Stuart, Queensland

Not to be confused with Sturt, Queensland.

Stuart is a rural coastal suburb in the City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia.^[2] In the 2021 census, Stuart had a population of 1,576 people.^[1]

Stuart Townsville, Queensland
Stuart
Coordinates	19.3216°S 146.8547°E / -19.3216; 146.8547 (Stuart (centre of suburb))
Population	1,576 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	29.57/km2 (76.58/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4811
Area	53.3 km2 (20.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	13.4 km (8 mi) SSE of Townsville CBD 358 km (222 mi) S of Cairns 1,327 km (825 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	City of Townsville
State electorate(s)	Mundingburra
Federal division(s)	Dawson Kennedy
Suburbs around Stuart: South Townsville Railway Estate Coral Sea Cape Cleveland Onnoonba Cluden Stuart Nome Wulguru Roseneath Brookhill Julago

Geography

Stuart is bounded to the north-east by the Coral Sea. The North Coast railway line forms the western boundary, with the Stuart railway station serving the suburb. The Bruce Highway passes from the south-east to the north-west through the suburb. The Flinders Highway passes from the south-west to its junction with the Bruce Highway. Townsville Connection Road exits to the west, and Townsville Port Road exits to the north-west.^[3]

Most of this large suburb is undeveloped land with the developed land mostly used for infrastructure and industrial purposes. There is a small amount of residential development.^[4]

The neighbourhood of Partington is within Stuart at 19.35°S 146.85°E / -19.35; 146.85. It takes its name from a former railway siding on the North Coast railway line, which in turn was named after Joseph Partington, a local brickmaker.^[5]

History

The suburb takes its name from the railway station, which was originally called Ayr Junction railway station in 1902, then Stewarts Creek railway station in 1938 and then Stuart railway station in 1939. It is thought that Stewart was just a temporary misspelling of Stuart and that the intention was to name the area after the first district surveyor appointed in 1865, Clarendon Stuart (1833-1912).^[2]

Stewart's Creek Provisional School opened on 18 May 1891, becoming Stewart's Creek State School in 1901. In 1939, it was renamed Stuart State School.^[6] Despite having over 80 students, it was closed on 31 December 2013.^[7][8][9] It was at 10 Dwyer Street (19.34793°S 146.84179°E / -19.34793; 146.84179 (Stuart State School (former))). Its website was partially archived.^[10]

In December 1942, two classrooms of the Stuart State School on the outskirts of Townsville were used by the Army as the main Army Signals Communication Centre in North Queensland. The unit later moved to a concrete bunker at Roseneath.^[11]

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Stuart had a population of 1,051 people.^[12]

In the 2016 census, Stuart had a population of 1,386 people.^[13]

In the 2021 census, Stuart had a population of 1,576 people.^[1]

Heritage listings

Stuart has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Centenary Drive, off Dwyer Street: Stewart's Creek Gaol (the historic buildings within the present Townsville Correction Centre)^[14]
• Off Stuart Drive (now in Wulguru): former Operations and Signals Bunker^[15]
• 523 Stuart Drive: St Brigid's Church^[16]

Facilities

Infrastructure in Stuart includes:

• Townsville Correctional Centre
• Stuart landfill and waste transfer station^[17]

Industries in Stuart include:

• Mount Stuart Power Station
• Sun Metals Zinc Refinery^[18]

Education

There are no schools in Stuart. The nearest primary schools are Townsville South State School in neighbouring South Townsville to the north-west, Oonooba State School in Idalia to the west, and Wulguru State School in neighbouring Wulguru to the south-west. The nearest secondary school is William Ross State High School in Annandale to the west.^[4]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Stuart (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Stuart – suburb in City of Townsville (entry 47626)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
3. "Stuart" (Map). Google Maps. Google. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
4. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
5. "Partington – unbounded locality in City of Townsville (entry 26142)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
6. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
7. Brumpton, Harry (14 December 2013). "Stuart State School closes doors for last time as 2013 school year ends". Townsville Bulletin. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
8. "School bell to ring no longer". Townsville Bulletin. 13 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
9. "Memorial for Stuart State School". ABC Local. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
10. "Stuart State School". Stuart State School. 20 March 2012. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
11. Dunn, Peter. "Stuart State School, Townsville, used for main Army Signals Communication Centre". Australia @ War. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
12. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Stuart". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
13. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Stuart (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
14. "Stewart's Creek Gaol (former) (entry 601250)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
15. "Operations and Signals Bunker (former) (entry 601708)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
16. "St Brigid's Church (entry 600881)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
17. "Waste Facilities". Townsville City Council. Archived from the original on 28 February 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
18. "Sun Metals Corporation Pty. Ltd. Australia". www.sunmetals.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.

External links

• "Stuart". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020.