had a population of 499 people. By the 2021 census, the population had grown slightly to 531 people.
Important Local Landmarks
Finch Hatton has a few sites that are considered historically important. These are called heritage-listed sites:
- Anzac Parade: The Finch Hatton War Memorial
- Mackay–Eungella Road: The Finch Hatton railway station
Education in Finch Hatton
Finch Hatton State School is a government primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It's located on the Mackay–Eungella Road. In 2016, the school had 49 students and 8 teachers.
Community Services
The Mackay Regional Council provides a mobile library service to Finch Hatton. The library bus visits the town every two weeks. You can find it at the corner of Zahmel Street and Mackay–Eungella Road.
