Happy Valley, Queensland (Mount Isa)

Happy Valley is a suburb of Mount Isa in the City of Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Happy Valley had a population of 733 people.[3]

Happy Valley
Mount IsaQueensland
Happy Valley State School, 2023
Happy Valley is located in Queensland
Happy Valley
Happy Valley
Map
Coordinates20°44′50″S 139°29′24″E / 20.7473°S 139.4900°E / -20.7473; 139.4900 (Happy Valley (centre of suburb))
Population733 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)4825
Area0.6 km2 (0.2 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)City of Mount Isa
State electorate(s)Traeger
Federal division(s)Kennedy
Suburbs around Happy Valley:
Mount Isa (locality) Parkside Parkside
Mount Isa (locality) Happy Valley Healy
Mount Isa (locality) Mica Creek Mica Creek

Geography edit

The Leichhardt River flows north–south through the town of Mount Isa, dividing the suburbs of the town into "mineside" (west of the Leichhardt River) and "townside" (east of the Leichhardt River).[4][5] Happy Valley is a "mineside" suburb.[6]

Happy Valley is bounded to the west by the Great Northern railway, to the north by Twenty-third Avenue, and to the east roughly by the Leichhardt River.[6]

History edit

 
Mount Isa Mines State School, 1930

The suburb was named in September 1973 and is the ironic name given to the area by the population during the Great Depression, when a shanty town existed in the area.[2]

Isa Mines State School opened on 3 May 1932 with 79 students and head-teacher Mr Phail and assistant teacher Miss Bennett. The original school building had 2 rooms with verandahs on the front and one side. By the end of the first month there were 99 students. Rising student numbers necessitated the user of the verandahs as classrooms resulting in the addition of two more schoolrooms and an office in 1933. In 1938 a fifth classroom was added for the primary school with another room for secondary students who were taught by high school teacher Les Jacobs.[7] In 1971 new facilities were built at a new location and the school was renamed Happy Valley State School.[8][9]

Demographics edit

In the 2016 census, Happy Valley had a population of 767 people.[10]

In the 2021 census, Happy Valley had a population of 733 people.[3]

Education edit

Happy Valley State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Brilliant Street (20°44′42″S 139°29′28″E / 20.7449°S 139.4910°E / -20.7449; 139.4910 (Happy Valley State School)).[11][12] In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 402 students with 29 teachers (27 full-time equivalent) and 15 non-teaching staff (11 full-time equivalent).[13] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 384 students with 30 teachers (29 full-time equivalent) and 16 non-teaching staff (10 full-time equivalent).[14]

There is no secondary school in Happy Valley. The nearest government secondary school is Spinifex State College which has its junior campus in neighbouring Parkside to the north and its senior campus in Pioneer to the north-east.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Happy Valley (Qld) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
  2. ^ a b "Happy Valley – suburb in City of Mount Isa (entry 42459)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Happy Valley (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  4. ^ "Mount Isa". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 January 2017. Archived from the original on 19 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  5. ^ "This Mining Life: Mount Isa, QLD". Mining People International. Archived from the original on 19 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b c "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  7. ^ "Isa Mines School". Mimag. 2 (1): 7. 1 January 1949. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  8. ^ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  9. ^ "Our school". Happy Valley State School. 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  10. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Happy Valley (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  11. ^ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Happy Valley State School". Happy Valley State School. 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  13. ^ "2016 Annual Report" (PDF). Happy Valley State School. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  14. ^ "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.

External links edit

  • "Mount Isa suburbs". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.