West Mackay is (as the name suggests) west of the Mackay central business district. Having a diamond-like shape, it is bounded by the Pioneer River to the north-west, the Bruce Highway to the north-east, and Paradise Street to the south-east.[3]
The North Coast railway line enters the suburb from the south (Paget), then forms part of the suburb's south-western boundary before it crossses the Pioneer River to Foulden.[3]
The Glenella Connection Road pass through the locality from south to north-west crossing the river on the Edmund Casey Bridge to Foulden. Another major road transport route through the suburb is the Nebo Road.[3]
The (Old) Hospital Bridge was the first bridge over the Pioneer River (and was originally known as the Pioneer Bridge). Construction commenced in 1875.[4] It connected Talty Road in Foulden to Bridge Street in West Mackay (adjacent to the Mackay Base Hospital). It was a low-level bridge and prone to flooding.[citation needed]
The North Coast railway opened to Mackay in 1885. The West Mackay area was served by Mackay West railway station off Hume Street (21°08′46″S149°09′44″E / 21.1461°S 149.1623°E / -21.1461; 149.1623 (Mackay West railway station (former))).[5][6] In the 1990s, the rail bridge over the Pioneer River needed to be replaced, which presented an opportunity for re-alignment of the railway line to bypass the Mackay CBD. In 1994, the new alignment opened and a number of stations on the closed section of the line, including the Mackay West railway station were no longer required and were dismantled.[7][8]
Mackay Bowls Club opened in 1906, the first bowling club in Mackay.[9]
South Ward State School opened on 11 February 1924. In 1938, it was renamed Mackay West State School. In 1950, a new site in Bridge Street was allocated to the school which was 10 acres 2 roods (4.2 ha).[10][11][12][13][14]
St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School was established by the Sisters of Mercy on 4 February 1935 with 23 students.[10] In 1958, they purchased the Anglican church opposite to establish an infants school.[15]
In April 2009, a new bridge was opened to the west of the Hospital Bridge carrying the newly-constructed Glenella Connection Road over the Pioneer River.[18] On 5 December 2009, the new bridge was named the Edmund Casey Bridge in honour of long-serving local Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, Ed Casey, as part of the Q150 celebrations.[19] Local residents campaigned to retain the Old Hospital Bridge for recreational use such as walking, cycling and fishing, but the council insisted the costs of making it safe were too great and that only a short segment connected on the West Mackay side would be preserved as a fishing pier.[20] However, in March 2017, Cyclone Debbie damaged the fishing pier,[21] necessitating a new fishing pier to be built. The new pier will be L-shaped and more resistant to flood damage.[22]
The Sugar Research Institute was built in 1953, but relocated to Brisbane in 2006. The institute buildings were used as commercial officies until 2016 when the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton purchased the site to establish a new secondary school, Catherine McAuley College Mackay.[23] The school opened to its first Year 7 students in 2022 and by 2027 will be offering Years 7-12 secondary schooling.[24]
Demographics
In the 2011 census, West Mackay had a population of 6,507 people.[25]
In the 2016 census, West Mackay had a population of 6,210 people.[26] West Mackay had the largest Maltese Australian community of any suburb in Queensland, numbering 243 individuals and making up 3.9% of the suburb's population.[27]
In the 2021 census, West Mackay had a population of 6,536 people.[1]
Heritage listings
West Mackay has a number of heritage-listed places, including:
Catherine McAuley College Mackay is a Catholic secondary (Years 7-12) school for boys and girls at 239 Nebo Road (21°09′42″S149°09′34″E / 21.1618°S 149.1594°E / -21.1618; 149.1594 (Sugar Research Institute)). The school opened to its first 110 Year 7 students in 2022 with 14 teachers (13.51 full-time equivalent) and 11 non-teaching staff (8.68 full-time equivalent). By 2027, the school expects to offer a full secondary program with an expected 1200 students.[24][34][35]
There are no government secondary schools in West Mackay. The nearest government secondary school is Mackay State High School in neighbouring South Mackay to the south-west.[3]
Nebo Road Water Treatment Plant is a potable water treatment plant at 218 Nebo Road (21°09′37″S149°09′35″E / 21.1603°S 149.1597°E / -21.1603; 149.1597 (Nebo Road Water Treatment Plant)).[41] It is operated by the Mackay Regional Council and is their largest water treatment plant. It draws water from the Dumbleton Weir on the Pioneer River and from groundwater bores and can produce up to 75 megalitres (2.6×10^6 cu ft) per day of drinking water.[42]
^"Facilities". Mackay West State School. 19 March 2020. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
^"LOCAL AND GENERAL". Daily Mercury. Vol. 84, no. 30. Queensland, Australia. 4 February 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 16 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ab"Facilities". Mackay West State School. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
^"History". St Francis Xavier Mackay. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
