Macknade is a rural town and coastal locality in the Shire of Hinchinbrook, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Macknade had a population of 203 people.[1]

Macknade
Queensland
Transporting harvested sugarcane on a cane tramway to the sugar mill, 2008
Macknade is located in Queensland
Macknade
Macknade
Coordinates18°34′36″S 146°15′19″E / 18.5766°S 146.2552°E / -18.5766; 146.2552 (Macknade (town centre))
Population203 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density3.030/km2 (7.847/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4850
Area67.0 km2 (25.9 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Hinchinbrook
State electorate(s)Hinchinbrook
Federal division(s)Kennedy
Localities around Macknade:
Rungoo Hinchinbrook Channel Hinchinbrook Channel
Bemerside Macknade Lucinda
Cordelia Cordelia Halifax

Geography

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Mackade is bounded by the Herbert River (18°32′00″S 146°18′00″E / 18.5333°S 146.3°E / -18.5333; 146.3 (Herbert River (mouth)))[4] on the south and east, the Seymour River (18°31′00″S 146°12′00″E / 18.5166°S 146.2°E / -18.5166; 146.2 (Seymour River (mouth)))[5] on the west and the Hinchinbrook Channel (18°29′37″S 146°14′59″E / 18.4936°S 146.2496°E / -18.4936; 146.2496 (Hinchinbrook Channel)) to the north (separating the mainland from Hinchinbrook Island).[6]

Seaforth Channel is another off-shore passage (18°30′54″S 146°16′22″E / 18.5151°S 146.2727°E / -18.5151; 146.2727 (Seaforth Channel)).[7]

History

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Macknade sugar plantation viewed from the Herbert River, 1874

The Macknade Sugar Company opened a sugar plantation and the Macknade Sugar Mill in the area in 1874. The district took its name from the mill, which in turn took its name from a house in Kent, England where the mill's owners had lived.[8]

Macknade Provisional School opened on 13 November 1893. On 1 January 1909, it became Macknade State School.[9][10]

The postal receiving office opened in about 1901 and became a post office in October 1902. The post office closed on 29 October 1993.[11]

Demographics

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In the 2011 census, the locality of Macknade had a population of 304 people.[12]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Macknade had a population of 229 people.[13]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Macknade had a population of 203 people.[1]

Economy

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The Macknade Sugar Mill (18°35′13″S 146°15′24″E / 18.5870°S 146.2567°E / -18.5870; 146.2567 (Macknade sugar mill)) is situated on the banks of the Herbert River .[14] It is the oldest raw sugar mill in Queensland. Its highest output was in 2005 when it crushed 1.82 million tonnes of sugar cane.[15]

The estuarine location of Macknade is well-suited for sugar growing, but it is also well-suited for aquaculture with Seafarms operating a large prawn-farming business on Neames Inlet Road (18°31′56″S 146°14′19″E / 18.5323°S 146.2387°E / -18.5323; 146.2387 (Seafarms aquaculture)).[16]

Education

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Macknade State School, 2020

Macknade State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 79 Farrell Drive (18°34′36″S 146°15′06″E / 18.5767°S 146.2518°E / -18.5767; 146.2518 (Macknade State School)).[17][18] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 26 students with 6 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 4 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).[19]

There is no secondary school in Macknade. The nearest government secondary school is Ingham State High School in Ingham to the south-west.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Macknade (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  2. ^ "Macknade – town in Shire of Hinchinbrook (entry 20467)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Macknade – locality in Shire of Hinchinbrook (entry 42522)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Herbert River – watercourse in Shire of Hinchinbrook (entry 15762)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Seymour River – watercourse in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 30534)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Mountain ranges beaches and sea passages - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Macknade". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 24 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  9. ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  10. ^ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  11. ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  12. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Macknade (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 May 2014.  
  13. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Macknade (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  14. ^ "Landmark Areas - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  15. ^ "Sucrogen: a sweet story in sugar and renewable energy" (PDF). Burdekin Shire Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  16. ^ "Seafarms operations". Seafarms.com.au. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  17. ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  18. ^ "Macknade State School". Macknade State School. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  19. ^ "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
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  • "Macknade". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.