Wrights Creek, Queensland

File:Wrights Creek (the creek) at the northern end of Hill Road in Wrights Creek (the locality), 2018 01.jpg

The locality is mostly low-lying flat land (approx 10 metres above sea level) with a small area of mountainous area in the south-west of the locality rising to an unnamed peak of 200 metres above sea level. The Trinity Inlet (aka Smith Creek) is the northern boundary of the locality while Wrights Creek (the watercourse from which the locality takes its name) and Mackey Creek form parts of the eastern and western boundaries of the locality. Warner Road is the southern boundary. The northern part of the locality is undeveloped wetlands and the mountainous region is also undeveloped. However, apart from these undeveloped areas, the land use is farming (predominantly grwowing sugarcane).{{Queensland Globe|access-date=13 December 2017}}

The Bruce Highway and North Coast railway line pass through the south-western part of the locality with Kamma railway station ({{Coord|-17.05222|145.76889|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Kamma railway station}}) on the boundary with neighbouring Gordonvale serving the local area.{{Cite QPN|17631|Kamma|railway station in the Cairns Region|access-date=31 March 2024}} There is also a network of cane tramways to transport the harvested sugarcane to the Mulgrave Sugar Mill.{{Cite QPN|17631|Kamma|railway station in Cairns Region|access-date=13 December 2017}}

Wrights Creek is situated in the Yidinji traditional Aboriginal country.{{Cite web |title=Indigenous culture and history |url=https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/community-environment/first-people/culture-history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409215848/https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/community-environment/first-people/culture-history |archive-date=9 April 2020 |access-date=23 June 2020 |publisher=Cairns Regional Council}}

Wright's Creek Provisional School opened on 8 October 1894, becoming Wright's Creek State School on 1 January 1909. It closed in September 1953.{{Citation|title=Queensland schools past and present|publication-date=2010|author1=Queensland Family History Society|edition=Version 1.01|publisher=Queensland Family History Society|isbn=978-1-921171-26-0}}{{cite news |date=30 September 1953 |title=HISTORIC SCHOOL CLOSING |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42806024 |accessdate=31 March 2024 |newspaper=Cairns Post |location=Queensland, Australia |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia |issue=16,0[?]6}} It was on the north-eastern side of the railway line south of Harris Road (approx {{Coord|-17.04016|45.76575|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Wrights Creek State School (former)}}).{{Cite web |date=1942 |title=Gordonvale |url=https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/topographic/topo-map-1mile-military-line-colour-gordonvale-1942/original |access-date=31 March 2024 |publisher=Queensland Government |type=Map |archive-date=8 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231008040826/https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/topographic/topo-map-1mile-military-line-colour-gordonvale-1942/original |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=1950 |title=Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m425 |url=https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/cadastral/cad-map-2mile-qld-2m425-roads-1950/original |access-date=31 March 2024 |publisher=Queensland Government |type=Map}}

The locality was formerly serviced by now-abandoned Yatee railway station ({{coord|-17.0397|145.7618|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|name=Yatee railway station}}).{{Cite web |date=2 October 2020 |title=Railway stations and sidings - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005070354/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |archive-date=5 October 2020 |access-date=5 October 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}

In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, Wrights Creek had a population of 156 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC33198|name=Wrights Creek (SSC)|access-date=20 October 2018|quick=on}}

In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Wrights Creek had a population of 160 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL33169|name=Wrights Creek (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}

There are no schools in Wrights Creek. The nearest government primary schools are Hambledon State School in neighbouring Edmonton to the west and Gordonvale State School in neighbouring Gordonvale to the south-east. The nearest government secondary schools are Bentley State College in Bentley Park to the north-west and Gordonvale State High School in Gordonvale.{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=31 March 2024 |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 }}

As part of the Wrights Creek development plan, a trade, enterprise, freight and industry zone has been proposed in the southern part of Wrights Creek nearby Gordonvale to diversify the economy of the Cairns region and to provide employment opportunities. The development plan utilises the location of the Bruce Highway and North Coast railway line transport corridors. Significant portions of land would be retained for the purpose of sugarcane farming in the area and environmental management purposes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/coordinator-general/state-development-areas/current/cairns-south-state-development-area.html|title=Cairns South state development area|date=13 October 2019|website=State Development|publisher=Queensland Government|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019095945/https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/coordinator-general/state-development-areas/current/cairns-south-state-development-area.html|archive-date=19 October 2019|access-date=2019-10-23}} The local council supported the state development area on the basis that existing private businesses in the region would not be impacted by competition.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tropicnow.com.au/2019/october/8/council-concerned-industrial-hub-could-bring-unwelcome-competition.html|title=Council concerned industrial hub could bring unwelcome competition|last=Cluff|first=Renee|date=2019-10-08|website=TropicNow|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019095943/https://www.tropicnow.com.au/2019/october/8/council-concerned-industrial-hub-could-bring-unwelcome-competition.html|archive-date=19 October 2019|access-date=2019-10-23}}

As part of the Bruce Highway Southern Access Corridor development project, the construction of an off-road cycling path and an upgrade of the Bruce Highway has been funded by the state and federal governments, with construction expected to be completed from 2021–2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/B/Bruce-Highway-Cairns-Southern-Access-Corridor-Stage-3-Edmonton-to-Gordonvale|title=Bruce Highway - Cairns Southern Access Corridor - Stage 3: Edmonton to Gordonvale|date=2019-08-02|website=Transport and Main Roads|publisher=Queensland Government|language=en-AU|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019095944/https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/B/Bruce-Highway-Cairns-Southern-Access-Corridor-Stage-3-Edmonton-to-Gordonvale|archive-date=19 October 2019|access-date=2019-10-23}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tropicnow.com.au/2019/september/23/bike-path-to-connect-cairns-and-gordonvale.html|title=Bike path to connect Cairns and Gordonvale|last=Cluff|first=Renee|date=2019-09-23|website=TropicNow|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019095945/https://www.tropicnow.com.au/2019/september/23/bike-path-to-connect-cairns-and-gordonvale.html|archive-date=19 October 2019|access-date=2019-10-23}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category-inline|Wrights Creek, Queensland}}

{{Cairns Region}}

Category:Cairns Region

Category:Localities in Queensland