Home Hill, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Home Hill, Queensland is a town in Queensland
, Australia
at the delta of the Burdekin River
. It is a sugarcane
growing area with underground water supplies to irrigate crops. At the 2006 census
, Home Hill had a population of 2,907.
and 1269 km north of the state capital Brisbane
on the Bruce Highway
. It is a part of the Burdekin Region which includes the neighbouring town of Ayr
. Both towns are governed by the Burdekin Shire Council.
, Inkerman Sugar Mill
and Ashworth's Rock Shop. In the past few years it has become increasingly popular for backpackers, who flock to the area to earn money planting and harvesting crops.
. Other crops include mango
and various vegetables.
Home Hill was originally part of the Inkerman Downs Cattle Station.
The cattle station was converted to sugar cane in 1911 and the town developed quite quickly after the establishment of the Inkerman sugar mill in 1914. This inevitably attracted workers and sugar cane farmers to the area and a small centre grew up to provide the necessary goods and services.
The town was originally going to be named Holme Hill after a battle in the Crimean War
. However, the signwriter wasn't given a written spelling of the name and made an error when creating the sign that inevitably read "Welcome to Home Hill". There is an alternative version of this story which says that the town was named after a certain Colonel Holme who had distinguished himself in the Crimean War. Either way, the signwriter made the mistake. Another mystery about the town name - the town is not built on a hill. It is on a fairly flat river delta. The nearest hill is about 10km away.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the delta of the Burdekin River
Burdekin River
The Burdekin River in Queensland, Australia rises on the western slope of the Seaview Range and flows into the Pacific Ocean at Upstart Bay over 200 km to the southeast of the source. The river was first encountered by Europeans during the expedition led by Ludwig Leichhardt in 1845 and named...
. It is a sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
growing area with underground water supplies to irrigate crops. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Home Hill had a population of 2,907.
Geography
Home Hill lies approximately 98 km south of TownsvilleTownsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
and 1269 km north of the state capital Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
on the Bruce Highway
Bruce Highway
The Bruce Highway is a major highway in Queensland, Australia. Commencing in the state capital, Brisbane, it passes through areas close to the eastern coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is a part of the Australian National Highway and also part of Highway 1...
. It is a part of the Burdekin Region which includes the neighbouring town of Ayr
Ayr, Queensland
Ayr is a town in Queensland, Australia near the delta of the Burdekin River, named after the Scottish town of Ayr by the settlers from the United Kingdom...
. Both towns are governed by the Burdekin Shire Council.
Tourism
The main attractions in Home Hill are the Burdekin bridgeBurdekin bridge
The Burdekin Bridge spans the Burdekin River between the towns of Ayr and Home Hill, Queensland, Australia.Located on the Bruce Highway which is part of Highway 1, it is an important link in the national road network. It is a road-rail bridge which provides high flood immunity link between north...
, Inkerman Sugar Mill
Inkerman Sugar Mill
The Inkerman Sugar Mill is located in Home Hill, Queensland, on the banks of the Burdekin River. The mill was designed and built by the Scottish engineer, J Pickering, under the instruction of John Drysdale, using machinery manufactured by Geo Fletcher and Company of Derby, England. It was...
and Ashworth's Rock Shop. In the past few years it has become increasingly popular for backpackers, who flock to the area to earn money planting and harvesting crops.
Economy
The town relies on its primary industries. The major crop grown in Home Hill is sugarcaneSugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
. Other crops include mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
and various vegetables.
History
The cattle station was converted to sugar cane in 1911 and the town developed quite quickly after the establishment of the Inkerman sugar mill in 1914. This inevitably attracted workers and sugar cane farmers to the area and a small centre grew up to provide the necessary goods and services.
The town was originally going to be named Holme Hill after a battle in the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. However, the signwriter wasn't given a written spelling of the name and made an error when creating the sign that inevitably read "Welcome to Home Hill". There is an alternative version of this story which says that the town was named after a certain Colonel Holme who had distinguished himself in the Crimean War. Either way, the signwriter made the mistake. Another mystery about the town name - the town is not built on a hill. It is on a fairly flat river delta. The nearest hill is about 10km away.
Events
- Home Hill Harvest Festival
- Home Hill Race Day
Notable persons from Home Hill
- Craig WallaceCraig WallaceCraig Andrew Wallace is an Australian politician. He is the member for Thuringowa in the Queensland State Parliament, to which he was elected to on 7 February 2004....
(Politician) - Josh SantacaterinaJosh SantacaterinaJosh Santacaterina is a World Champion open water swimmer from Australia. At the 2006 Open Water Worlds, he won the Men's 25 km race.He has swum for Australia at the:*World Championships: 2003, 2005, 2007...
(Swimming - World Open Water Champion) - Anne GeddesAnne GeddesAnne Geddes, MNZM, is an Australian-born photographer, clothing designer and businesswoman who now lives and works in New Zealand. She is known for her stylized depictions of babies and motherhood. Typical images show babies or young children dressed as fairies and fairytale creatures, flowers, or...
(famous photographer) - Gordon HookeyGordon HookeyGordon Hookey is an Australian aboriginal artist from the Waanyi people. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts and lives in Home Hill, Australia.Hookey has been exhibited in the Sydney Biennale with Paranoia Annoy Ya...
(Aboriginal artist)