Finch Hatton, Queensland

Finch Hatton is a rural town and locality in the Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census the locality of Finch Hatton had a population of 499 people.[1]

Finch Hatton
Queensland
The locality occupies part of the Cattle Creek valley (background)
Finch Hatton
Coordinates21.1402°S 148.6330°E / -21.1402; 148.6330 (Finch Hatton (town centre))
Population499 (2016 census locality)[1]
 • Density3.374/km2 (8.738/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4756
Area147.9 km2 (57.1 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Mackay Region
State electorate(s)Mirani
Federal Division(s)Capricornia
Localities around Finch Hatton:
Dalrymple Heights Eungella Hinterland Eungella Hinterland
Netherdale Finch Hatton Owens Creek
Crediton Pinnacle Pinnacle

Geography
Main street, 2016

Finch Hatton lies in the valley of Cattle Creek (a tributary of the Pioneer River) which flows from west to east through the locality. Although the centre of the locality beside the creek is at 100 metres above sea level, the northern and southern parts of the locality are mountainous rising to 970 metres in the north and 870 metres in the south.[4]

The valley contains the town, roughly centre of the locality. The Mackay-Eungella Road passes through the valley and the town from west to east, although it is called Anzac Parade within the town.[4]

History
Cattle Creek Sugar Mill, 1913

The town is believed to be named after Harold Heneage Finch-Hatton (1856-1904), a grazier of Mount Spencer run (1881–83), and imperial federationist in United Kingdom (1884-1904).[2][3] He gave an account of his experiences in the area through his book entitled Advance Australia! This book covers various topics including the sugar industry, cattle grazing, Native Police, Aboriginals, Kanakas and gold mining techniques.[5]

The first settlers were Hermann Wilhelm Zahmel and his wife Adeline Wilhelmina (née Grawunder), who had immigrated from Germany to Queensland in 1872 and 1876 respectively. They married in Mackay in 1877. In 1889 the Zahmels acquired a parcel of land (Portion 1044 in the Parish of Mia Mia) to the west of the present-day town, where they raised a family of nine children.[6]

War memorial, 2016

The Cattle Creek Sugar Mill commenced in 1906, closing in 1990.[7] It was located on the south side of Anzac Parade between the railway station and the school (21.1407°S 148.6344°E / -21.1407; 148.6344).

Finch Hatton Post Office opened by December 1906 (replacing a receiving office named Pelion open from December 1895).[8]

Finch Hatton State School opened on 5 July 1909.[9][10]

The Finch Hatton War Memorial was erected in 1921. It commemorated those servicemen from Finch Hatton and Netherdale who died in World War I. Later an additional plaque was added with the details of those who died in World War II. The memorial is located in Anzac Parade (21.140431°S 148.632073°E / -21.140431; 148.632073 (Finch Hatton War Memorial)).[11]

On 18 February 1958, Mackay was hit with massive flooding caused by heavy rainfall upstream with 878 mm of rain falling at Finch Hatton in 24 hours. The flood peaked at 9.14 metres (29.99 ft).[12] The water flowed down the valley and flooded Mackay within hours. Residents were rescued off rooftops by boats and taken to emergency accommodation. The flood broke Australian records.[13]

In the 2016 census the locality of Finch Hatton had a population of 499 people.[1]

Heritage listings
Finch Hatton railway station, 2016

Finch Hatton has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Education

Finch Hatton State School is a co-educational government primary (P-6) school located on the Mackay-Eungella Road (21.139643°S 148.639357°E / -21.139643; 148.639357 (Finch Hatton State School)).[16] In 2016, it had an enrolment of 49 students with 8 teachers (5 equivalent full-time) and 7 non-teaching staff (3 equivalent full-time).[17]

Amenities

The Mackay Regional Council operates a mobile library service on a fortnightly schedule at the corner of Zahmel Street and Mackay-Eungella Road.[18][19]

See also

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Finch Hatton (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Finch Hatton – town in Mackay Region (entry 12437)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  3. "Finch Hatton – locality in Mackay Region (entry 46785)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  4. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  5. Finch-Hatton, Harold (1885). Advance Australia!. Pall Mall: Allen & Co. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  6. "Finch Hatton's First Settler". Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  7. "Finch Hatton". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  8. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  9. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  10. "Agency ID 5218, Finch Hatton State School". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  11. "Finch Hatton War Memorial". Monument Australia. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  12. Flood Warning System for the Pioneer River. Bom.gov.au. Retrieved on 18 August 2011.
  13. http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/flood/fld_reports/mackay_feb1958.pdf
  14. "Finch Hatton War Memorial (entry 600723)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  15. "Finch Hatton Railway Station (entry 600985)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  16. "Queensland State and Non-State Schools". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  17. "2016 School Annual Report" (PDF). Finch Hatton State School. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  18. "Libraries: Contact/Opening Hours". Mackay Regional Council. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  19. "Mobile Library Timetable 2017" (PDF). Mackay Regional Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.

Further reading
  • Finch Hatton State School (2009), 100 years of memories : the school on the hill, Finch Hatton School, retrieved 28 October 2016
  • Kerr, John; Mackay Sugar Co-operative Association (1991), Top mill in the valley : Cattle Creek Sugar Mill, Finch Hatton, 1906-1990, Boolarong Publications with Mackay Sugar Co-operative Association Limited, ISBN 978-0-646-06298-3
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