25°25′0″S152°42′0″E / 25.41667°S 152.70000°E /-25.41667; 152.70000
Wide Bay–Burnett | |
|---|---|
 Queensland Regions | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Queensland |
| LGA | |
| Government | |
| • State electorate | |
| • Federal division | |
| Area | |
• Total | 48,598.4 km2 (18,763.9 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 273,276 (2011 census)[1] |
| • Density | 5.623148/km2 (14.56389/sq mi) |
Wide Bay–Burnett is aregion of theAustralian state ofQueensland, located between 170–400 km (110–250 mi) north of the state capital,Brisbane. The area's population growth has exceeded the state average over the past 20 years, and it is forecast to grow to more than 430,000 by 2031. It is the subject of theDraft Wide Bay–Burnett Regional Plan, which aims to facilitate this growth while protecting over 90% of the region from urban development.[2]
Wide Bay was the name given by the early European explorerJames Cook to a coastal indentation as he was sailing pastDouble Island Point.[3] As thePort of Maryborough developed during the 19th century Wide Bay became well known as ships passed through the area before entering theGreat Sandy Strait and the port.[4]
The coastal parts of the region are centered on the city ofMaryborough. The inland is defined by a series of ranges which create the water of theBurnett River.[4] In the southeast of the region is a coastal area known as Cooloola.
The Wide Bay–Burnett region consists of the followinglocal government areas:
| LGA | Population[when?] | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Bundaberg Region | 96,936 | 6,449.2 km2 (2,490.1 sq mi) |
| Fraser Coast Region | 102,080 | 7,116.7 km2 (2,747.8 sq mi) |
| Gympie Region | 49,334 | 6,897.5 km2 (2,663.1 sq mi) |
| North Burnett Region | 11,805 | 19,706.5 km2 (7,608.7 sq mi) |
| South Burnett Region | 33,040 | 8,397.1 km2 (3,242.1 sq mi) |
| Aboriginal Shire of Cherbourg | 1,260 | 31.7 km2 (12.2 sq mi) |
| Shire of Noosa[1] | 52,271 | 869.3 km2 (335.6 sq mi) |
1 Noosa is sometimes included in the region, especially by tourism authorities, but is formally excluded by both the ABS and the Queensland Government's Department of Infrastructure and Planning.
K'gari is located along the southern coast ofQueensland, approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) north ofBrisbane. Its length is about 120 kilometres (75 mi) and its width is approximately 24 kilometres (15 mi) and it is separated from the mainland by theGreat Sandy Strait. The island is considered to be the largestsand island in the world at 1840 km2.[5] It is also Queensland's largest island, Australia's sixth largest island and the largest island on theEast Coast of Australia.
The island hasrainforests,eucalyptuswoodland,mangroveforests,wallum andpeatswamps,sand dunes andcoastalheaths. It is made up of sand that has been accumulating for approximately 750,000 years on volcanic bedrock that provides a natural catchment for the sediment which is carried on a strong offshore current northwards along the coast. K'gari is home to a small number of mammal species, as well as a diverse range of birds, reptiles and amphibians, including the occasional saltwater crocodile. The island is protected in theGreat Sandy National Park.
The South Burnett is a peanut growing and wine-producing region on the western slopes of theGreat Dividing Range, north of theDarling Downs. TheBunya Mountains mark the southern boundary of the region. 12 km from Murgon is theBjelke-Petersen Dam. Other dams in the region includeGordonbrook Dam andBoondooma Dam.Tarong Power Station and theTarong National Park are both in the south of the Burnett.
The area is dominated by the Cooloola sandmass. Fraser Island belong to the same sandmass.[6] It once extended 30 km to the east when sea levels were lower than today. Large vegetatedsand dunes have formed a varied terrain noted for its scientific importance.[7] They contain the longest knownchronosequence of coastal dunes in the world, covering 730,000 years.[7] The area was once part of theShire of Cooloola until 2008 when theGympie Region expanded.
Wakka Wakka (Waka Waka, Wocca Wocca, Wakawaka) is anAustralian Aboriginal language spoken in the Burnett River catchment. The Wakka Wakka language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the North and South Burnett Regional Councils, particularly the towns ofCherbourg,Murgon,Kingaroy,Gayndah,Eidsvold andMundubbera.[8]
James Nash reported the discovery of gold near Gympie on 16 October 1867. The railway from Maryborough completed in 1881 and theNorth Coast railway reached Gympie from Brisbane in 1891.[9] Bundaberg was named and surveyed in 1870.[10] In June 2000,a fire raged through a backpackers hostel, killing 15 backpackers.[11] In January 2013,Cyclone Oswald brought severe weather and flooding to much of eastern Queensland. Its impact was most severe in the Wide Bay–Burnett region with Bundaberg particularly hard hit by both flooding and tornadoes. 4,000 properties were damaged.[12]
Cities in the region areBundaberg,Gympie,Hervey Bay andMaryborough. Some of the more notable towns includeBargara,Biggenden,Blackbutt,Burnett Heads,Cherbourg,Childers,Eidsvold,Gayndah,Gin Gin,Howard,Imbil,Kilkivan,Kingaroy,Monto,Mundubbera,Murgon,Nanango,Rainbow Beach,Tin Can Bay andWondai. The sheltered waters of Hervey Bay provide a unique playground for migratinghumpback whales.[13] The tourist industry has grown along with the number of whales, leading to Hervey Bay being called thewhale watching capital of Australia.
The region includes two universities:Central Queensland University at Bundaberg,[14] and theUniversity of Sunshine Coast's Fraser Campus at Hervey Bay.[15] TheWide Bay Institute of TAFE operates from campuses at Bundaberg, Gympie, Hervey Bay and Maryborough, with the Maryborough campus .[16] A campus ofSouthern Queensland Institute of TAFE is located atKingaroy.
The Wide Bay–Burnett region contains four large airports. These areHervey Bay,Bundaberg,Maryborough andKingaroy. Hervey Bay and Bundaberg airports are serviced by regular passenger flights.
TheBruce Highway links the region toBrisbane,Rockhampton,Townsville andCairns, while theBurnett Highway andIsis Highway form part of an inland transport corridor toToowoomba and centralNew South Wales.
Queensland Rail operates daily high-speedTilt Train services to Gympie, Maryborough and Bundaberg. Public transport operated by Wide Bay Transit (Hervey Bay/Maryborough), Polleys Coaches (Gympie) and Duffy's City Buses (Bundaberg) connect at the railway stations. Public transport options for the inland areas are more limited, with buses linking the main towns to each other and Brisbane once a day, and once-weekly "shopper buses" in some towns.
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This Wikipedia article incorporatesCC BY 4.0licensed text from:"Queensland's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages map".State Library of Queensland. Retrieved26 May 2020.| General |  | ||||
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