Innes Park, Queensland

Innes Park is a coastal town and locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] The town is 367 kilometres (228 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane.[4] In the 2021 census, the locality of Innes Park had a population of 2,653 people.[1]

Innes Park
Queensland
Innes Park is located in Queensland
Innes Park
Innes Park
Coordinates24°51′58″S 152°28′49″E / 24.8661°S 152.4804°E / -24.8661; 152.4804 (Innes Park (town centre))
Population2,653 (2021 census locality)[1]
 • Density262.7/km2 (680/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4670
Area10.1 km2 (3.9 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Bundaberg Region
State electorate(s)Burnett
Federal division(s)Hinkler
Localities around Innes Park:
Windermere Bargara Coral Sea
Woongarra Innes Park Coral Sea
Woongarra Elliott Heads Coral Cove

Geography

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Innes Park residential area is located on a low rocky section of the coast with two small beaches either side. The northern beach is 400 metres long and has a high tide sand beach fronted by a mixture of sand and boulders at low tide. There is good road access at the southern end, with a small foredune behind the beach and a now stable sand blow at the northern end. The southern Innes Park Beach (24°51′58″S 152°28′59″E / 24.8661°S 152.4831°E / -24.8661; 152.4831 (Innes Park Beach)) straddles the mouth of Palmer Creek (24°52′16″S 152°29′00″E / 24.8711°S 152.4832°E / -24.8711; 152.4832 (Palmer Creek (mouth))).[5][6] It is 400 metres long and consists of a narrow strip of high tide sand fronted by a continuous, sloping boulder field, with some sand in the small creek mouth. The beach is backed by a casuarina-covered foredune and a park with BBQs, children's playground, exercise facilities, beach volleyball court, public conveniences and car parks grouped at its southern end. All four beaches are only suitable for swimming toward high tide, with low tide generally revealing a rocky shoreline. Currents in and out of the creeks can be very strong mid-tide. There are various reef breaks along this coast, which need to be checked out with the locals. There is rock fishing the length of the coast, as well as in the small creek at Innes Park.[7]

The foreshore is part of the Great Sandy Marine Park.[8] As such, there are limits on some activities off shore. It is part of a turtle monitoring area and spearfishing, bait netting, crabbing, and line fishing are forbidden south of the mouth of Palmer Creek to past Barolin Rocks for 500m east of the low tide line.[9]

History

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The Innes Park area was first occupied by European settlers in 1863, as part of the Barolin pastoral station. The Barolin House homestead, near Elliott Heads, about 4 kilometres (2 mi) south of Innes Park, was later built on the station. In 1912, the property was acquired by Sidney North Innes. In 1930, Innes and his wife Caroline donated land to the Shire of Woongarra for recreation purposes.[10] Their son Sidney Burnett Innes later subdivided land for rural and residential use. In 1986, the town was named Innes Park after the donors.[11]

Historically, the locality had two quarries:

but, in 2014, the Planning and Environment Court determined that no further quarrying should occur after 2016.[13]

Demographics

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In the 2016 census, the locality of Innes Park had a population of 2,302 people.[14]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Innes Park had a population of 2,653 people.[1]

Education

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There are no schools in Innes Park. The nearest government primary schools are Elliott Heads State School in neighbouring Elliott Heads to the south, Woongarra State School in neighbouring Woongarra to the west, and Bargara State School in Mons Repos to the north. The nearest government secondary school is Kepnock State High School in Kepnock in Bundaberg to the west. There are also a number of non-government schools in Bundaberg.[15]

Amenities

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Innes Park Golf Course and Country Club is at 234 Innes Park Road (24°52′13″S 152°27′06″E / 24.8702°S 152.4518°E / -24.8702; 152.4518 (Innes Park Golf Course)).[12] It has a 12-hole course, all par 3.[16]

There is a boat ramp on the north side of Palmers Creek on the Esplanade (24°52′13″S 152°28′59″E / 24.8702°S 152.4831°E / -24.8702; 152.4831 (Esplanade boat ramp)). It is managed by the Bundaberg Regional Council.[17]

Other amenities at Innes Park include a bakery and a creekside park with children's playground, skateboard park, beach volleyball court and public conveniences with changing rooms at the mouth of Palmer Creek. A sealed footpath runs from the bakery to the foreshore and along the foreshore and esplanade to Barolan Rocks and thence to the golf links at the Coral Coast resort. Barolin Rocks is a popular snorkel diving site.[18] The Coral Cove resort and residential development is immediately south of the town and includes a golf course with club house and a small convenience store.[19]

There are a number of parks in the area:

References

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  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Innes Park (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 June 2022.  
  2. ^ "Innes Park – town in Bundaberg Region (entry 16729)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Innes Park – locality in Bundaberg Region (entry 44729)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Brisbane to Innes Park" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "Palmer Creek – watercourse in Bundaberg Regional (entry 25898)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Innes Park (north)". Surflifesaving Australia. Archived from the original on 8 March 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  8. ^ "Great Sandy Marine Park)". Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Great Sandy Marine Park Visitor Guide" (PDF). Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  10. ^ "Innes Park". Centre for the Government of Queensland. Archived from the original on 1 March 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
  11. ^ "Our coastal localities: names & notes from north to south". Arts Bundaberg. p. 5. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  12. ^ a b c "Building points - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  13. ^ Marsh, V. (6 August 2014). "End to quarry operations in Innes Park". Bundaberg NewsMail. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  14. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Innes Park (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 March 2018.  
  15. ^ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Innes Park Golf Club". Golf Australia. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Recreational Boating Facilities Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  18. ^ "Innes Park". Bargara Dive. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2007.
  19. ^ "Coral Cove Masterplan". Austcorp Group Limited. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2007.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h "Land for public recreation - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.

Further reading

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  • "Innes Park". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.