:Watsonville, Queensland
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = town
| name = Watsonville
| city =
| state = qld
| image = CSIRO ScienceImage 2182 View of a mine pit after the treated water has been released.jpg
| caption = Watsonville mine pit after the treated water has been released
| coordinates = {{coord|-17.3775|145.3133|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title|name=Watsonville (town centre)}}
| relief = yes
| pop = 176
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| established =
| postcode = 4887
| area = 280.1
| timezone = AEST
| utc = +10:00
| dist1 = 13.3
| dir1 = W
| location1 = Herberton
| dist2 = 31.7
| dir2 = SW
| location2 = Atherton
| dist3 = 65.4
| dir3 = SSW
| location3 = Mareeba
| dist4 = 125
| dir4 = SW
| location4 = Cairns
| lga = Shire of Mareeba
| stategov = Hill
| fedgov = Kennedy
| near-n = Mutchilba
| near-e = Carrington
Wongabel
| near-s = Kalunga
| near-sw = Silver Valley
| near-w = Irvinebank
| near-nw = Mutchilba
}}
Watsonville is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia.{{cite QPN|45861|Watsonville|town in Shire of Mareeba|access-date=23 March 2021}}{{cite QPN|48923|Watsonville|locality in Shire of Mareeba|accessdate=23 March 2021}} In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Watsonville had a population of 176 people.
Geography
Watsonville is {{convert|107|km}} south-west of Cairns via the Bruce Highway, Gillies Range Road, State Route 25 (bypassing Atherton) and the Herberton Petford Road. From further west it can be accessed from the Burke Developmental Road at Petford.
The locality is bounded to the east and south by the Great Dividing Range with a number of named peaks within the locality:
- Cave Hill ({{coord|-17.3672|145.3178|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Cave Hill}}) {{convert|910|m}}{{Cite web|date=12 November 2020|title=Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland|url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/06ff12a9-862e-4aac-bf9d-693f0a63b4c9|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125215033/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/06ff12a9-862e-4aac-bf9d-693f0a63b4c9|archive-date=25 November 2020|access-date=25 November 2020|website=Queensland Open Data|publisher=Queensland Government}}{{cite QPN|6675|Cave Hill|mountain in Mareeba Shire|access-date=25 November 2020}}
- Lion Mountain ({{coord|-17.3530|145.3048|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Lion Mountain}}) {{convert|914|m}}{{cite QPN|19474|Lion Mountain|mountain in Mareeba Shire|access-date=25 November 2020}}
- Mount Empress ({{coord|-17.3643|145.3687|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Mount Empress}}) {{convert|1152|m}}
- Rocky Bluff ({{coord|-17.2955|145.3133|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Rocky Bluff}}) {{convert|1030|m}}
- Specimen Hill ({{coord|-17.3765|145.3267|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Specimen Hill}}) {{convert|1025|m}}
- Wallum ({{coord|-17.2607|145.3919|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Wallum}}) {{convert|1292|m}}
- Western Hill ({{coord|-17.3889|145.3122|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Western Hill}}) {{convert|1098|m}}{{cite QPN|37120|Western Hill|mountain in Mareeba Shire|access-date=25 November 2020}}
History
File:Rocky Bluff Battery and township ca. 1905.tif
Watsonville is a former mining town. The town was named after Robert H. Watson, a tin prospector, who discovered a local deposit on 19 February 1881. The town was surveyed by William J. White on 9 March 1882.
Watsonville State School opened circa 1882 and closed circa 1943.{{Citation|author1=Queensland Family History Society|title=Queensland schools past and present|publication-date=2010|edition=Version 1.01|publisher=Queensland Family History Society|isbn=978-1-921171-26-0}} It was located on the block surrounded by Ann, Mary, Ethel and Edith Streets ({{Coord|-17.3790|145.3148|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Watsonville State School (former)}}).{{Cite web|date=1943|title=Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m404|url=https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-2mile-qld-2m404-surv-control-1943.jpg|url-status=live|access-date=23 March 2021|publisher=Queensland Government|type=Map|archive-date=14 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114025246/https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-2mile-qld-2m404-surv-control-1943.jpg}}{{Cite web|date=1943|title=Herberton|url=https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/topo_scans/topo-map-1mile-military-line-colour-herberton-1943.jpg|access-date=23 March 2021|publisher=Queensland Government|type=Map}}{{Cite web|date=1973|title=Town of Watsonville|url=https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-town-watsonville-1973.jpg|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323060801/https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-town-watsonville-1973.jpg|archive-date=23 March 2021|access-date=23 March 2021|publisher=Queensland Government|type=Map}}
Although historically and currently Watsonville is with the Shire of Mareeba, between 2008 and 2013 Watsonville (and all other parts of the Shire of Mareeba) was within the Tablelands Region, an unpopular decision that was reversed in 2014.
Demographics
In the {{CensusAU|2011}}, the locality of Watsonville had a population of 344 people.{{Census 2011 AUS|id=SSC31736|name=Watsonville (State Suburb)|access-date=14 July 2013|quick=on}}
In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, the locality of Watsonville had a population of 191 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC33039|name=Watsonville (SSC)|accessdate=20 October 2018|quick=on}}
In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the locality of Watsonville had a population of 176 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL33008|name=Watsonville (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}
Heritage listings
File:Rocky Bluff Battery and Township.jpg
Watsonville has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- {{convert|10|km|mi}} north-west of Watsonville: Rocky Bluff Battery and Township{{cite QHR|16598|Rocky Bluff Battery and Township|601861|access-date=14 July 2013}}
Education
There are no schools in Watsonville. The nearest government primary schools are Herberton State School in neighbouring Moomin to the south-east, Atherton State School in neighbouring Atherton to the north-east, and Irvinebank State School in Irvinebank to the south-west. The nearest government secondary schools are Herbert State School (to Year 10) in Herberton to the south-east and Atherton State High School in Atherton. However, for some students, these schools may be too distant in which case distance education and boarding school are options.{{Queensland Globe|access-date=22 March 2021}}
Attractions
Watsonville Pioneer Cemetery is on Watsonville Cemetery Access Road to the north-west of the town ({{coord|-17.3743|145.3079|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Watsonville Pioneer Cemetery}}).{{Cite web|date=12 November 2020|title=Cemetery Areas - Queensland|url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/2baca5c3-a111-4fbc-86c9-3b896884438b|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115100513/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/2baca5c3-a111-4fbc-86c9-3b896884438b|archive-date=15 November 2020|access-date=12 November 2020|website=Queensland Open Data|publisher=Queensland Government}}{{Cite web|title=Cemeteries|url=https://msc.qld.gov.au/community/facilities/cemeteries/|access-date=2021-03-23|website=Mareeba Shire Council|language=en-AU|archive-date=15 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315011222/https://msc.qld.gov.au/community/facilities/cemeteries/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Watsonville Cemetery - Mareeba Shire, Queensland, Australia|url=http://www.interment.net/data/aus/qld/mareeba/watsonville/index.htm|access-date=2021-03-23|website=www.interment.net|archive-date=23 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923154449/http://www.interment.net/data/aus/qld/mareeba/watsonville/index.htm|url-status=live}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Cite web|date=1973|title=Town of Watsonville|url=https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-town-watsonville-1973.jpg|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323060801/https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-town-watsonville-1973.jpg|archive-date=23 March 2021|publisher=Queensland Government|type=Map}}
- {{Cite web|title=Local towns|url=https://irvinebank.org/other-towns/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323063838/https://irvinebank.org/other-towns/|archive-date=23 March 2021|website=Loudoun House Museum}}
{{Shire of Mareeba}}
{{authority control}}