St Mary, Queensland
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = suburb
| name = St Mary
| city =
| state = qld
| image = Sannantha bidwillii.jpg
| caption = Sannantha bidwillii in St Mary, 2022
| coordinates = {{coord|-25.6872|152.4883|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title|name=St Mary (centre of locality)}}
| pop = 34
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| established =
| postcode = 4570
| area = 185.4
| timezone = AEST
| utc = +10:00
| dist1 = 4.2
| dir1 = W
| location1 = Tiaro
| dist2 = 30.2
| dir2 = SW
| location2 = Maryborough
| dist3 = 63.3
| dir3 = SSW
| location3 = Hervey Bay
| dist4 = 229
| dir4 = N
| location4 = Brisbane
| lga = Fraser Coast Region
| stategov = Maryborough
| fedgov = Wide Bay
| near-ne = Antigua
Pioneers Rest
| near-e = Tiaro
| near-se = Netherby
| near-s = Mount Urah
| near-sw = Glenbar
| near-w = Woocoo
| near-nw = Woocoo
}}
St Mary is a rural locality in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.{{cite QPN|48966|St Mary|locality in Fraser Coast Region|accessdate=10 June 2019}} In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, St Mary had a population of 34 people.
Geography
The Mary River forms the southern and south-eastern boundary of the locality.{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourses |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=15 March 2025 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government |archive-date=19 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219175447/https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |url-status=live }} Its tributary Ooramera Creek forms part of the south-western boundary of the locality.{{Cite QPN|25496|Ooramera Creek|watercourse in the Fraser Coast Region|access-date=15 March 2025}}
St Mary has the following mountains:
- Mount Bererum in the north-west of the locality ({{coord|-25.6312|152.4103|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Mount Bererum}}), rising {{convert|238|m}} above sea level{{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|2352|Mount Bererum|mountain in Fraser Coast Region|access-date=25 November 2020}}
- Mount Benarige in the centre of the locality ({{coord|-25.6920|152.4615|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Mount Benarige}}), {{convert|251|m}}{{cite QPN|2273|Mount Benarige|mountain in Fraser Coast Region|access-date=25 November 2020}}
The St Mary State Forests 1, 2 and 3 occupy most of the locality, particularly in the north and west of the locality. Apart from these protected areas, the land use is predominantly grazing on native vegetation with some irrigated crop growing and rural residential housing in areas close to the Mary River.{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use; Sugarcane areas |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=15 March 2025 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government |archive-date=19 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219175447/https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |url-status=live }}
History
St Mary's Provisional School opened on 17 October 1949 within the forestry reserve.{{cite news |date=25 June 1949 |title=School For St. Mary's |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147544697 |accessdate=15 March 2025 |newspaper=Maryborough Chronicle |location=Queensland, Australia |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia |issue=24,138}} It closed on 26 August 1955.{{Cite QSA Agency|9210|St Mary's Provisional School|15 March 2025
}} It was on the western side of Thinoomba Road (approx {{Coord|-25.65463|152.44788|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=St Mary's Provisional School (former)}}).{{Cite web |date=1951 |title=Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m115 |url=https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/cadastral/cad-map-2mile-qld-2m115-admin-bdy-1951/original |access-date=15 March 2025 |publisher=Queensland Government |type=Map |archive-date=1 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250101234945/https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/cadastral/cad-map-2mile-qld-2m115-admin-bdy-1951/original |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Watercourse; Mountains |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=15 March 2025 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government |archive-date=19 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219175447/https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |url-status=live }} The location was later redeveloped by Maryborough State High School as the Sandy Creek Outdoor Learning Centre.{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://maryboroughshs.eq.edu.au/SupportAndResources/FormsAndDocuments/Documents/history.pdf |access-date=15 March 2025 |website=Maryborough State High School |page=22 |archive-date=25 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240325103505/https://maryboroughshs.eq.edu.au/Supportandresources/Formsanddocuments/Documents/history.pdf |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Steph |date=2015-06-01 |title=MARYBOROUGH STATE HIGH SCHOOL |url=https://www.schoolchoice.com.au/maryborough-state-high-school/ |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=School Choice |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=National Estate: Historic Values |url=https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/sitecollectiondocuments/rfa/regions/qld-south-east/enviroment/national-estate-historic/qld_se_historic.pdf |publisher=Forest Assessment Unit, Queensland Department of Environment |pages=58, 101, 118 |access-date=15 March 2025 |archive-date=11 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511201459/https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/sitecollectiondocuments/rfa/regions/qld-south-east/enviroment/national-estate-historic/qld_se_historic.pdf |url-status=live }}
Demographics
In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, St Mary had a population of 73 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC32671|name=St Mary (SSC)|access-date=20 October 2018|quick=on}}
In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, St Mary had a population of 34 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL32646|name=St Mary (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}
Education
There are no schools in St Mary. The nearest government primary schools are Tiaro State School in neighbouring Tiaro to the east and Gundiah State School in Gundiah to the south-east. The nearest government secondary school is Maryborough State High School in Maryborough to the north-east.{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=15 March 2025 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government |archive-date=19 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219175447/https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |url-status=live }}
There are also a number of non-government schools in Maryborough and its suburbs.
Attractions
The Sandy Creek Centre is near the site of the former provisional school. It offers basic camping and youth programs.{{Cite web |title=Sandy Creek Centre |url=https://rossharrold.wixsite.com/sandy-creek-centre |access-date=2025-03-15 |website= |language=en}}{{Cite Google Maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sandy+Creek+Centre/@-25.6552198,152.4449983,253m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x6beb39703a6dce59:0xafe12e4706dcdb0!8m2!3d-25.6551047!4d152.4458229!16s%2Fg%2F11h52z_lnj!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D|access-date=15 March 2025|title=Sandy Creek Centre}}
Victory Village at Riverbend offers visitors a working medieval village at 19 Riverbend Road ({{Coord|-25.7557|152.4929|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Victory Village at Riverbend}}).{{Cite web |title=Victory Village at Riverbend |url=https://www.facebook.com/victorycastle1/ |website=Facebook}}{{Cite news |last=Marsellos |first=Brad |date=2020-10-27 |title=Good lord: How Terry turned his midlife crisis into a medieval bush fantasy |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-27/creating-a-medieval-kingdom-in-country-queensland/12798256 |access-date=2025-03-15 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU |archive-date=18 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518175953/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-27/creating-a-medieval-kingdom-in-country-queensland/12798256 |url-status=live }}
References
{{commons category|St Mary, Queensland}}
{{reflist}}
{{Fraser Coast Region}}