Ooralea, Queensland


Ooralea is a southern suburb of Mackay in the Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia. Ooralea is an outer suburb of Mackay. The Peak Downs Highway bounds the suburb to the north and the Bruce Highway bounds the suburb to the east.

Geography

Although a suburb, Ooralea is only partially used for residential housing with the rest still used for farming sugarcane. The Mackay Regional Council anticipates further suburban development in this suburb.
The Mackay Harness Racing Club operates the Ooralea Racecourse in the north-east corner of the suburb. A number of streets near the racecourse are named for champion thoroughbreds such as Makybe Diva Drive, Phar Lap Parade, Gunsynd Street and Bernborough Avenue.
Central Queensland University operates a campus at Ooralea bounded by Boundary Road and University Drive.

History

Ooralea was originally known as Planlands after the Planlands railway station on the now defunct Mackay railway line which ran parallel to the Peak Downs Highway. The railway station was opposite the race track ; it no longer exists.