Georgetown, Queensland


Georgetown is a town and locality in the Shire of Etheridge, Queensland, Australia. In the, Georgetown had a population of 348 people.

Geography

Georgetown is on the Etheridge River in Far North Queensland, Australia. The Gulf Developmental Road passes through the town, linking Cairns - to the east - and Normanton - to the west. Georgetown is the administrative headquarters of the Shire of Etheridge, a local government area encompassing the nearby settlements of Mount Surprise, Forsayth and Einasleigh.

History

Georgetown area may have been part of North America 1.7 billion years ago based on the characteristics of rocks found in Georgetown matching those of northern Canada rather than the rest of Australia. Researchers at Curtin University have postulated that 100 million years later, this landmass collided with what is now northern Australia, at the Mount Isa region, forming the Nuna supercontinent.
Georgetown was on the northern border of Ewamin lands. The Etheridge River was the site of a gold rush in the 1870s; the town of Georgetown was established on the site of the diggings. Originally known by the name Etheridge, the town's name was changed in 1871 to honour an early gold commissioner, Howard St George. Georgetown Post Office opened on 15 January 1872. Georgetown State School opened on 14 September 1874.
By 1900 grazing had replaced gold mining as the region's primary source of income.
The Georgetown Public Library opened in 2003.
At the 2006 census, Georgetown had a population of 254.
In the 2011 census, Georgetown had a population of 243 people.

Heritage listings

Georgetown has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Georgetown has a racecourse, swimming pool and a tourist information centre and camping/caravan park.
The Etheridge Shire Council operates a public library at Low Street, Georgetown.
The Georgetown branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms on the Gulf Developmental Road.
The Terrestrial Information Centre contains the Ted Elliot Mineral Collection, comprising over 4500 local and international mineral specimens.
In 2014, Georgetown State School had an enrolment of 57 students with 3 teachers.

Climate

In popular culture

Georgetown is one of the real locations mentioned several times in the novel A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute.