West Mackay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids West Mackay Mackay, Queensland
West Mackay Location in Queensland
Population	6,536 (2021 census)
• Density	1,006/km2 (2,610/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4740
Area	6.5 km2 (2.5 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	3.1 km (2 mi) SW of Mackay CBD 333 km (207 mi) NNW of Rockhampton 387 km (240 mi) SE of Townsville 1,228 km (763 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Mackay Region
State electorate(s)	Mackay
Federal Division(s)	Dawson
Suburbs around West Mackay: Foulden Mount Pleasant North Mackay Racecourse West Mackay Mackay Ooralea Paget South Mackay

West Mackay is a suburb located in Mackay, within the Mackay Region of Queensland, Australia. As of 2021 census, about 6,536 people call West Mackay home.

Exploring West Mackay's Location

West Mackay is, as its name suggests, located to the west of the main business area of Mackay. It has a shape that looks a bit like a diamond.

• To the north-west, it is bordered by the Pioneer River.
• The Bruce Highway runs along its north-eastern side.
• Paradise Street forms its south-eastern boundary.

Roads and Railways

The North Coast railway line enters West Mackay from the south, near Paget. It then forms part of the suburb's south-western edge before crossing the Pioneer River into Foulden.

The Glenella Connection Road also passes through the area. It goes from south to north-west, crossing the river on the Edmund Casey Bridge. Another important road is Nebo Road. The land in West Mackay is mostly flat and low-lying.

Key Places in West Mackay

You can find the Mackay Base Hospital on Hospital Road, right next to the Pioneer River. The Mackay Botanic Gardens are also here, off Lagoon Street. They feature a natural lagoon, which is a small, shallow lake.

A Look Back at West Mackay's History

West Mackay has an interesting past, with important developments like bridges, railways, and schools.

Early Bridges and Railways

The first bridge over the Pioneer River was the (Old) Hospital Bridge. It started being built in 1875. This bridge connected Talty Road in Foulden to Bridge Street in West Mackay. It was a low bridge, which meant it often flooded when the river rose.

The North Coast railway line reached Mackay in 1885. The Mackay West railway station (21°08′46″S 149°09′44″E / 21.1461°S 149.1623°E / -21.1461; 149.1623 (Mackay West railway station (former))) served the West Mackay area. In the 1990s, a new railway bridge was needed over the Pioneer River. This led to a new railway path that went around the main part of Mackay. Because of this, Mackay West railway station was no longer needed and was taken down in 1994.

Community and Schools

The Mackay Bowls Club, the first bowling club in Mackay, opened its doors in 1906.

Many schools have a history in West Mackay:

• South Ward State School opened on 11 February 1924. It was later renamed Mackay West State School in 1938.
• St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School was started by the Sisters of Mercy on 4 February 1935. It began with just 23 students.
• Mackay West Infants State School was a separate school for younger children from 1956 until 1994, when it rejoined Mackay West State School.

Modern Bridges and Development

In April 2009, a new bridge called the Edmund Casey Bridge opened. It carries the Glenella Connection Road over the Pioneer River. This bridge was named after Ed Casey, a local politician. People wanted to keep the Old Hospital Bridge for walking and fishing, but it was too expensive to make it safe. A small part of it was kept as a fishing pier. However, Cyclone Debbie damaged this pier in 2017, and a new, stronger fishing pier is being built.

The Sugar Research Institute was built in 1953. It moved to Brisbane in 2006. Later, in 2016, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton bought the site. They built a new high school there, Catherine McAuley College Mackay. This school welcomed its first Year 7 students in 2022.

West Mackay's Population

Understanding the population helps us see how West Mackay has grown and changed.

• In 2011 census, West Mackay had 6,507 people.
• By 2016 census, the population was 6,210 people. At this time, West Mackay had the largest Maltese Australian community in Queensland, with 243 people of Maltese background.
• In the most recent 2021 census, the population grew slightly to 6,536 people.

Places of Historical Importance

West Mackay has some places that are listed for their historical value. These are called heritage-listed places:

• Mackay General Cemetery, on Cemetery Road (21°08′42″S 149°09′51″E / 21.145°S 149.1642°E / -21.145; 149.1642 (Mackay General Cemetery))
• Sugar Research Institute, at 239 Nebo Road (21°09′42″S 149°09′34″E / 21.1618°S 149.1594°E / -21.1618; 149.1594 (Sugar Research Institute))

Learning in West Mackay

West Mackay offers several schools for students of different ages.

Primary Schools

• Mackay West State School is a government primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It is located on Pinder Street (21°09′09″S 149°09′41″E / 21.1525°S 149.1613°E / -21.1525; 149.1613 (Mackay West State School)). In 2018, it had 677 students and also offers a special education program.
• St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary school for Prep to Year 6 students. You can find it on Mackenzie Street (21°09′01″S 149°09′37″E / 21.1503°S 149.1603°E / -21.1503; 149.1603 (St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School)). In 2018, 526 students attended this school.

Secondary Schools

• Catherine McAuley College Mackay is a Catholic secondary school for Years 7-12. It is at 239 Nebo Road (21°09′42″S 149°09′34″E / 21.1618°S 149.1594°E / -21.1618; 149.1594 (Sugar Research Institute)). The school opened in 2022 with 110 Year 7 students. It plans to have a full secondary program for up to 1200 students by 2027.

There are no government high schools directly in West Mackay. The closest one is Mackay State High School in South Mackay.

University Presence

James Cook University has a special clinical school at the Mackay Base Hospital (21°08′51″S 149°09′18″E / 21.1475°S 149.1549°E / -21.1475; 149.1549 (James Cook University clinical school)). This is where university students can get practical experience in a hospital setting.

Important Facilities in West Mackay

West Mackay has several key facilities that serve the community.

• The Mackay Base Hospital is located at 475 Bridge Road (21°08′49″S 149°09′18″E / 21.1469°S 149.1549°E / -21.1469; 149.1549 (Mackay Base Hospital)).
• The Mackay Cemetery is a large cemetery on Cemetery Road (21°08′41″S 149°09′51″E / 21.1448°S 149.1643°E / -21.1448; 149.1643 (Mackay Cemetery)). The Mackay Regional Council manages it.
• The Nebo Road Water Treatment Plant is at 218 Nebo Road (21°09′37″S 149°09′35″E / 21.1603°S 149.1597°E / -21.1603; 149.1597 (Nebo Road Water Treatment Plant)). This plant cleans water from the Pioneer River and underground sources, providing drinking water for the area.
• The Mackay Power Station is a power plant that uses gas to make electricity. It is located at 8A Hume Street (21°08′41″S 149°09′32″E / 21.1446°S 149.1589°E / -21.1446; 149.1589 (Mackay Power Station)).

Local Amenities and Parks

West Mackay has places for shopping, recreation, and community gatherings.

Shopping and Gardens

• Parkside Plaza is a shopping centre at 245 Bridge Road (21°09′30″S 149°10′10″E / 21.1582°S 149.16933°E / -21.1582; 149.16933 (Parkside Plaza shopping centre)). It has a Coles supermarket.
• The Mackay Botanic Gardens are at 9 Lagoon Street (21°09′30″S 149°09′34″E / 21.1582°S 149.1594°E / -21.1582; 149.1594 (Mackay Botanic Gardens)). They show off plants that grow in Central Queensland. There's also an art gallery, cafe, and meeting room at the entrance.

Community and Sports

• The South Sea Islander Meeting Hut is a community centre at 12 Ram Chandra Place (21°09′48″S 149°09′18″E / 21.1634°S 149.1551°E / -21.1634; 149.1551 (South Sea Islander Meeting Hut)).
• The Mackay Bowls Club is at 28 Nebo Road (21°08′57″S 149°10′18″E / 21.1491°S 149.1718°E / -21.1491; 149.1718 (Mackay Bowls Club)).

Churches in West Mackay

There are several churches in the suburb:

• St Charles Anglican Church, 37 McGinn Street (21°09′30″S 149°09′46″E / 21.1582°S 149.1629°E / -21.1582; 149.1629 (St Charles Anglican Church))
• St Francis Xavier's Memorial Catholic Church, 56 Holland Street (21°09′01″S 149°09′41″E / 21.1503°S 149.1613°E / -21.1503; 149.1613 (St Francis Xavier's Memorial Catholic Church))
• Iona West Uniting Church, 7 Brooks Street (21°09′14″S 149°09′48″E / 21.1538°S 149.1634°E / -21.1538; 149.1634 (Iona West Uniting Church))
• Mackay Family Church of the Nazarene, 31 Field Street (21°09′09″S 149°10′15″E / 21.1524°S 149.1709°E / -21.1524; 149.1709 (Mackay Family Church of the Nazarene))
• Mackay Christian Assembly, 25 Hume Street (21°08′59″S 149°09′25″E / 21.1497°S 149.1570°E / -21.1497; 149.1570 (Mackay Christian Assembly))

Parks for Fun

West Mackay has a few parks where you can relax and play:

• Marryatt Street Park (21°08′49″S 149°10′05″E / 21.1469°S 149.1680°E / -21.1469; 149.1680 (Marryatt Street Park))
• Paget Street Park (21°10′00″S 149°09′42″E / 21.1667°S 149.1616°E / -21.1667; 149.1616 (Paget Street Park))
• Rotary Park (21°09′00″S 149°09′57″E / 21.1500°S 149.1657°E / -21.1500; 149.1657 (Rotary Park))

Things to See and Do

• The Mackay Visitor Information Centre is at 316 Nebo Road (21°09′55″S 149°09′15″E / 21.1653°S 149.1543°E / -21.1653; 149.1543 (Mackay Visitor Information Centre)). This is a great place to find out more about what to do in Mackay and the surrounding areas.