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Freshwater, Queensland facts for kids

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For the locality in the Mackay Region, see Freshwater Point, Queensland.
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Freshwater
Cairns, Queensland
View across the Cairns-to-Kuranda railway line towards Freshwater, Cairns, 2018.jpg
View across the Cairns-to-Kuranda railway line towards Freshwater, 2018
Freshwater is located in Queensland
Freshwater
Freshwater
Location in Queensland
Population 2,023 (2016 census)
 • Density 1,190/km2 (3,100/sq mi)
Postcode(s) 4870
Area 1.7 km2 (0.7 sq mi)
Time zone AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s) Cairns Region
State electorate(s) Barron River
Federal Division(s) Leichhardt
Suburbs around Freshwater:
Barron Barron Stratford
Kamerunga Freshwater Stratford
Redlynch Brinsmead Brinsmead

Freshwater is a suburb of Cairns in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Freshwater had a population of 2,023 people.

The suburb was once a separate town in the Shire of Mulgrave but was amalgamated into the City of Cairns, which subsequently was amalgamated into the Cairns Region.

History

The European history of Freshwater is a long one dating back to 1877. Chinese market gardeners moved into the area, after exhausting their chances on the Hodgkinson Goldfields, leased small plots from the landowners, successfully growing rice, bananas, pineapples and other tropical crops. Freshwater Post Office opened by April 1925 (a receiving office, earlier named Stratford, had been open from 1897).

A rice mill was established on the Lower Freshwater Creek and was being successfully operated by local man, Joseph Kipling in 1891. Chinese farmers grew rice in the adjacent fields.

At the 2006 census, Freshwater had a population of 1,976.

Transport

The Kuranda Scenic Railway has a stop in the suburb.

Education

Freshwater State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 10 Corkill Street (16°52′49″S 145°42′51″E / 16.8802°S 145.7141°E / -16.8802; 145.7141 (Freshwater State School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 738 students with 50 teachers (43 full-time equivalent) and 25 non-teaching staff (16 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 709 students with 52 teachers (46 full-time equivalent) and 24 non-teaching staff (16 full-time equivalent).

There is no secondary school in Freshwater. The nearest government secondary school is Redlynch State College in neighbouring Redlynch to the south-west.

Notable people

Herbert Adair and Gladys Down, Freshwater Hall near Cairns after their marriage 1928
Herbert ("Bunny") Adair and Gladys Down, just married, Freshwater Hall, 1928
  • Bunny Adair, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly and publican at the Freshwater Hotel.

Images for kids

  • Kiplings Mill in Freshwater a suburb of Cairns Queensland circa 1890

    Kiplings Mill in Freshwater, circa 1890

  • Freshwater Railway Station sign

    Freshwater railway station sign on the Kuranda Scenic Railway, 2015

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Freshwater, Queensland Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.