The following placenames will be updated as information is collected.  It includes official placenames from the Mackay District and some of the areas of the hinterland and along the coast near Mackay and includes towns, suburbs and geographical features such as rivers, creeks, mountains, hills etc.

Also included are old names that are no longer used but may still be found on old documentation of maps.

Nicknames for localities are also included for reference.

Any corrections, additions and feedback are welcomed.

Research by Glen Hall and Neil Francey.

Alexandra(1) - Submitted as a suggestion to call the new township on the Pioneer River by Thomas Henry Fitzgerald who   completed the first survey of the town in 1863.  He was overruled and the township was called Mackay in honour of John Mackay.

Alexandra (2) - Locality between Walkerston and Te Kowai. Reportedly named by Thomas Henry Fitzgerald as his sugar plantation after his suggestion for the the township of Mackay was rejected.

Alligator Creek - Previously known as Atherton's Creek. 
(Source: Leonie Fanning, Glimpses of the Past - Homebush State School Centenary 1889-1989, pp 6.)

Almount

Alsatia - The first name adopted for Walkerston.

Amhurst - Original name for settlement at Slade Point. Named after Francis Tyssen Amhurst who was born at Foulden , Norfolk England on 21 September 1842. He came to Mackay and developed the sugar plantations on the north side of the Pioneer River named Foulden and Fursden. He was elected M.L.A. for the Kennedy district in 1875.  He died on 3 January 1881 at sea between Fremantle and Colombo of a suspected heart attack.  He was buried at sea. 
(Source: Ken Manning, In their own Hands, Mackay , 1983, pp 36-40.)

Andergrove
The origin of the name "Andergrove" is no mystery to to Mr. Clive Peatey of Pinnacle.  Mr Peatey contacted The Midweek after reading an article in last week's edition which detailed Andergrove State school's research into its name.  Mr. Peatey said he had told the school's 50th anniversary committee the name 'Andergrove' had been made up by members of the school's first Parents' and Citizens' committee.  "My father, Mr. Robert Henry Edward Peatey, was chairman of that first committee," Mr. Peatey said.  "As I recall the committee applied for a school to be built but found there was no official name for the area we lived in".  "It was up to them to come up with one, so everyone on the committee was asked to submit a name.  These suggestions were put to the vote". " The final choice was Andergrove."  Mr. Peatey said his family was about the third to settle in what is now the suburb of Andergrove.  
(Source: The Midweek, 1 March 1989).

Armstrongs Beach

Ashburton

Atherton's Creek - see Alligator Creek

Bakers Creek - Named after John Tanner Baker the first Sub-collector of Customs and acting Harbour Master for the Port of Mackay in 1863.

Balberra - Allegedly and aboriginal word (language and dialect unknown) indicating creek. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Ball Bay

Ball's Gap

Balmoral

Balnagowan

Barbour Park - After Hugh Barbour one of the early founders of Mackay Soccer.

Barrow Hill

Beatlah

Bell Creek

Bayersville - Named after Beth Ayers who with her husband ran a Zoo on the site for many years.

Beaconsfield

Belmunda

Black Mountain

Blacks Beach

Blackwood Shoals - Extensive shoals north of Mackay were encountered by Lieutenant James Cook, RN, in HMS Endeavour
 on 2 June 1770.  The adjoining point on the mainland was named Shoal Point by Lieutenant PF King, RN, who passed over the shoals in June 1819 in HMS Mermaid.  The shoals themselves were later named Blackwood Shoals and Llewellyn Shoal following surveys by FP Blackwood, RN, in HMS Fly in 1843 and Staff Commander EP Bedwell, RN, in SS Llewellyn in 1879.   
(Source: Ray Blackwood The Whitsunday Islands – An historical dictionary, 1997 CQU Press)

Brampton Island - Named in 1879 by Staff Commander E. P. Bedwell RN, Surveyor for the British Admiralty in Queensland 1866-1880, in the SS Llewellyn.  Brampton is one of many names in the region taken from the then County of Cumberland (now part of Cumbria) following upon Cook’s designation of “Cumberland Isles”.  Brampton is a small 7^th Century market town in Cumbria, England (part of the Lake District) into which the County of Cumberland was absorbed in 1974. Previously, with its’ twin Carlisle Island, known as M Island so called by Lieutenant Matthew Flinders sailing aboard the HMS Investigator between the Cumberland Islands and the Great Barrier Reef in 1802 (since from his sailing position these land masses were indistinguishable as separate islands).

Branscombe - Reportedly named by Sugar Pioneer John Spiller after his birthplace in Deven, England.

Brightley

Bucasia - formerley known as Seaview and before that Marara. Name changed to Bucasia in 1938 in honour of Father Pierre Bucas who ran an orphanage in the area from the 1870's to 1885. 

Cabbage Tree Creek

Calen - Originally used by Queensland Railways 8 February 1924, reportedly being an Aboriginal name, language and dialect unknown, indicating cloud. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)
Renamed from St Helens Creek when the railway went through.

Campwin Beach - Reportedly an artificial name, compounded from James Campbell (1830-1904) businessman and manufacturer and William(?) Winter ( - ), original owners of land in the area. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Cape Hillsborough - Named by James Cook, then a Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy, on Saturday June 2, 1770 in honour of one of his supporters Wills Hill, who succeeded to the Irish title of Viscount Kilwarlin and Earl of Hillsborough in 1751, and was made Lord Harwich in the British peerage in 1756, who was First Secretary of State for the Colonies, and President of the Board of Trade when the H.M.S. "Endeavour" sailed in July 1768. 
(Sources: (1) Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp1.; 
(2) Kett Kennedy, Mackay Revisited, Mackay, 2002, pp3.)

The name Hillsborough Channel to describe the body of water in the area followed on in later years from Cook’s naming of the cape. 
(Source: Ray Blackwood The Whitsunday Islands – An historical dictionary, 1997 CQU Press)

Cape Palmerston -  Named by James Cook, then a Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy, on Friday 1 June 1770 in honour of of Henry, Viscount Palmerston, Lord of the Admiralty. 
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp1.)

Carlisle Island - Named in 1879 by Staff Commander E. P. Bedwell RN, Surveyor for the British Admiralty in Queensland 1866-1880, in the SS Llewellyn.  Carlisle is one of many names in the region taken from the then County of Cumberland (now part of Cumbria) following upon Cook’s designation of “Cumberland Isles”.  Carlisle is the cathedral city and county town of Cumbria, England (part of the Lake District) into which the County of Cumberland was absorbed in 1974.  Its’ highest point Skiddaw Peak (393m) is named after a mountain (931m) in the Lake District National Park.

Previously, with its’ twin Brampton Island, known as M Island so called by Lieutenant Matthew Flinders sailing aboard the HMS Investigator between the Cumberland Islands and the Great Barrier Reef in 1802 (since from his sailing position these land masses were indistinguishable as separate islands).
(Source: Ray Blackwood The Whitsunday Islands – An historical dictionary, 1997 CQU Press)

Cassada

Cattle Creek

Champion Island - see Flat Top Island

Chelona - Derived from Mount Chelona, which was named by William Charles Borlase Wilson (1818-1885), date unknown. (Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Connors Range - Named after Dan Conner . He formed Collaroy Station in 1859. John Mackay's exploration party passed through in July 1860 returning from the discovery of the Pioneer River. He was amongst the first to build a house at Port Mackay at Landsdowne.  He was afterwards made Excise Officer and Inspector of Distilleries at Mackay. Connors Range, Connors Crossing and Connors Creek are all named after him. 
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp25.)

Coningsby - Named by John S. Avery after a book with that title written by Lord Beaconsfield. Avery accumulated 700 acres of land on the North Side of the Pioneer River between Farleigh and the Leap from 1881. 
(Source: Ken Manning, In their own Hands, Mackay, 1983, pp 114.)

Constant Creek

Crediton

Cremorne - Named by John Greenwood Barnes who was the first European to settle on the land in the early 1860's. He planted many imported trees and plants with the view of making a botanical gardens. He planted over 1200 coconut palms on the selection however many were destroyed in the 1918 cyclone.

Croker's Hill - Named after the family of James Croker. He built the grand home called "Bona Vista" on top of the hill located in Mount Pleasant in 1908. The house was demolished in 1991. 
(Source: Daily Mercury, 11 July 1991.)

Cumberland Islands - In 1770 James Cook (then a Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy) in His Majesty’s Endeavour Bark sailed past the coast off Mackay naming Cape Palmerston on Friday 1 June and Cape Hillsbrough on Saturday 2 June.  After travelling north for a further two days, in his Journal for Monday 4 June he recorded that he named the body of water through which he sailed Whitsunday’s Passage “… as it was discovered on the day the Church commemorates that Festival” and called the islands in the area “Cumberland Isles in honour of His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland” (Henry Frederick, the brother of His Majesty King George III of England).

In giving the name, Cook gave no firm indication which islands in the area were encompassed but his chart showed the name covering islands as far south as St Bees/Keswick and to Hayman to the north.  More detailed charts by those following Cook showed likewise.  Also over time “Isles” has been dropped in favour of “Islands”.  More recently these islands have increasingly become known as the Whitsunday Islands and the general area more simply as the “Whitsundays”. 
(Source: Ray Blackwood The Whitsunday Islands – An historical dictionary, 1997 CQU Press)

Dalrymple Bay - Named after Heuston Stewart Dalrymple Hay (1835-5/12/1879) who was appointed Sub-Collector of Customs in 1870 in Mackay and later became the Harbour Master. He was a capable and courteous officer but with very firm opinions about the punishments that should be meted to what he called "worthless deadbeats who frequent the public houses of Mackay".  These punishments included the use of the triangle and cat-o'-nine-tails.  His comparative early death in Mackay on 5th December 1879, at the age of 40, left a widow and school-aged children. 
(Source: Heritage Walk - Mackay Cemetery booklet, Mackay City Council, 2000?, pp8)

Dalrymple Heights

Dals Lookout

Dawlish

Denmans Creek

Devil's Elbow - Early name for the bend in the Pioneer River near where the Ron Camm Bridge crosses.

Dolphin Heads

Drapers Siding - Named after Andrew Draper who owned the land where the Railway line finished to the north of the township of Eton.

Dudgeon Point

Dumbleton

Dundula - Formerly a railway station name first used by Railways Department on 30 October 1913, reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect unknown, indicating eucalypt tree.  
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines).

The name "Dundula" is an aboriginal word and is said to mean "place of many possums" or "place of many gum trees". (Source: Dundula State School, 75th Aniiversary 1922-1997 book)

Dunrock

Dulverton - Naming origin unknown however Dulverton is a village in the heart of West Somerset, England, near the border with Devon .

Eaglemount Heights - Name of sub-division in area boundered by Beaconsfield and part of Andergrove.

Eton - Reportedly named by William Bagley in 1865 after his native home in England.

Etowri

Eimeo - Town name derived from pastoral run name used by J.D. Armitage ( - ) pastoralist in 1870s, possibly because of his birthplace in Tahiti, claimed to be Eimeo.   
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Enmore - Name used in the 1870's for the area on the banks of the Pioneer River upstream from the Mackay Base Hospital. A River crossing was here and a hotel existed here in the early 1870's.

Erakala - Originally a railway station named by Railways Department, on 12 January 1917 using an Aboriginal word, language and dialect not recorded, indicating a flat. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Eungella - Derived from pastoral run name first used by Ernest Favenc (1845-1908) explorer, journalist and historian, in July 1876, reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect not recorded, indicating land of cloud. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Farleigh - Named by Francis Tyssen Amhurst after the area inside the greater London boundary, about 19 1/2 km south of the River Thames and 4 1/2 km west of Biggin Hill airfield. Amhurst purchased the area from Mr. Emilius Hifling in 1872.  Amhurst was born at Foulden , Norfolk, England on 21 September 1842. He came to Mackay and developed the sugar plantations on the north side of the Pioneer River named Foulden and Fursden. He was elected M.L.A. for the Kennedy district in 1875.  He died on 3 January 1881 at sea between Fremantle and Colombo of a suspected heart attack.  He was buried at sea. 
(Source: Ken Manning, In their own Hands, Mackay , 1983, pp 54.)

Finch-Hatton - Named after the Finch-Hatton brothers who helped open up the land in the area in the late 1800's.  Was originally known as "Hatton" but named changed in early 1900's to avoid confusion with "Hatton Vale" in the Lockyer Valley in Southern Queensland.

Flat Top Island - Originally named Champion Island after Captain Champion, skipper of the "Tinonee", fit regular trading vessel to use the port of Mackay.  During his first visit to Port Mackay in the 1860's, Captain Champion placed sheep, goats and rabbits on the island.  He also applied for a lease of the place.  There is no record of whether he acquired this lease but sometime before 1868 the Marine Department had a Mr. Parrott stationed there. 
(Source: The Daily Mercury - City of Mackay Centenary Edition, Friday April6, 1962, pp19.)

Forgan Bridge - Many people assume the "FORGAN Bridge" commemorates the lifetime achievements of the previous Premier of Queensland and MLA of Mackay, Mr William Forgan Smith hence it is commonly and incorrectly referred to as the "FORGAN SMITH" Bridge.......however it was named in memory of his mother Mrs Mary Smith whose maiden name was Forgan.

William Forgan Smith died in 1953.

Fort Cooper - Named after Fort Cooper Mountain which was named by Explorer William Landsborough who passed through the area in 1856 and also named Cooper Creek and Nebo Creek. Nebo was named after Mt. Nebo in the ancient land of Moab where Moses died in sight of the promised land. 
(Source: Vyvian Mengler,  James Perry Remembers Mackay - A collection of Articles written by James Perry, 2000, Albany, W.A.)

Foulden - Named after the birthplace of Francis Tyssen Amhurst who was born at Foulden , Norfolk, England on 21 September 1842. He came to Mackay and developed the sugar plantations on the north side of the Pioneer River named Foulden and Fursden. He was elected M.L.A. for the Kennedy district in 1875.  He died on 3 January 1881 at sea between Fremantle and Colombo of a suspected heart attack.  He was buried at sea. 
(Source: Ken Manning, In their own Hands, Mackay , 1983, pp 36-40.)

Freshwater Point

Fursden Creek

Gargett - Originally a railway station name, Gargett is a misspelling of the name of John Garget ( - ), railway construction contractor. Refer J.D. Kerr. Triumph of the narrow gauge. Brisbane, 1990, pp.39,40,59,60 &62. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Glenalbyn

Glendaragh

Glenella

Grasstree Beach

Greenmount - Descriptive name given by John Mackay for the land first settled by him in 1862.

Habana

Half Tide

Hamilton

Hampden

Harrup Park - Named after Mr. A. L. "Toss" Harrup former Mackay Cricket Association President.  The 38 acre area of land in Juliet Street was originally purchased in 1939. The Junior Cricket Association had actually purchased the land for £1100.  During the 1939-45 War years the two associations amalgamated with Mr. Harrup as President.  Harrup Park was officially opened on September 11, 1948. 
(Source: The Daily Mercury - City of Mackay Centenary Edition, Friday April 6, 1962, pp60.)

Hay Point - Named after Heuston Stewart Dalrymple Hay (1835-5/12/1879) who was appointed Sub-Collector of Customs in 1870 in Mackay and later became the Harbour Master. He was a capable and courteous officer but with very firm opinions about the punishments that should be meted to what he called "worthless deadbeats who frequent the public houses of Mackay".  These punishments included the use of the triangle and cat-o'-nine-tails.  His comparative early death in Mackay on 5th December 1879, at the age of 40, left a widow and school-aged children. 
(Source: Heritage Walk - Mackay Cemetery booklet, Mackay City Council, 2000?, p.8).

Hazledean

Hill End - Former name for the area now known as Glenella.

Hillsborough Channel  -  The name Hillsborough Channel to describe the body of water in the area off Cape Hillsborough followed from James Cook, then a Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy, giving that name on Saturday June 2, 1770 in honour of Wills Hill, First Viscount Hillsborough and President of the Board of Trade.
(Source: Ray Blackwood The Whitsunday Islands – An historical dictionary, 1997 CQU Press)

Homebush - 

Jilalan - Named by Railways Department 9 February 1971, using an Aboriginal word, language and dialect unknown, reported to indicate going on a journey. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

John Cook Bridge - The Bridge crossing the Pioneer River at Balnagowan was opened in January 1992 replacing a low level bridge. Named after John Cook who settled on "Balnagowan" in 1862 shortly after John Mackay settled on Greenmount on the southern side of the river. 
(Source: Daily Mercury, 25 January 1992).

Jolimont - Reportedly name derived from Jolimont pastoral run, leased by John Arthur Macartney (1834-1917) pastoralist and horseman. 
(Source:  Daily Mercury, 18 September 1979.)

Keswick Island -  Named in 1879 by Staff Commander E. P. Bedwell RN, Surveyor for the British Admiralty in Queensland 1866-1880, in the SS Llewellyn.  Keswick is one of many names in the region taken from the then County of Cumberland (now part of Cumbria) following upon Cook’s designation of “Cumberland Isles”.  Keswick is a town in the Lake District just south of Mt Skiddaw after which Skiddaw Peak on Carlisle Island was named.  These are both in Cumbria, England (part of the Lake District) into which the County of Cumberland was absorbed in 1974.

Previously, with its’ twin St Bees Island, known as L1 Island (sometimes corrupted to L Island) so called by Lieutenant Matthew Flinders sailing aboard the HMS Investigator between the Cumberland Islands and the Great Barrier Reef in 1802 (since from his sailing position these land masses were indistinguishable as separate islands).
(Source: Ray Blackwood The Whitsunday Islands – An historical dictionary, 1997 CQU Press)

Kinchant Dam - named after Frank Kinchant allegedly the first man to get married in Mackay.  He married Jim and Robert Martin's sister on 18 March 1867. 
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp67.)

Kolijo - Formerly a railway station name, first used 9 March 1923 by Railways Department, reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect not recorded, indicating possum. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Kungurri

Kuttabul - Name derived from railway station name, used by Railways Department from 5 March 1927 (ex Mount Jukes, ex Parapi, ex Hampden). Kuttabul is reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect not recorded, indicating wonderful. (Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Lamberts Beach - Named after Lamberts Ltd. a local company started by Samuel Lambert. They used to hold store picnics and social outings on the beach.  
(Source: Ian Hamilton, Lamberts - The Economic Stores, Mackay, 2003).

Llewellyn Bay 

Llewellyn Shoal - Extensive shoals north of Mackay were encountered by Lieutenant James Cook, RN, in HMS Endeavour on 2 June 1770.  The adjoining point on the mainland was named Shoal Point by Lieutenant PF King, RN, who passed over the shoals in June 1819 in HMS Mermaid.  The shoals themselves were later named Blackwood Shoals and Llewellyn Shoal following surveys by FP Blackwood, RN, in HMS Fly in 1843 and Staff Commander EP Bedwell, RN, in SS Llewellyn in 1879.
(Source: Ray Blackwood The Whitsunday Islands – An historical dictionary, 1997 CQU Press)

Mackay

Mackay River - Name changed to Pioneer River. Originally named "Mackay" in honour of John Mackay's father George Mackay of Uralla. 
(Source: Kett Kennedy, Mackay Revisited, Mackay, 2002, pp12.)

Majuba Hill

Mandarana/Mandurana

Maraju - Formerly a railway station name, used from 4 December 1921, reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect unknown, indicating plains kangaroo.   
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Marian

Marara

Marwood

McEwens Beach

McGregor Creek

Meadowlands

Mia Mia

Miclere - Named by Michael Carroll after "Miclere" goldfield near Clermont in Central Queensland where it is said he had done well.  Carroll was an Irishman who came to Sydney in 1840 aged about 20 years old.  He arrived in Mackay in 1866.  He acquired some blocks of land on the North Side of the Pioneer River and began a sugar plantation. 
(Source: Ken Manning, In their own Hands, Mackay , 1983, pp 47-50.) 

Mirani - Originally known as "Hamilton" Station taken up by Robert Martin in 1864.  There has been much debate over the naming of Mirani.  Some believe it was the Christian name of the younger daughter of Mt. Otto Seidel who surveyed the reserve for the town site in December 1884.  Others believe that Hamilton was renamed "Merani" the local spelling and an aboriginal word, or Mirani, the official spelling and now the only spelling in use, by November 1885, probably to avoid confusion with Hamilton, the Brisbane suburb. 
(Source: Mirani State Primary School - Centenary 1892-1992, 1992, pp1.)

Mount Adder

Mount Bassett - Named after Burns, Bassett & Co., one of the first stores constructed on the banks of the Pioneer River in 1862. It was on the corner of Carlyle and River Streets and owners were J. & W. Burns, of Parramatta, Dr. Bassett and Bassett's stepson , Sutherland. In April 1864 they transferred their business to McLeod, Carter & Co. 
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp53.)

Mount Blackwood - Named by George Elphinstone Dalrymple about June 1862 in honour of Captain Blackwood R.N. of the H.M.S. "Fly" which passed close to the coast early in February 1843. 
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp42.)

Mount Bridgeman

Mount Britton

Mount Chelona - Named by William Charles Borlase Wilson (1818-1885), surveyor, date unknown. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Mount Convenient

Mount Griffiths

Mount Haden

Mount Hector

Mount Jukes - Named by George Elphinstone Dalrymple about June 1862 in honour of a Mr. Jukes who was the naturalist on board the H.M.S. "Fly" which passed close to the coast early in February 1843. 
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp42.)

Mount Kinchant - Named after Frank Kinchant allegedly the first man to get married in Mackay He  married Jim and Robert Martin's sister on 18 March 1867. 
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp67.)

Mount Mandurana

Mount Martin - Named after James (Jim) Martin who with his brother Robert (Bob) Martin purchased Hamilton Station in 1863.  Jim Martin died on 12 August 1879 and is buried on the property which was once Hamilton Station.  
(Source: Ken Manning, In their own Hands, Mackay , 1983, pp 3.)

Mount Oscar

Mount Ossa - Township probably named following railway station naming on 8 March 1917. Name derived from mountain feature which was named, date unknown, by William Charles Borlase Wilson (1808-1885) surveyor, using a name from Greek mythology (Mounts Ossa and Pelion).  Refer Mackay Daily Mercury, 18 September 1979. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Mount Pelion - Reportedly named by William Charles Borlase Wilson (1808-1885) surveyor, date unknown, using Greek mythological name. Refer Mackay Daily Mercury, 18 September 1979. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Mount Pleasant

Mount Samourgassi

Mount Vince - Named after a Mr. Vince who managed Greenmount Station for John Mackay in 1862.  Vince had been a storekeeper and overseer for a Mr. Julian at Princhester.  He was said to have been accidentally killed afterwards by Mackenzie, a dairyman, whom Vince supplied with cattle.  One day Vince had come late in to dinner at Cooke's hotel, having just given Mackenzie a young bull.  After dinner they went into the billiard Room, had a dispute over the game, when Mackenzie it is alleged, struck Vince who fell uttering: "You've done for me this time," and expired  his death was probably accelerated by disease of the heart from which he was known to be suffering.  There was no enquiry.  Mount Vince, west of Greenmount, was called after him. 
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp44.)

Mount Xeromero

Mulei - Formerly a railway station name, used by Railways Department from 1 February 1926, reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect not recorded, indicating hill. 
(Source: Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines).

Munburra

Nabilla - Formerly a railway station name, used from 12 August 1927, reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect of origin not recorded, indicating water. 
(Source: Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines)

Narpi - Formerly a railway station name, first used by Railways Department 12 January 1917, reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect not recorded, indicating river or creek bank. 
(Source: Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines)

Nebia

Nebo - Named after Nebo creek which runs through the town. Formerly known as Fort Cooper. Nebo creek was named by Explorer William Landsborough who passed through the area in 1856 and also named Cooper Creek and Fort Cooper Mountain. Nebo was named after Mt. Nebo in the ancient land of Moab where Moses died in sight of the promised land. (Source: Vyvian Mengler,  James Perry Remembers Mackay - A collection of Articles written by James Perry, 2000, Albany, W.A.)

Netherdale

Newbury Junction - Possibly named in 1885 when the Mackay to Eton and Hamilton Railway line was built in honour of David Hay Dalrymple who was the first Mayor of Mackay and was also born in Newbury, Berkshire in England and owned property in the vicinity.

Nindaroo

Norbrook

Oakenden

Ooralea - local aborignal word meaning "Kangaroo Park". 
(Source: Kerr, John. (1980).  Pioneer Pageant. Mackay, QLD: Pioneer Shire Council. p. 158)

Owens Creek - Formerly a railway station name, used by Railways Department from 16 March 1922. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Paget - Named in honour of Walter Trueman Paget.

Walter Trueman PAGET was the youngest of three brothers to arrive in Australia, The eldest John arrived in Mackay in 1871; Walter then aged 18 years in 1872 and Arthur in 1874. They were the sons of Arthur Paget of Hazley, Worcester, England.

All three brothers took up land in the area known as "Nindaroo". They started as small crop farmers growing vegetables; tobacco and maintaining a small dairy herd and beef herd and supplementing their income by tree felling mainly Cedar in the scrub forests of Nindaroo.

John Paget drowned in the Pioneer River in 1876 and the remaining brothers concentrated their assets to obtain capital and built a sugar mill in 1883. The mill commenced crushing in August 1883 and had a capacity of 700 tons. The mill developed a good reputation for making good quality yellow sugars and was said to have made the best Demerara crystals in Queensland.

Shortly after installing a new plant at the mill in November 1887, one of the boilers exploded killing two Kanaka workers, Tavee and Dowla and severely scalding another. He received criticism at the time for not allowing the press to have the details of the accident.

He was regarded as a fair and compassionate boss and on one occasion took a number of his "boys" to an opera performance in town where it was said they behaved better than the white boys.

By 1994 the mill and plantation employed 55 whites and 160 islanders. Most of the Nindaroo plantation was on hill scrubs not the best land for cultivating sugar cane.

He married Mary Jane Downing on 9 August 1884 however was widowed when she died 4 months later. He later remarried in April 1889 and had four children, two sons and two daughters.

The Nindaroo Mill crushed its last crop in 1900 and the Paget’s bank took possession of the mill.

The local Queensland member of the Legislative Assembly for Mackay, J.V. Chataway died on 12^th April 1901. After being approached by a number of prominent citizens Walter Paget showed his interest of running for the seat. He had been a councillor with the Pioneer Divisional Board from 1883 to 1890 and served as Chairman from 1890 to 1895 and in 1901. He had also been on the Harbour Board, Bridges Board and the Hospitals Board. Running against Simon Tait the Labor party candidate, he won the by-election comfortably and entered Parliament on 11 May 1901 as the junior member for Mackay. The senior member was David Hay Dalrymple. At that time Mackay had two members of the parliament.

In 1908 Paget became Minister for Railways and Agriculture. He held the Agriculture portfolio until 1911 but retained the Railways portfolio till he retired from Parliament in 1915.

During his term as Minister for Railways, Walter Paget had the honour of turning the first sod for the opening of the North Coast Railway, the section opened being that from Mackay to Sarina. He turned the sod t the intersection of Paradise and Archibald Streets in July 1991. The siding was named Paget Junction after him. He was credited with opening more track than any other Queensland Minister for Railways since 1859 to 1915. The railway to Netherdale was completed as well during this period. The line to Netherdale was closed in 1990.

Following his retirement from political life, he later moved to Mooloolah on the Sunshine coast where he engaged in fruit growing and dairying. He died on 23 December 1930 after apparently suffering a stroke and suffering wounds from falling on a knife. He was aged 76 years.

Paget Junction - See Paget. Former Railway siding near intersection of Archibald and Paradise Streets.

Palmyra

Parapi - Named by Railways Department 18 September 1923, reportedly an Aboriginal word language and dilaect not recorded, indicating a creek. Formerly station called Mount Jukes from 12 January 1917.  
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Peri

Pioneer River - Originally named the "Mackay" River in honour of John Mackay. Renamed  by Commodore Burnett of the H.M.S. "Pioneer" which passed along the coast in 1862 but did not actually enter the river.  There was already a river named "Mackay" in Rockingham Bay (later renamed the Tully River) so to avoid confusion it was decided to name the river the "Pioneer".
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp45.)

Pindi Pindi - Formerly a railway station name used by Railways Department from 22 February 1915, using reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect not recorded, indicating creek or flowing water. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Pinnacle

Planlands - Subdivision name for the area subdivided in the suburb of Ooralea.

Plane Creek

Pleystowe - First settled by Joseph Holmes where he grew cotton in 1867-68. Origin of name not known 
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp68.)

Port Newry

Quarry Hill

Racecourse

Reliance Creek

Rockleigh

Rosella

Round Top Island

Richmond

Ron Camm Bridge - Completed in 1980. Named after former M.L.A. for Whitsunday Ron Camm.

Rural View - Originally incorrectly referred to as Nindaroo. Renamed by Department of Natural Resources in 1990's to avoid confusion with the area originally known as Nindaroo to the west.

Ryan's Hill

Sandiford

Sandringham Bay

Sandy Creek

Sarina - Probably derived from the naming of Sarina Inlet possibly by William Charles Borlase Wilson (1808-1885) surveyor, using a name from Greek mythology indicating enchantress. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Sarina Inlet - Probably named by William Charles Borlase Wilson (1808-1885) surveyor, using a name from Greek mythology indicating enchantress. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Scrubby - Nickname for Walkerston. Name derived from Scrubby Creek which Baker's Creek was also known as in late 1800's.

Seaforth  - Renamed from Springcliff by Queensland Place Names Board 1 July 1966. Name derived from Seaforth Estate, owned by J. McBryde and H.M. Finlayson , repurchased in 1899 for closer settlement. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

SeaView - now known as Bucasia. Renamed in 1938 to avoid confusion with Seaforth.

Septimus

Shoal Point - Extensive shoals off this point north of Mackay were encountered by Lieutenant James Cook, RN, in HMS Endeavour on 2 June 1770.  Named  by Lieutenant PF King, RN, who passed over the shoals in June 1819 in HMS Mermaid.  The shoals themselves were later named Blackwood Shoals and Llewellyn Shoal following surveys by FP Blackwood, RN, in HMS Fly in 1843 and Staff Commander EP Bedwell, RN, in SS Llewellyn in 1879.
(Source: Ray Blackwood The Whitsunday Islands – An historical dictionary, 1997 CQU Press)

Slade Point - Originally known as Point Slade. Named by Captain James Cook in honour of Sir Thomas Slade, Surveyor of the Navy from 1755 to 1771 and noted naval architect who designed H.M.S. Victory, which Nelson commanded at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. 
(Source: Kett Kennedy, Mackay Revisited, Mackay, 2002, pp3.)

Spiller's Creek - Named after John Spiller who planted the first sugar cane in the district in 1865.

Springcliff  see Seaforth

St. Bees Island - Named in 1879 by Staff Commander E. P. Bedwell RN, Surveyor for the British Admiralty in Queensland 1866-1880, in the SS Llewellyn.  St Bees is one of many names in the region taken from the then County of Cumberland (now part of Cumbria) following upon Cook’s designation of “Cumberland Isles”.  St Bees is a village in Cumbria, England (part of the Lake District) into which the County of Cumberland was absorbed in 1974.

 Previously, with its’ twin St Bees Island, known as L1 Island (sometimes corrupted to L Island) so called by Lieutenant Matthew Flinders sailing aboard the HMS Investigator between the Cumberland Islands and the Great Barrier Reef in 1802 (since from his sailing position these land masses were indistinguishable as separate islands).
(Source: Ray Blackwood The Whitsunday Islands – An historical dictionary, 1997 CQU Press)

St. Helens - Founded by R. W. Graham and J. and W. Macartney in early 1860's. 
(Source: Henry Ling Roth, The Discovery and Settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland, 1908, Halifax, England, pp56.)

Sunnyside

Suttor Creek - Discovered by explorer Ludwig Leichhardt, while on his expedition to Port Essington in 1845.  He named this creek after a Mr. Suttor, a friend who presented him with four bullocks when he started on this expedition from the Darling Downs. 
(Source: Vyvian Mengler, James Perry Remembers Mackay - A collection of Articles written by James Perry, 2000, Albany, W.A. pp56.)

Tannalo

Taylor's River - Now known as Cattle Creek. Named Taylor's River by the McCrossin and Mackay Expedition party in 1860 after W.T. Taylor a New England Pastoralist. 
(Source: Kett Kennedy, Mackay Revisited, Mackay, 2002, pp13.)

Te Kowai - Named by Thomas Henry Fitzgerald after a small flower from New Zealand.

The Cedars

The Dingle - A bend in the Pioneer River downstream from Marian near where "Melba House" is located.  A popular swimming hole for locals.

The Hermitage - Original name for the area along the Pioneer River where the Mackay District Hospital is located.

The Hollow

The Leap - Railway station name given by Railways Department 15 February 1917, from adjacent mountain feature.  (Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

The Orphanage - Another name for the area around Bucasia Shopping Centre near where Father Pierre Bucas started the St. Josephs orphanage which was in the area from 1874 to 1885.

Trueman - Originally a railway station, used from 31 July 1911, named after Walter Trueman Paget (1854-1930) farmer and politician, MLA Mackay 1901-15, Secretary for Railways 1908-15.   
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Victoria Plains  

Walkerston - Town named by Surveyor-General 22 December 1881 as a combination of the townships of Walkerston and Alsatia. Walkerston named after John Walker ( - ) lessee of Homebush pastoral run 31 May 1866. 
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Wambool - aboriginal name for the area of the Lagoons in West Mackay and Racecourse area. 
(Kerr, John. (1980).  Pioneer Pageant. Mackay, QLD: Pioneer Shire Council. p . 158)

Whitsunday Islands  - See Whitsunday Passage

Whitsunday Passage - In 1770 James Cook (then a Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy) in His Majesty’s Endeavour Bark sailed past the coast off Mackay naming Cape Palmerston on Friday 1 June and Cape Hillsborough on Saturday 2 June.  After travelling north for a further two days, in his Journal for Monday 4 June he recorded that he named the body of water through which he sailed Whitsunday’s Passage “… as it was discovered on the day the Church commemorates that Festival” and called the islands in the area “Cumberland Isles in honour of His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland” (Henry Frederick, the brother of His Majesty King George III of England).

In giving the name Cumberland Isles, Cook gave no firm indication which islands in the area were encompassed but his chart showed the name covering islands as far south as St Bees/Keswick and to Hayman to the north.  More detailed charts by those following Cook showed likewise.  Also over time “Isles” has been dropped in favour of “Islands”.  More recently these islands have increasingly become known as the Whitsunday Islands and the general area more simply as the “Whitsundays”.

(Source: Ray Blackwood The Whitsunday Islands – An historical dictionary, 1997 CQU Press)

Winterbourne

Wollingford

Wundaru - Formerly a railway station name, reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect of origin not recorded, indicating the framework of a sleeping shelter.   
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Yakapari - formerly a railway station name, used by Railways Department from 12 January 1917, reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect of origin not recorded, indicating a type of grass.   
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Yalboroo - Derived from railway station name used from 7 August 1920, reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect of origin not recorded, indicating happy.   
(Source: Qld Dept of Natural Resources and Mines)

Yellow Waterholes - Situated on the Eton-Walkerston Road and backs on to Victoria Plains. Block known as Portion 687, Parish of Eton settled by John and Ellen Casey in 1896.  It was first selected in 1880 by Robert Gough. 
(Source: Phil Casey, In Memory of - The Casey's of Yellow Waterholes, 1991.)

Zelma

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 Mackay Historical Society

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page created 23 August 2003.
last updated 05 February 2008 .
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