Ingham, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ingham Queensland
Clock at Rotary park
Ingham Location in Queensland
Population	4,455 (2021 census)
• Density	109.73/km2 (284.2/sq mi)
Established	1864
Postcode(s)	4850
Elevation	11.8 m (39 ft)
Area	40.6 km2 (15.7 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	112 km (70 mi) NW of Townsville 235 km (146 mi) S of Cairns 1,443 km (897 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Shire of Hinchinbrook
County	Cardwell
State electorate(s)	Hinchinbrook
Federal Division(s)	Kennedy
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 29.1 °C 84 °F 18.8 °C 66 °F 2,046.5 mm 80.6 in
Localities around Ingham: Hawkins Creek Hawkins Creek Gairloch Foresthome Trebonne Ingham Victoria Plantation Trebonne Toobanna Blackrock

Ingham is a small town in Queensland, Australia. It's a rural area and is the main town for the Shire of Hinchinbrook. The town is named after an early sugar planter, William Bairstow Ingham.

In 2021, about 4,455 people lived in Ingham.

About Ingham

Where is Ingham Located?

Ingham is about 110 kilometers (68 miles) north of Townsville. It's also about 1,437 kilometers (893 miles) north of Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland.

The town sits about 17 kilometers (11 miles) inland. It's located on the flat lands of the Herbert River floodplain. This area is perfect for growing sugar cane.

The main railway line goes through Ingham. The Bruce Highway, a major road, also passes through the town.

A Look Back in Time

Before European settlers arrived, the Ingham area was home to the Warakamai People.

The town of Ingham was started in 1864. It became an official local government area in 1879. This area later became the Shire of Hinchinbrook in 1903. The town got its name from William Bairstow Ingham. He was a pioneer who started growing sugar cane on the Herbert River in 1874.

The first post office in the area opened in 1871. It was first called "Lower Herbert Post Office" but was renamed Ingham in 1882.

Who Lives in Ingham?

In 2021, Ingham had a population of 4,455 people. In 2016, about 7.6% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Most people (81.2%) were born in Australia.

Many people in Ingham have Italian family backgrounds. About 5.0% of residents were born in Italy. Italian is also spoken at home by 7.2% of people. This strong Italian heritage is why Ingham is sometimes called "Little Italy."

Important Buildings and Places

Ingham has several places that are important to its history. These are called heritage-listed sites. They include:

• The old Bruce Highway: Gairloch Bridge
• 15 Lannercost Street: Ingham Post Office
• 5 Lynch Street: Ruth Fairfax House
• 35-39 Palm Terrace: Ingham Court House

Weather in Ingham

Ingham has a tropical monsoon climate. This means it has two main seasons. From November to April, it's very humid and hot with a lot of rain. This is called the wet season. From May to October, it's less humid and warm, with much less rain. This is the dry season.

Ingham is part of the Queensland Wet Tropics region.

What Ingham Produces

Ingham is a very important center for the sugar cane industry. There are two large sugar mills nearby. The Victoria Sugar Mill is one of the biggest in Australia. The Macknade Mill is the oldest working sugar mill in Queensland. Both mills are owned by Wilmar Sugar Australia Limited.

Most of the sugar cane is moved to the mills by special small railways. After the sugar is processed, it's sent by another railway to the port of Lucinda. From there, it's loaded onto ships for export. Lucinda has the longest pier in the Southern Hemisphere, which is 4.75 kilometers (2.95 miles) long!

Other important industries in the Ingham area include raising cattle, growing watermelons and rice, fishing, and timber. Tourism is also growing.

Schools in Ingham

Ingham has several schools for students of all ages:

• Ingham State School is a government primary school for students from Early Childhood to Year 6. It also has a special education program.
• Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School is a Catholic primary school for students from Prep to Year 6.
• Hinchinbrook Christian School is a private school for students from Prep to Year 10. They also offer distance education for students who learn from home.
• Ingham State High School is a government secondary school for students from Year 7 to Year 12. It also has a special education program.
• Gilroy Santa Maria College is a Catholic secondary school for students from Year 7 to Year 12.

Fun Things to Do

Ingham has a regional art gallery called TYTO Regional Art Gallery. It's located next to the Tyto Wetlands and Enrico's Restaurant. The Hinchinbrook Shire Library is also in this area.

The town's rugby league team is called the Herbert River Crushers. They play in the Townsville District Rugby League.

Events and Festivals

One of the most popular events in Ingham is the Australian-Italian Festival. It happens every year on the first weekend in August. Thousands of people come to celebrate Ingham's Italian heritage. Many Italian immigrants came to the region starting in the 1890s. More than half of the town's population has Italian roots. This festival is held at the Tyto Wetlands.

Famous People from Ingham

Many notable people have come from Ingham, including:

• Sam Backo, a rugby league player
• Harriett Brims, an early female photographer
• David Crisafulli, a politician
• Tracey Curro, a journalist
• Francis Patrick Donovan, an ambassador
• Greg Dowling, a rugby league player
• Nick Euclid, a rugby league player
• Arthur Fadden, who was the 13th Prime Minister of Australia
• Eric Feldt, who led the Coastwatchers during World War II
• Beryl Friday, a netball player
• Joice NanKivell Loch, a humanitarian worker
• Walter Mason, an author
• Keith Payne, who received the Victoria Cross for bravery
• Ted Row, a politician
• Dean Schifilliti, a rugby league player
• Ashleigh Southern, a water polo player
• Laurie Spina, a rugby league player

See also

In Spanish: Ingham (Australia) para niños