Dingo Beach, Queensland

Dingo Beach Queensland
Dingo Beach, 2009
Dingo Beach
Coordinates	20°05′29″S 148°29′53″E
Population	159 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	72.3/km^2 (187/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4800
Area	2.2 km^2 (0.8 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	40.7 km (25 mi) N of Proserpine 166 km (103 mi) NNW of Mackay 271 km (168 mi) SE of Townsville 1,111 km (690 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Whitsunday Region
State electorate(s)	Whitsunday
Federal division(s)	Dawson
Suburbs around Dingo Beach: Hideaway Bay Coral Sea Coral Sea Cape Gloucester Dingo Beach Coral Sea Cape Gloucester Cape Gloucester Cape Gloucester

Dingo Beach is a coastal rural locality in the Whitsunday Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Dingo Beach had a population of 159 people.[1]

Geography

Dingo Beach, 2022

The Coral Sea forms the northern boundary of the locality.[3] Along the coast are (from west to east):

• Shoal Bay, at the north-west of the locality (20.0775°S 148.4862°E / -20.0775; 148.4862 (Shoal Bay))[4]
• Black Currant Island, a 7.2-hectare (18-acre) marine island (20.0799°S 148.4927°E / -20.0799; 148.4927 (Black Currant Island))[5][6]
• Dingo Beach (the beach) (20.0894°S 148.4974°E / -20.0894; 148.4974 (Dingo Beach))[7][8]
• Manta Ray Island, a 5.7-hectare (14-acre) marine island (20.0787°S 148.5126°E / -20.0787; 148.5126 (Manta Ray Island))[5][9]
• Nelly Bay, at the north-east of the locality (20.0909°S 148.5133°E / -20.0909; 148.5133 (Nelly Bay))[4]

History

Fishermen posing with stingrays at Dingo Beach, circa 1925

In 1926, the growing use of automobiles enabled people to travel more widely and resulted in the "discovery" of the beach by motorist J. M. Harkness and it was named Dingo Beach.[10] People from Proserpine and Bowen then began using the beach for recreation, although the road was described as being very rough.[11] Despite this, the beach became a popular camping and holiday place for people living in Proserpine and Bowen.[2]

It officially became a town in 1966 but is no longer gazetted as a town today.[2]

Damaged swimming enclosure after Cyclone Kirrily, 26 January 2024

On 25 January 2024, Cyclone Kirrilly damaged the swimming enclosure.

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Dingo Beach had a population of 169 people.[12]

In the 2021 census, Dingo Beach had a population of 159 people.[1]

Education

There are no schools in Dingo Beach. The nearest government primary school is Proserpine State School and the nearest government secondary school is Proserpine State High School, both in Proserpine to the south.[13]

Amenities

There is a single pub, petrol station and convenience store which services both Dingo Beach and nearby Hideaway Bay.^[citation needed]

Gloucester SES Facility is at 10 Dingo Beach Road (20.0934°S 148.4965°E / -20.0934; 148.4965 (Gloucester SES Facility)).[14]

There is a boat ramp off Deicke Crescent allowing boats to be launched into the Coral Sea at the beach Dingo Beach (20.0902°S 148.4990°E / -20.0902; 148.4990 (Dingo Beach boat ramp)). It is managed by the Whitsunday Regional Council.[15]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Dingo Beach (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Dingo Beach – locality in Whitsunday Region (entry 46863)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
3. "Dingo Beach, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
4. "Bays - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
5. "Marine islands - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
6. "Black Currant Island – island (entry 2817)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
7. "Mountain ranges beaches and sea passages - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
8. "Dingo Beach – beach in the Whitsunday Region (entry 51760)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
9. "Manta Ray Island – island (entry 20844)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
10. "PROSERPINE NOTES". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Vol. XLII, no. 938. Queensland, Australia. 16 February 1926. p. 7. Retrieved 2 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
11. "District news". Daily Mercury. Vol. 59, no. 1139. Queensland, Australia. 3 March 1926. p. 7. Retrieved 2 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
12. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Dingo Beach (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
13. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
14. "Emergency services facilities - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
15. "Recreational Boating Facilities Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.