Bluewater, Queensland

The suburb of Bluewater is approximately {{convert|31.9|km|mi}} by road north-west of Townsville CBD.{{Google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Townsville+City,+Queensland+4810/Bluewater+QLD+4818/@-19.2332559,146.5188938,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x6bd5f8dbd573d1e7:0x500eef17f20feb0!2m2!1d146.8169483!2d-19.2589635!1m5!1m1!1s0x6bd58a9d22077aa5:0x500eef17f20fb40!2m2!1d146.5501801!2d-19.1744543!3e0?hl=en&entry=tts|title=Townsville CBD to Bluewater|access-date=25 September 2023}} It is bounded to the south-east by Althaus Creek ({{Coord|-19.15250|146.60167|type:river_region:AU-QLD|name=Althaus Creek (mouth)}}).{{Cite QPN|481|Althaus Creek|watercourse in City of Townsville|access-date=25 September 2023}}

As its name suggests, the town of Bluewater Beach is on the coast of the Coral Sea, while the town of Bluewater is inland on the Bruce Highway, which enters the locality from south-east (Yabulu) and exits to the north-west (Clemant).{{Queensland Globe|accessdate=24 June 2017}}

The suburb is popular with residents who prefer larger lot sizes and is home to a number of properties with hobby farms and horse agistment. It is also home to solar farms.{{cite web |title=Council approves solar farm application in Bluewater |url=https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/about-council/news-and-publications/media-releases/2019/january/council-approves-solar-farm-application-in-bluewater |website=Townsville City Council |date=22 January 2019 |publisher=Townsville City Council |access-date=22 July 2020 |archive-date=22 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722104906/https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/about-council/news-and-publications/media-releases/2019/january/council-approves-solar-farm-application-in-bluewater |url-status=live }}

Bluewater is situated in the traditional Nyawigi Aboriginal country.{{Cite web|url=https://publications.csiro.au/rpr/download?pid=procite:a3fd9102-b143-4058-a1c0-2972b017c60a&dsid=DS1|title=Wellbeing of Nywaigi Traditional Owners – Figure 1|access-date=25 June 2020|archive-date=27 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627220121/https://publications.csiro.au/rpr/download?pid=procite:a3fd9102-b143-4058-a1c0-2972b017c60a&dsid=DS1|url-status=live}} The origin of the suburb name Bluewater is from the adjacent Bluewater Creek that was shown on a district map from 1886.{{Cite web|url=https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/9000/TCC_Community-Profiles_Division-1_Web.pdf|title=Townsville City Council community profiles Division 1|access-date=25 June 2020|archive-date=15 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015005017/https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/9000/TCC_Community-Profiles_Division-1_Web.pdf|url-status=live}}

Bluewater was settled in the late nineteenth century, and was close to the Purono rail siding, constructed in 1919 on the extension of the North Coast railway line from Townsville to Ingham. During World War II, Bluewater became campground to a number of service personnel whose responsibility it was to resist Japanese invasion.

It was not until 1946 that land was first subdivided along Bluewater Beach, followed by subdivisions of Toolakea Beach and the Bluewater Township in the 1950s.{{cite web|url=http://library.thuringowa.qld.gov.au/resources/138.pdf|title=Thuringowa Library Heritage Services: A History of the Bluewater Area |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719024059/http://library.thuringowa.qld.gov.au/resources/138.pdf |archive-date=19 July 2008 |access-date=9 June 2008}}

Bluewater Provisional School opened on 3 June 1957.In 1958 it was renamed Bluewater Creek Provisional School. In 1959 it became Bluewater Creek State School. In 1960 it was renamed Bluewater State School.{{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}}

Bluewater Post Office opened by May 1960.{{Cite web | last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | publisher = Premier Postal Auctions | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=QLD&country= | access-date = 10 May 2014 | archive-date = 15 May 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140515223132/http://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=QLD&country= | url-status = live }}

The community was badly flooded on 31 January 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/residents-flee-homes-go-under-in-queensland-floods/news-story/e0827dcf79044f8792a3cd58aa39c1b9|title=Bluewater, Far North Queensland, homes flooded after heavy rain|publisher=News.com.au|access-date=3 February 2019|archive-date=3 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203105257/https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/residents-flee-homes-go-under-in-queensland-floods/news-story/e0827dcf79044f8792a3cd58aa39c1b9|url-status=live}} The wet weather and consequent flooding was expected to continue for another week.{{cite web|url=https://tendaily.com.au/news/australia/a190130aqt/cow-swept-out-to-sea-tractors-washed-away-in-wild-townsville-floods-20190130|title=Cow Swept Out To Sea, Tractors Washed Away in Wild Townsville Floods|date=30 January 2019|website=10 daily|access-date=3 February 2019|archive-date=2 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202095832/https://tendaily.com.au/news/australia/a190130aqt/cow-swept-out-to-sea-tractors-washed-away-in-wild-townsville-floods-20190130|url-status=live}}

In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, the suburb of Bluewater had a population of 1,040 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC30294|name=Bluewater (SSC)|accessdate=20 October 2018|quick=on}}

In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the suburb of Bluewater had a population of 1,085 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL30292|name=Bluewater (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}

The census data includes the population of neighbouring Blue Hills which is not separately reported.

File:Bluewater State School, 2016.jpg

Bluewater State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 1-3 Ditton Street with its entrance on Buckby Street ({{coord|-19.1748|146.5556|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Bluewater State School}}).{{cite web|date=9 July 2018|title=State and non-state school details|url=https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121065959/https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997|archivedate=21 November 2018|accessdate=21 November 2018|publisher=Queensland Government}}{{cite web|title=Bluewater State School|url=https://bluewaterss.eq.edu.au/|url-status=live|accessdate=4 April 2021|archive-date=3 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303233254/https://bluewaterss.eq.edu.au/}} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 438 students with 32 teachers (30 full-time equivalent) and 22 non-teaching staff (12 full-time equivalent).{{cite web|title=ACARA School Profile 2018|url=https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-2018.xlsx|accessdate=28 January 2020|publisher=Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority|archive-date=27 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827085246/https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-2018.xlsx|url-status=live}}

There is no secondary school in Bluewater. The nearest government secondary school is Northern Beaches State High School in Deeragun to the south-east.{{Queensland Globe|access-date=25 September 2023}}

Bluewater is a thriving community containing a number of amenities.

The Townsville City Council operate a mobile library service which visits the Community Centre at Bluewater on Monday afternoons.{{Cite web|title=Mobile Library Service|url=https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/5089/Mobile-Library-Calendar_18_JanJun.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129141018/https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/5089/Mobile-Library-Calendar_18_JanJun.pdf#|archive-date=29 January 2018|access-date=29 January 2018|website=Townsville City Council}}

Toolakea and Bluewater Beach are popular recreational areas.

There is a boat ramp at Bluewater Road on the north bank of Althaus Creek ({{coord|-19.1571|146.5985|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Bluewater Road boat ramp}}). It is managed by the Townsville City Council.{{Cite web |date=12 November 2020 |title=Recreational Boating Facilities Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/recreational-boating-facilities-queensland/resource/60ce6cc3-af0c-4806-bc8c-ab0ee981819c |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201122210008/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/recreational-boating-facilities-queensland/resource/60ce6cc3-af0c-4806-bc8c-ab0ee981819c |archive-date=22 November 2020 |access-date=22 November 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}

There is the Urban Forest and Fitness Trail. {{Citation needed|date=April 2021}}

Other amenities in the area include a community centre, a Girl Guides training and camping centre,[http://www.frgg.org/gpage1.html Bluewater Training And Camping Centre] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015043648/http://www.frgg.org/gpage1.html |date=15 October 2018 }}, retrieved 9 June 2008. a Scout hall and Bluewater Medical Practice.

There is a waste transfer station towards the end of Bluewater Drive.[http://discover.thuringowa.qld.gov.au/placestogo/northernbeaches#Bluewater Discover Thuringowa: Northern Beaches] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719214453/http://discover.thuringowa.qld.gov.au/placestogo/northernbeaches#Bluewater|date=19 July 2008}}, retrieved 9 June 2008.

Bluewater Park is a popular tourist destination with designated free campsites.{{Cite web|title=Camping at Bluewater Park – QLD|url=http://www.findacamp.com.au/camp-site.php?camp=863|access-date=2021-04-04|website=findacamp.com.au|archive-date=5 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305125402/http://www.findacamp.com.au/camp-site.php?camp=863|url-status=live}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Bluewater, Queensland}}

• {{cite web|url=http://queenslandplaces.com.au/townsville-northern-localities|publisher=University of Queensland|website=Queensland Places|title=Townsville Northern Localities}}
• {{cite web|date=1984|title=Town map of Bluewater|url=https://gisservices.information.qld.gov.au/arcgis/rest/directories/historicalscans/cad_scans/cad-map-town-bluewater-1984.jpg|publisher=Queensland Government}}

{{Suburbs of Townsville}}

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Category:Suburbs of Townsville

Category:Queensland in World War II