Eton, Queensland

Eton is a rural town and locality in the Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Eton had a population of 728 people.^[1]

Eton Queensland
Township of Eton, circa 1880
Eton
Coordinates	21.2638°S 148.9752°E / -21.2638; 148.9752 (Eton (town centre))
Population	728 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	7.459/km2 (19.319/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4741
Area	97.6 km2 (37.7 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	29.8 km (19 mi) SW of Mackay 339 km (211 mi) NNW of Rockhampton 953 km (592 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Mackay Region
State electorate(s)	Mirani
Federal division(s)	Capricornia
Localities around Eton: Brightly North Eton Victoria Plains Pinevale Eton Homebush Hazledean Blue Mountain Oakenden

Geography

The northern part of the locality is flat land (about 30 metres above sea level), predominantly used as sugarcane plantations. The town is in this area. In the central part of the locality the land becomes hilly and is mostly used for grazing cattle. The southern part of the locality is mountainous (rising to 650 metres at Mount Bridgman) and is mostly undeveloped; some of this land is within the Ben Mohr State Forest and the Spencer Gap State Forest.^[4] In the very south of the locality (21.3545°S 148.9722°E / -21.3545; 148.9722 (Hogan's Pocket Landfill)) is the Hogan's Pocket Landfill, a waste disposal site developed in 2006 by Mackay Regional Council. The landfill gas generated from the site are captured and, although currently burned off, may be used for electricity generation in the future.^[5]

The Peak Downs Highway traverses the locality from south to north-east, passing through the town. State Route 5 (Marian–Eton Road and Eton–Homebush Road) passes through from north-west to south-east. A cane tramway passes through the northern part of the locality to deliver the harvested sugarcane to local sugar mills.^[4]

History

State School Eton near Mackay, circa 1884

Tenders were called for the construction of Eton State School in August 1882.^[6] The school opened on 20 August 1883.^[7] The school celebrated its centenary in 1983.^[8]

In September 1924, the Eton War Memorial was unveiled by Mrs T. Bagley and Mrs E. Beldan.^[9][10]

Brightley State School opened on 23 February 1925 and closed on 9 December 1988.^[11]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Eton had a population of 679 people.^[12]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Eton had a population of 728 people.^[1]

Education

Eton State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 10 Prospect Street (21.2642°S 148.9765°E / -21.2642; 148.9765 (Eton State School)).^[13][14] In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 50 with 3 teachers and 7 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).^[15] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 30 students with 4 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 6 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent).^[16]

There are no secondary schools in Eton. The nearest secondary school is Mirani State High School in Mirani to the north-west.^[17]

Community groups

The Eton / Eton North branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the QCWA Hall at 7 Mill Street, North Eton.^[18]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Eton (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Eton – town in Mackay Region (entry 11896)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
3. "Eton – locality in Mackay Region (entry 46867)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
4. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
5. "Hogan's Pocket Landfill". Mackay Regional Council. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
6. "Current News". The Queenslander. Vol. XXII, no. 361. Queensland, Australia. 26 August 1882. p. 261. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
8. Rolleston, Frank; Rolleston, Frank, 1915- (1983), The story of: Eton State School : centenary year 1883-1983, Eton State School, archived from the original on 13 June 2022, retrieved 3 February 2018{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
9. This Wikipedia article incorporates text from Eton First World War Memorial (20 April 2015) by Brian Randall published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 27 January 2023.
10. "ETON WAR MEMORIAL". Daily Mercury. Vol. 58, no. 1065. Queensland, Australia. 1 October 1924. p. 5. Retrieved 26 January 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
11. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
12. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Eton (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
13. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
14. "Eton State School". Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
15. "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Eton State School. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
16. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
17. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
18. "Branch Locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.

Further reading

• Rolleston, Frank (1983), The story of: Eton State School : centenary year 1883-1983, Eton State School

External links

• "Eton". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.
• Town map of Eton, 1983