Urangan is a coastal suburb of the city of Hervey Bay in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.[2] In the 2021 census, Urangan had a population of 10,988 people.[1]

Urangan
Hervey BayQueensland
The Esplanade, Urangan
The Esplanade, Urangan
Urangan is located in Queensland
Urangan
Urangan
Map
Coordinates25°18′09″S 152°53′19″E / 25.3025°S 152.8886°E / -25.3025; 152.8886 (Urangan (centre of suburb))
Population10,988 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density620.8/km2 (1,608/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4655
Area17.7 km2 (6.8 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)Fraser Coast Region
State electorate(s)Hervey Bay
Federal division(s)Hinkler
Suburbs around Urangan:
Torquay Hervey Bay Hervey Bay
Torquay Urangan Great Sandy Strait
Wondunna Booral Great Sandy Strait

Geography

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The locality is bounded to the north by Hervey Bay (the bay not the town, 25°00′13″S 152°50′36″E / 25.00361°S 152.84333°E / -25.00361; 152.84333 (Hervey Bay (bay)))[3] and to the east by the northern end of the Great Sandy Strait (and beyond it, Fraser Island).[4]

Dayman Point is a headland (25°17′03″S 152°54′18″E / 25.2843°S 152.9050°E / -25.2843; 152.9050 (Dayman Point))[5][6]

Shelly Beach is a beach that extends into neighbouring Torquay (25°16′54″S 152°52′58″E / 25.2816°S 152.8828°E / -25.2816; 152.8828 (Shelly Beach)).[7]

Urangan Boat Harbour is a harbour (25°17′45″S 152°54′38″E / 25.2958°S 152.9105°E / -25.2958; 152.9105 (Urangan Boat Harbour)).[8]

In the far south west of the suburb is the single runway Hervey Bay Airport.

History

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The name Urangan is derived from Kabi language, either from the word yuangan meaning dugong, or yerengen meaning small shell fish.[8]

The local landmarks of Dayman Spit and Dayman Point were named after Lieutenant Joseph Dayman of the Royal Navy.[9] Dayman was the first European to navigate through the Great Sandy Strait on 10 November 1846 in a small decked boat called the Asp. It had been intended that Dayman rendezvous with HMS Rattlesnake but that ship had already departed. Dayman decided it was safer to take the Asp through the Great Sandy Strait instead rather than risk taking the route by the ocean side of Fraser Island as he wanted to avoid rounding the Breaksea Spit.[10]

Urangan State School opened circa 1890 and closed in 1915.[11]

The Hervey Bay railway line from Maryborough passed through the suburb, terminating at the Urangan Pier. The line reached Pialba on 18 December 1896. However, construction of the extension to Urangan did not commence immediately as the original plan had been for the Vernon Coal and Railway Company to construct that section of the line to transport Burrum coal to the pier. However, the company did not build the line. On 20 December 1911, the Queensland Government decided to build the extension to Urangan, which was officially opened on 19 December 1913 by the Minister for Railways Walter Paget.[12]

Urangan Road State School opened on 22 February 1915. In 1956 it was renamed Bingham Road State School. It closed on 1960.[11] Despite the name, the school was 847 Booral Road (formerly Nikenbah Bingham Road), Bunya Creek.[13][14][15][4]

Urangan Point State School opened on 9 October 1916.[11]

All Saints' Anglican Church was dedicated in 1918. It was dedicated again on 6 June 1965 by Archbishop Philip Strong. It closed during 1990.[16]

On Saturday 1 November 1919 a Methodist church was opened at 22 Kent Street (25°17′13″S 152°54′05″E / 25.2870°S 152.9013°E / -25.2870; 152.9013 (Urangan Methodist Church (former))). The church building had originally been a church hall in Maryborough but was then relocated Torquay by Fenwick White where it was used by the Methodist congregation and a number of denominations for services. Although it was believed White had intended for the Methodist congregation to inherit the church upon his death, this did not occur and the church was offered for sale after White's death in 1917. The Methodist congregation decided to buy the church building and relocate it to the Kent Street site which they purchased. On Saturday 8 September 1951 a stump capping ceremony was held at the commencement of the enlargement of the church building.[17] The enlarged church was officially re-opened on Saturday 10 November 1951.[18]

On 23 December 1945 the Beulah Mission Church (part of the Assemblies of God) opened at 14 King Street (corner of Beulah Street, 25°16′58″S 152°53′58″E / 25.2828°S 152.8995°E / -25.2828; 152.8995 (Beulah Mission Church (former))).[19]

The last ship docked at the Urangan pier in January 1985.

Urangan State High School opened on 1 January 1992.[11]

Sandy Strait State School opened on 30 January 1995.[11]

Demographics

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At the 2011 census, Urangan had a population of 9,169 people.[20]

In the 2016 census, Urangan had a population of 9,764 people.[21]

In the 2021 census, Urangan had a population of 10,988 people.[1]

Heritage listings

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Urangan has a State heritage-listed site:

Education

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Urangan Point State School, 2024

Urangan Point State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Miller Street (25°17′28″S 152°54′07″E / 25.2911°S 152.9020°E / -25.2911; 152.9020 (Urangan Point State School)).[23][24] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 400 students with 36 teachers (30 full-time equivalent) and 24 non-teaching staff (14 full-time equivalent).[25] It includes a special education program.[23]

 
Sandy Strait State School, 2020

Sandy Strait State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Robert Street (25°18′01″S 152°52′31″E / 25.3004°S 152.8753°E / -25.3004; 152.8753 (Sandy Strait State School)).[23][26] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 713 students with 49 teachers (46 full-time equivalent) and 37 non-teaching staff (22 full-time equivalent).[25] It includes a special education program.[23]

Urangan State High School is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at Robert Street (25°17′48″S 152°52′34″E / 25.2966°S 152.8760°E / -25.2966; 152.8760 (Urangan State High School)).[23][27] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1712 students with 146 teachers (139 full-time equivalent) and 66 non-teaching staff (50 full-time equivalent).[25] It includes a special education program.[23][28]

Amenities

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The Urangan branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 19 Pulgul Street.[29]

Attractions

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Urangan Pier, 2010

Whale watching tours and ferries to Fraser Island depart from the marina at Urangan.

The Urangan Pier extending almost 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) into the bay, making it one of the longest piers in Australia. It is popular for walking along with spectacular views of the coast and marine life such as dolphins and stringrays. Fishing is permitted from the pier with whiting being one of the common fish caught there.[30]

The Great Sandy Region Botanic Gardens is located in Urangan on a 26-hectare (64-acre) site.[31] It houses a collection of about 20,000 orchids.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Urangan (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  2. ^ "Urangan – suburb in Fraser Coast Region (entry 46686)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Bays - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Dayman Point – mountain in Fraser Coast Region (entry 9474)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Mountain ranges beaches and sea passages - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Urangan Boat Harbour – harbour in Fraser Coast Regional (entry 48249)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Dayman Spit – spit in Fraser Coast Regional (entry 9476)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Matthew Flinders Lookout, Dayman Park, Urangan, Hervey Bay, QLD". POI Australia. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  11. ^ a b c d e Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  12. ^ Kerr, John (1990). Triumph of narrow gauge : a history of Queensland Railways. Boolarong Publications. pp. 91–92, 225. ISBN 978-0-86439-102-5.
  13. ^ "County of March sheet 1" (Map). Queensland Government. 1922. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Pialba" (Map). Queensland Government. 1943. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Queensland Two Mile series sheet 2m112" (Map). Queensland Government. 1956. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  16. ^ Anglican Church of Southern Queensland. "Closed Churches". Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  17. ^ "STUMP CAPPING FOR URANGAN METHODISTS". Maryborough Chronicle. No. 24, 827. Queensland, Australia. 12 September 1951. p. 2. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "RE-BUILT CHURCH AT BAY DEDICATED". Maryborough Chronicle. No. 24, 881. Queensland, Australia. 14 November 1951. p. 6. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "BEULAH MISSION CHURCH AT URANGAN". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser. No. 23, 035. Queensland, Australia. 10 January 1946. p. 5. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Urangan (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 July 2013.  
  21. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Urangan (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  22. ^ "Urangan Point State School, Block D (entry 601375)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  23. ^ a b c d e f "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  24. ^ "Urangan Point State School". Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  25. ^ a b c "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  26. ^ "Sandy Strait State School". Archived from the original on 9 April 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  27. ^ "Urangan State High School". Urangan State High School. 29 November 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  28. ^ "Urangan SHS - Special Education Program". Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  29. ^ "Branch Locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  30. ^ "Urangan Pier". Tourism & Events Queensland. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  31. ^ "Hervey Bay Botanic Gardens". Queensland Holidays. Tourism and Events Queensland. Archived from the original on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
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