Macknade, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Macknade Queensland
Transporting harvested sugarcane on a cane tramway to the sugar mill, 2008
Macknade Location in Queensland
Population	203 (2021 census)
• Density	3.030/km2 (7.85/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4850
Area	67.0 km2 (25.9 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	16.1 km (10 mi) NE of Ingham 129 km (80 mi) NW of Townsville 1,459 km (907 mi) NNW of Brisbane
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

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

Geography

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))) 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))) 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).

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)).

History

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.

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

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

Demographics

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

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

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

Economy

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 . 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.

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)).

Education

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)). 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).

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