Canal Creek is a rural

locality Locality may refer to: * Locality (association), an association of community regeneration organizations in England * Locality (linguistics) * Locality (settlement) * Suburbs and localities (Australia), in which a locality is a geographic subdivis ...

in the

Livingstone Shire The Shire of Livingstone is a local government area located in the Capricornia region of Central Queensland, Queensland, Australia, to the immediate north and east of the regional city of Rockhampton. The shire, administered from the coastal ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, Australia. In the , Canal Creek had a population of 8 people.

Geography

The ridge of the Pointer Range forms the south-western boundary of the locality. The terrain in the locality ranges from flatter land at approx above sea level to numerous named peaks including (from west to east): * North Pointer * The Pointer * Mount Jardine * Pleasant Hill * Conical Mountain * Charley Peak * The Gate Mountain Three creeks enter through the locality from the north ( Shoalwater) flowing south, Alligator Creek to Canoona/ Jardine and Canal Creek (from which the locality presumably takes its name) and Werribee Creek to Rossmoya. These creeks are ultimately tributaries to the Fitzroy River which enters the Coral Sea between Thompsons Point and Port Alma. There are a number of protected areas in the locality, including: * North Pointer Conservation Park in the south-west of the locality * Alligator Creek State Forest in the north and centre of the locality * Canal Creek State Forest in the centre of the locality * Werribee State Forest in the north-east of the locality The predominant land use is grazing on native vegetation, plantation forestry and a small amount of cropping.

History

On 19 December 1943 a USA military aircraft crashed at Canal Creek Cattle Station and 31 people were killed. The C47 aircraft of 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron 374th Transport Group was flying from

Townsville Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 180,820 as of June 2018, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland; it is unofficially considered its capital. Estimated resident population, 3 ...

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

with a stop in Rockhampton. The port engine caught fire, which caused an explosion and the plane crashed and all 31 people on board were killed. The aircraft was carrying 20 USA military personnel, 8 Australian military personnel, and three civilians (one from the

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams (philanthropist), Georg ...

, one from the Salvation Army, and a war photographer). On 16 June 2002 a memorial to the crash was officially dedicated; it is at approximately from the crash site due to the boggy terrain at the site. The memorial was organised by

Yeppoon Yeppoon is a coastal town and locality in the Shire of Livingstone, Queensland, Australia. Yeppoon is renowned for its beaches, tropical climate, and the islands out on the bay. Located from the city of Rockhampton, Yeppoon is the seat of the ...

resident John Millroy. It was the 2nd worst aircrash in Australia's history (

Bakers Creek air crash The Bakers Creek air crash was an aviation disaster that occurred on 14 June 1943, when a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft crashed at Bakers Creek, Queensland, Australia. The aircraft took off from Macka ...

in June 1943 killed 40 people).

Education

There are no schools in Canal Creek. The nearest primary school is in Millman. The nearest secondary schools are in

and Kawana, Rockhampton.

References

External links

* — includes casualty list Shire of Livingstone Localities in Queensland {{CentralQueensland-geo-stub