Lakes Creek, Queensland


Lakes Creek is a suburb split between Rockhampton Region and Shire of Livingstone, Queensland, Australia.

Geography

Lakes Creek is predominantly in Rockhampton Region with 11.4 km2 compared to Shire of Livingstone with 0.5 km2. The suburb is bordered to the south-west by the Fitzroy River. The developed land in the suburb is predominantly near the river approx 10-20 metres above sea level. The bulk of the land is mountainous and undeveloped rising to peaks such as Mount Birkbeck in the north of the locality, Mount Berserker and Mount Dick just beyond the eastern boundary of the locality. Much of this undeveloped mountainous land in the north-east of the locality is within the Mount Archer National Park.
The developed land use is a mix of residential and industrial. Teys Australia operate a large abattoir and feedlot in Lakes Creek. In 2013 it was the largest employer in Rockhampton with a staff of over 1000 people.

History

On 14 September 1871, residents of the area who were mostly employees of the Central Queensland Meat Preserving Company held a meeting to establish a school in the area at which it was estimated that 25 children would attend the school if established. Although the building was completed in January 1872, Lakes Creek Provisional School did not open until 1 October 1872 but closed in 1874, reopening on 21 May 1877. In July 1894, the Queensland Government decided that the numbers of students in the area warranted a state school. In January 1895 Lakes Creek State School opened on the present site.

Education

Lakes Creek State School is a primary school for boys and girls operated by the Queensland Government at 445 Paterson Street. In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 127 students with 8 teachers and 9 non-teaching staff.