Slade Point is a coastal town and

peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...

in the Mackay Region,

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

, Australia. In the , the suburb of Slade Point had a population of 3,450 people.

Geography

The waters and inlets of the ''

Coral Sea The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia, interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down t ...

'' form the northern boundary and most of the eastern. Slade Point has the following coastal features: * Slade Bay () * Slade Point () * Lamberts Beach ()

History

The first British people to visit the area were the crew and passengers aboard the

ketch A ketch is a two- masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast (or aft-mast), and whose mizzen mast is stepped forward of the rudder post. The mizzen mast stepped forward of the rudder post is what distinguishes the ketch f ...

''Presto'' which pulled into the bay at Slade Point in June 1862 after having difficulty entering the Pioneer River. A crew member was killed by Aboriginal people, while Mr Roberts, a passenger, was either killed or taken away by Aboriginal people. Armed crew-members formed a search party but were unable to locate Roberts. Another larger search party, assisted by troopers of the

Native Police Australian native police were specialised mounted military units consisting of detachments of Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal troopers under the command of European officers appointed by British colonial governments. The units existed in va ...

, was later organised but no trace of Roberts was found. Originally, the town was called Amhurst but it was renamed on 1 January 1967 to be Slade Point, named after the prominent headland of the same name which was named in June 1770 by Lieutenant

James Cook Captain (Royal Navy), Captain James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer famous for his three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, conducted between 176 ...

of , after

Thomas Slade Sir Thomas Slade (1703/4 – 1771) was an English naval architect best known for designing the Royal Navy warship HMS Victory, HMS ''Victory'', which served as Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalg ...

, Surveyor of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

and designer of

Horatio Nelson Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte ( – 21 October 1805) was a Royal Navy officer whose leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics brought about a number of decisive British naval victories during the French ...

's ship . Amhurst State School opened on 11 April 1939. It was renamed Slade Point State School in 1967. Around 1975, a Catholic church opened at 8 Finch Street (). It has subsequently closed and has been converted into a residence, but the cross at the western end of the building remains intact. It is the birthplace of Cathy Freeman. A recreation area where she raced as a child is now named after her.

Demographics

In the , the suburb of Slade Point had a population of 3,349 people. In the , the suburb of Slade Point had a population of 3,450 people.

Education

Slade Point State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 362 Slade Point Road (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 110 students with 13 teacher (11 full-time equivalent) and 11 non-teaching staff (8 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 204 students with 13 teachers (12 full-time equivalent) and 16 non-teaching staff (10 full-time equivalent). There is no secondary school in Slade Point. The nearest government secondary school is Pioneer State High School in neighbouring Andergrove to the south-west.

Amenities

Slade Point Central shopping centre (formerly Seagull Shopping Centre) is at 1-7 Finch Street (). Slade Point Post Office is in this centre (). The Mackay Regional Council operates a mobile library service on a fortnightly schedule at Pheasant Street. Slade Point Community Hall is at 4 Wren Street (). Mackay RSL Memorial Bowls Club (also known as Slade Point Bowls Club) is at 30 Wren Street (). Life Giving Church (formerly Slade Point Christian Life Centre) is at 34 Robin Street (). It is affiliated with

Australian Christian Churches The Australian Christian Churches (ACC), formerly Assemblies of God in Australia, is a network of Finished Work Pentecostal churches in Australia affiliated with the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, which is the largest Pentecostal denomina ...

Attractions

Lamberts Beach Lookout is off the Pacific Esplanade (). It offers coastal views and view of passing whales (during the migration season). The Slade Point water tower has been used to create a mural by Scott Nagy and Cara Sanders, which depicts the whale migration and the local red-tailed black cockatoos seen on the esplanade. It is at 1 Albatross Street ().

References

External links

* Towns in Queensland Suburbs of Mackay, Queensland {{authority control