Cowley Beach is a beach, coastal town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Cowley Beach had a population of 65 people.[1]
Cowley Beach Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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![]() The "Notorious" anchored near Hutchison Island off Cowley Beach, 2017 | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 17°41′36″S 146°06′41″E / 17.6933°S 146.1113°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 65 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 0.451/km2 (1.169/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4871 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 144.0 km2 (55.6 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location | |||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | Cassowary Coast Region | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Hill | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Kennedy | ||||||||||||||
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Geography
editThe locality of Cowley Beach is bounded to the north by the Moresby River, to the east by the Coral Sea, and to the south by Liverpool Creek.[4]
The Australian Defence Force's Cowley Beach Military Training Area (17°41′24″S 146°06′47″E / 17.690°S 146.113°E) occupies most of the locality includes the northern part of the beach and most of its hinterland as well as the nearby Lindquist Island.[5][6] This facility is used for amphibious warfare training, and also includes a rocket range and a cantonment area.[7][6][8]
Cowley Beach has the following mountains:
- Esmeralda Hill (17°37′14″S 146°07′52″E / 17.6205°S 146.1311°E) 100 metres (330 ft)[9][10]
- Georgie Hill (17°36′19″S 146°07′51″E / 17.6054°S 146.1307°E) 140 metres (460 ft)[9][11]
Cowley Beach has the following coastal headlands (from north to south):
- Camp Point (17°36′06″S 146°07′36″E / 17.6017°S 146.1267°E)[9][12]
- Hall Point (17°36′06″S 146°07′56″E / 17.6018°S 146.1322°E)[9][13]
- Hayter Point (17°37′01″S 146°08′12″E / 17.6170°S 146.1366°E)[9][14]
- Double Point (17°38′55″S 146°08′53″E / 17.6487°S 146.1481°E)[9][15]
Cowley Beach has the following beaches (from north to south):
- Robinsons Beach, south of Hayter Point (17°37′17″S 146°08′09″E / 17.6213°S 146.1359°E)[16][17]
- Browns Beach, north of Double Point (17°38′16″S 146°08′23″E / 17.6379°S 146.1397°E)[16][18]
- Cowley Beach, south of Double Point (17°40′33″S 146°07′21″E / 17.6757°S 146.1225°E)[16][19]
There are a number of offshore islands including (from north to south):
- Lindquist Island (17°39′24″S 146°09′34″E / 17.6566°S 146.1594°E)[20]
- Bresnahan Island (17°40′01″S 146°10′08″E / 17.6670°S 146.1690°E)[21]
- North Barnard Islands (17°40′22″S 146°10′30″E / 17.6727°S 146.175°E), an island group named by Lieutenant Phillip Parker King of the HM Colonial Cutter Mermaid on 21 June 1819 after his friend Edward Barnard, consisting of:[22]
- Jessie Island (17°40′25″S 146°10′26″E / 17.6735°S 146.1738°E)[23]
- Hutchison Island (17°40′28″S 146°10′09″E / 17.6744°S 146.1691°E, named after Lieutenant (later Captain) Hutchison of the Royal navy who served on the survey vessels HMS Herald from 1856 to 1861 and HM Colonial Schooner Beatrice from 1862 to 1864[24]
- Kent Island (17°40′35″S 146°10′48″E / 17.6764°S 146.1799°E), named after lightkeeper Kent[25]
There are also islands in the Moresby River (from north to south):
- Bradshaw Island (17°37′03″S 146°07′19″E / 17.6175°S 146.1219°E)[26]
- Lily Island (17°37′11″S 146°06′58″E / 17.6197°S 146.1161°E)[27]
- Maizie Island (17°37′41″S 146°06′40″E / 17.6280°S 146.1110°E)[28]
History
editThe town takes its name from the beach which in turn takes its name from Ebenezer Cowley, a horticulturist and overseer at Kamerunga State Nursery. Prior to 16 November 1991 the town was called Inarlinga.[2]
In December 1930, a public reserve along the beachfront of Cowley Beach was established.[29] In January 1931 the beach was attracting increasing numbers of holiday makers.[30][31]
The Cowley Beach Military Training Area was established in 1962 as the Joint Tropical Research Unit, so-called because it operated in collaboration with the British Ministry of Defence.[8]
Demographics
editIn the 2016 census, the locality of Cowley Beach had a population of 78 people.[32]
In the 2021 census, the locality of Cowley Beach had a population of 65 people.[1]
Education
editThere are no schools in Cowley Beach. The nearest government primary school is Silkwood State School in Silkwood to the south-west. The nearest government secondary school is Innisfail State College in Innisfail to the north.[4]
Amenities
editThere is a boat ramp in Bambarook Road (17°41′47″S 146°06′44″E / 17.6965°S 146.1122°E). It is managed by the Cassowary Coast Regional Council.[33]
Attractions
editCowley Beach is a 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi)-long beach that extends from Double Point past the town down to the mouth of Liverpool Creek.[34]
References
edit- ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Cowley Beach (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Cowley Beach – town in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 46583)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ "Cowley Beach – locality in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 45688)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ "Environmental Management". Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ a b AECOM (12 June 2015). "Talisman Sabre 2015 Final Public Environment Report" (PDF). AECOM. p. 67. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ Bateman, Daniel (26 August 2015). "Cowley Beach to be transformed in Defence exercise". Cairns Post. Archived from the original on 19 April 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Cowley Beach Innisfail, Queensland" (PDF). Australian Department of Defence. 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Esmeralda Hill – mountain in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 11869)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Georgie Hill – mountain in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 13608)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Camp Point – mountain in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 5956)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Hall Point – mountain in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 15233)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Hayter Point – mountain in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 15581)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Double Point – mountain in Cassowary Coast Region (entry 10418)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ a b c "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.
- ^ "Robinsons Beach – beach in the Cassowary Coast Region (entry 28602)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Browns Beach – beach in the Cassowary Coast Region (entry 51724)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Cowley Beach – beach in the Cassowary Coast Region (entry 8608)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Lindquist Island – island in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 19448)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Bresnahan Island – island in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 4443)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "North Barnard Islands – island group in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 24584)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Jessie Island – island in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 17159)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Hutchison Island – island in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 16538)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Kent Island – island in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 17986)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Bradshaw Island – island - feature appears absent in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 4264)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Lily Island – island in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 19347)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Maizie Island – island in Cassowary Coast Regional (entry 20651)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "INNISFAIL NOTES". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Vol. LII, no. 325. Queensland, Australia. 22 December 1930. p. 3. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "PERSONAL". Johnstone River Advocate And Innisfail News. Vol. XXVI, no. 48. Queensland, Australia. 6 January 1931. p. 4. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "POPULAR COWLEY BEACH". Johnstone River Advocate And Innisfail News. Vol. XXVI, no. 51. Queensland, Australia. 16 January 1931. p. 3. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Cowley Beach (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "Recreational Boating Facilities Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ "Cowley - Beach in Cowley Beach Cassowary Coast QLD". SLS Beachsafe. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2021.