Blackwater, Queensland
Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English Template:Infobox Australian place Blackwater is a rural town and locality in the Central Highlands Region, Queensland, Australia.<ref name=qpnt>Template:Cite QPN</ref><ref name=qpnl>Template:Cite QPN</ref> It is within a significant coal mining area in Central Queensland. The name of the township was inspired by the dark colour of local waterholes.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="qpnl" /> In the Template:CensusAU, the locality of Blackwater had a population of 4,702 people.<ref name="Census2021" />
Geography
Six major open cut coal mines and one underground dot the landscape surrounding the town and provide its main employment opportunities. The town is also situated close to the Blackdown Tableland National Park which lies to the southeast and Blackwater coal mine located south of the town. Emerald is Template:Convert to the west.
Bonnie Doon is a neighbourhood in the centre of the locality (Template:Coord) and is associated with the Bonnie Doon pastoral station established in 1893.<ref name="qpn3563">Template:Cite QPN</ref><ref name="globe">Template:Queensland Globe</ref>
Rangal, a neighbourhood in the locality (Template:Coord), is associated with former Rangal railway station (originally called Frasers Siding), assigned by the Queensland Railways Department on 7 June 1927. It is an Aboriginal word referring to a species of Callistemon (ti tree), although the language of origin is unknown.<ref name="qpn27977">Template:Cite QPN</ref>
History
Blackwater was established on Gangulu territory, and is named after the Blackwater Creek which apparently was first observed to flow with black water, believed to be caused by the local coal deposits.<ref name=qpnt/><ref name=qpnl/>
Coal deposits were discovered there by Ludwig Leichhardt on his expedition from Moreton Bay to Port Essington (now Darwin, Northern Territory) in 1845.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Leichhardt saw "beds of coal indistinguishable from those on the Hunter at Newcastle".<ref>Template:Citation, available online Template:Webarchive</ref>
Blackwater Post Office opened on 19 July 1877.<ref name="Post Office">Template:Cite web</ref>
Blackwater Provisional School opened on 21 November 1877 but closed sometime after September 1878. It reopened in 1883 and on 1 January 1909 became Blackwater State School.<ref name="qfhs">Template:Citation</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite QldSchool</ref>
It wasn't until over a century after Leichhardt first discovered the beds of coal at Blackwater that the town saw major coal mining development. With the opening up of several coal mines near the town in the 1960s, Blackwater's population rapidly increased as people searching for work found employment in the town's booming mining industry.Template:Citation needed
Blackwater State High School opened on 30 January 1973.<ref name=":0" />
By the mid-late 1970s, the town had 3 Rugby League clubs: South Blackwater, Blackwater Devils and Blackwater Centrals.Template:Citation needed
Blackwater North State School opened on 30 January 1979.<ref name=":0" />
Approximately 100,000 workers have been employed in coal mining at Blackwater over its 50-year history. The town has provided considerable economic development for Queensland and Australia more generally.Template:Citation needed
1867 Gold Escort murders
Blackwater is located close to the site of the infamous double murder of two police constables at the hands of gold commissioner Thomas Griffin.<ref name=slain>Template:Cite news</ref>
Griffin killed the two troopers, John Power and Patrick Cahill, on 6 November 1867 on the banks of the Mackenzie River near the present day site of Blackwater's Bedford Weir, which is located approximately 25 kilometres north of the town.<ref>(23 October 2018) Head for the water Template:Webarchive, Central Queensland News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> The three men had been a part of a gold escort, escorting £4000 in cash from Rockhampton to the Clermont goldfields, which Griffin stole after he killed Power and Cahill.<ref name=slain/> Griffin was later convicted of the crime and hanged in Rockhampton.<ref name=slain/>
A memorial to Power and Cahill was erected at the Bedford Weir in 2013.<ref>Shield, Tanya (19 July 2013) Memorial for officers - Double murder: Two constables killed 1867 Template:Webarchive, myPolice Rockhampton. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> The 150th anniversary of their murders, in 2017, was commemorated in both Blackwater and Rockhampton.<ref name=slain/>
1980 John Howard visit
Blackwater attracted national media attention in 1980 after violent scenes occurred outside the Capricorn Hotel on 1 August 1980, when angry striking coal miners confronted Federal Treasurer, John Howard.<ref name=jostle>(2 August 1980) Angry miners jostle Howard Template:Webarchive, The Canberra Times. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref><ref name=attack>(4 August 1980) Qld miners attack Canberra Template:Webarchive, Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
Howard had arrived in Blackwater with Deputy Prime Minister, Doug Anthony, and Queensland Treasurer, Llewellyn Edwards, to negotiate with union officials in an attempt to end the protracted industrial action.<ref name=jostle/> The strike by the miners was in protest against a government plan to make coal miners pay tax on housing subsidised by the mining companies.<ref name=jostle/><ref name=attack/>
The miners, who had been supplied with free alcohol, confronted the politicians as they left the hotel after negotiations reached a stalemate.<ref name=jostle/><ref name=attack/> As police officers attempted to hastily escort the politicians to the safety of waiting police vehicles, Howard was shoved, jostled, sworn at and grabbed in a headlock.<ref name=jostle/><ref name=attack/> A police officer sustained a suspected broken nose, a camera operator was punched in the face and eggs were thrown.<ref name=jostle/> A police vehicle was also damaged when its tail light was kicked in.<ref name=jostle/>
The 10-week strike ended in September 1980 when the Federal Government eventually reached an agreement with the Combined Mining Unions.<ref>(9 August 1980) Howard regrets house-tax confusion Template:Webarchive, The Canberra Times. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref><ref>(3 September 1980) Miners to vote on ending tax strike Template:Webarchive, The Canberra Times. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref><ref>(6 September 1980) Union muscle wins again Template:Webarchive, The Canberra Times. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
1999 Australian Story controversy
In 1999, a production crew from ABC Television's documentary series Australian Story arrived in Blackwater to film jazz musician Don Burrows' visit to the town.<ref>(15 June 1999), TV crew to film concert, Blackwater Herald. Accessed 2 October 2020.</ref> Burrows had already visited Blackwater on two previous occasions. On this occasion Burrows performed a concert in the town with pianist Kevin Hunt and briefly spent time with members of Blackwater State High School's concert band.<ref>(13 July 1999), All eyes on TV screens, Blackwater Herald. Accessed 2 October 2020.</ref> The Australian Story program, entitled "Mr Burrows goes to Blackwater" and introduced by Julie Anthony, aired on 29 July 1999.<ref>(29 July 1999) Mr Burrows goes to Blackwater (transcript) Template:Webarchive, Season 4; Episode 24, Australian Story. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
The Blackwater community's reception to the program was mostly negative.<ref name=angers>(3 August 1999), Program angers band supporters, Blackwater Herald. Accessed 2 October 2020.</ref> Complaints ranged from the way Blackwater was portrayed in the program, to the way the program implied that Burrows was single-handedly responsible for the success of the high school band when in actuality he had only played a very minor role.<ref name=angers/> Principal of Blackwater State High School, Jim Reay, said he was disappointed with the program, particularly by the failure of the program to acknowledge the contribution of bandmaster and music teacher John Evenhuis.<ref name=angers/> It was also a sentiment shared by many local residents who felt that Evenhuis had achieved much more than Burrows regarding the success of the concert band and was more deserving of the praise which had been afforded to Burrows.<ref name=angers/><ref>(3 August 1999), Letter: Band credit where credit's due, Blackwater Herald. Accessed 2 October 2020.</ref><ref>(3 August 1999), Letter: Comments disappointing, Blackwater Herald. Accessed 2 October 2020.</ref><ref>(3 August 1999), Letter: Comments distort the truth, Blackwater Herald. Accessed 2 October 2020.</ref>
The substantial negative reaction prompted Australian Story producer John Millard to write a lengthy open letter to the Blackwater community which was published in local newspaper, the Blackwater Herald, in an attempt to explain why the program was produced the way it was.<ref>(10 August 1999), Letter: Producer responds, Blackwater Herald. Accessed 2 October 2020.</ref>
2008 Bedford Weir fabridam failure
On 23 November 2008, a fabridam barrier at the Bedford Weir on the Mackenzie River near Blackwater suddenly failed, causing 6,000 megalitres of water to surge downstream into a popular recreational area where people were swimming.<ref name=drained>(25 November 2008) Weir to be drained after child drowns Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> A four year old girl, Nelani Koefer, who had been paddling in shallow water, was washed away and drowned.<ref name=drained/> Her body was recovered the following day.<ref name=drained/>
The Bedford Weir's operator SunWater Limited and the manufacturer of the fabridam wall, Trelleborg Engineered Systems, were held responsible for the failure.<ref name=fined>(8 November 2013) SunWater fined over death of child at Blackwater weir Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> In 2013, SunWater pleaded guilty to a breach of the Workplace Health & Safety Act in the Rockhampton Industrial Magistrates Court and was fined $80,000, but no conviction was recorded.<ref name=fined/> Trelleborg Engineered Systems was also fined $80,000.<ref name=fined/>
A coronial inquest was held in 2015, the findings of which were delivered on 17 March 2016.<ref>Edwards, Alyse (7 December 2015) Nelani Koefer inquest: Mother recalls moment 4yo was swept to her death after dam wall burst Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> The coroner found that the collapse had been caused by a manufacturing fault in the wall, which had been designed by Trelleborg.<ref>Higgins, Isabella (18 March 2016) Nelani Koefer inquest: Coroner warns against inflatable barriers after 4yo's Bedford Weir drowning Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> The coroner advised that the walls should be removed, never to be used again.<ref>(17 March 2016) Findings of Inquest: Inquest into the death of Nelani Ciara Koefer Template:Webarchive, Office of the State Coroner, Queensland Courts. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
In 2016, it was reported that Nelani Koefer's mother had filed a claim in the Rockhampton Supreme Court suing SunWater and Trelleborg for $1.48 million.<ref>Lodge, Jess (14 January 2016) Nelani Koefer's mother suing for almost $1.5 million over Bedford Weir death in central Queensland Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
2020 COVID-19 scares
In 2020, it was feared that the Blackwater community was potentially exposed to COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia after it was confirmed on two separate occasions that there had been positive COVID-19 test results. On both occasions it was confirmed the initial test results had been false positives.
In the first incident, it was reported on 11 April 2020 that a Rockhampton-based worker employed at BHP's BMA coal mine at Blackwater had tested positive to COVID-19.<ref>Evans, Jack (11 April 2020) BMA confirms CQ miner is positive for COVID-19 Template:Webarchive, The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> The positive result prompted BHP to contact people who may have been in contact with the employee who had not been on site since 1 April 2020.<ref>Allen, Steph (13 April 2020) Blackwater miner tests positive for COVID-19 Template:Webarchive, Central Queensland News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> However, several days later the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service confirmed that the man had tested negative to COVID-19 following a secondary test and that the first test had been a false positive.<ref>Gunders, Peter (17 April 2020) Blackwater mine worker returns 'false positive' COVID-19 test result Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref><ref>Smith, Leighton (17 April 2020) CQ miner free of COVID-19 feeling 'very grateful' Template:Webarchive, Central Queensland News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
In the second incident, it was confirmed on 27 May 2020 by the Queensland Government that 30-year-old mine worker Nathan Turner had died at his Blackwater home and had subsequently tested positive to COVID-19.<ref name=youngest>Horn, Allyson; Burt, Jemima (27 May 2020) Queensland man Nathan Turner dies with coronavirus, youngest victim in Australia Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> At the time, Turner was believed to have been the youngest person in Australia to have died from COVID-19, a fact that generated significant national media interest.<ref name=youngest/><ref>(28 May 2020) Coronavirus: Race to find how youngest victim became infected in small town Template:Webarchive, Nine News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref><ref>Layt, Stuart (28 May 2020) Blackwater residents urged to get tested for COVID-19 as race is on to trace source Template:Webarchive, The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
Following the announcement, a special COVID-19 response team was dispatched to Blackwater and many of the town's residents came forward to be tested. Blackwater's sewerage was also tested in an attempt to determine whether the virus had spread through the community.<ref>Wuth, Robyn (30 May 2020) Zero new COVID-19 cases in Queensland as Blackwater sewage tested Template:Webarchive, Brisbane Times. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> There were also fears that they may have been a link between Turner and a Rockhampton aged care nurse who had earlier travelled to Blackwater while infectious with COVID-19.<ref>Burt, Jemima; Siganto, Talissa (29 May 2020) Blackwater coronavirus death sees nurse's union accuse Queensland Government of witch-hunt Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
Several days after they had said that Turner had died from COVID-19, the Queensland Government revealed that the coroner had advised them that Turner did not have COVID-19 and that the initial test may have been a false positive.<ref>(1 June 2020) Nathan Turner did not have coronavirus, Queensland Health confirms, after miner's death prompted widespread testing in Blackwater Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
The revelation that Turner did not have COVID-19 sparked anger in the Blackwater community.<ref>Plane, Melanie (2 June 2020) Shock findings: Blackwater COVID backflip sparks anger Template:Webarchive, Central Queensland News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> It also prompted almost 10,000 people to sign a petition on Change.org demanding Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young apologise to Turner's family.<ref>Muller, Nicole (1 June 2020) Petition: Annastacia Palaszczuk and Jeannette Young to make a national apology to Nathan Turner's family, Change.org. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> Palaszczuk and Deputy Premier Steven Miles both publicly apologised to Turner's family while Young said she believed nothing could have been done differently and was confident the correct actions were taken to protect the Blackwater community following the initial positive test result.<ref>(2 June 2020) Coronavirus false positive result for Blackwater man Nathan Turner prompts apology from Queensland Premier Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
There was also criticism that news of Turner's false positive was first revealed on social media by his partner's workplace rather than Queensland Health, who only confirmed the news several hour afterwards.<ref>Horn, Allyson (4 June 2020) Confusion over Blackwater COVID-19 test could jeopardise confidence in Premier's handling of coronavirus crisis Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref> The government's actions, however, received support from Turner's father who said although he didn't understand how a false positive had occurred, he understood that the potential risk required immediate action and that the public needed to be informed.<ref>Burt, Jemima (3 June 2020) Father of Blackwater man Nathan Turner backs Queensland Health response to coronavirus result Template:Webarchive, ABC News. Retrieved 2 October 2020.</ref>
Demographics
There were 77 people living in Blackwater when the 1961 census was recorded. This increased to almost 2,000 when the 1971 census was recorded.Template:Citation needed
By the mid-late 1970s, the population of Blackwater was more than 10,000 people.Template:Citation needed
6,760 people living in Blackwater in 1991. Since then, the population of the town has gradually waned. In the Template:CensusAU, there were still over 5,000 people living in the Blackwater community.<ref name="Census2011">Template:Census 2011 AUS</ref>
In the Template:CensusAU, the locality of Blackwater had a population of 4,749 people.<ref name=Census2016>Template:Census 2016 AUS</ref>
In the Template:CensusAU, the locality of Blackwater had a population of 4,702 people.<ref name=Census2021>Template:Census 2021 AUS</ref>
Education
Blackwater State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 11 Wey Street (Template:Coord).<ref name="SchoolList2018">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 183 students with 14 teachers and 18 non-teaching staff (10 full-time equivalent).<ref name="ACARA2017">Template:Cite web</ref>
Blackwater North State School is a government primary (Early Childhood to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 20 Park Street (corner of William Street, Template:Coord).<ref name="SchoolList2018" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 397 students with 27 teachers (26 full-time equivalent) and 19 non-teaching staff (13 full-time equivalent).<ref name="ACARA2017" /> It includes a special education program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Blackwater State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 26 Elm Street (Template:Coord).<ref name="SchoolList2018" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 316 students with 36 teachers (35 full-time equivalent) and 24 non-teaching staff (17 full-time equivalent).<ref name="ACARA2017" /> It includes a special education program.<ref name="SchoolList2018" />
Amenities
The Central Highlands Regional Council Library Services operates a Library in Blackwater at the Community Centre on Wey Street.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Frank Tutungi Memorial Lions Park is on the corner of the Capricorn Highway and Mackenzie Street. It is named after one of the Blackwater Lions Charter Members, Frank Tutungi, who was one of the original members of the Blackwater Lions Club and was the first from Blackwater to become a District Governor. The park displays the flags of the 37 nationalities of the people who formed part of the original town.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Blackwater branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the QCWA Hall at 1 Ardurad Road.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Blackwater Uniting Church is at 1 Coolibah Street (Template:Coord). It is part of the Central Queensland Presbytery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Fossils
Discoveries in the Blackwater region include Bowengriphus, and Ebenaqua.Template:Citation needed
Notable people from Blackwater
Olympic track cyclist Anna Meares was born in Blackwater in 1983. In 2012, a street was named after her, when Meares Street was constructed as part of a new subdivision in the centre of Blackwater.<ref name="amn">Template:Cite news</ref>
Australian television personality, actor and comedian Josh Thomas was born in Blackwater in 1987, but moved with his family to Brisbane soon after.<ref name="pjt">Template:Cite web</ref>
Australian rugby league players Tamika Upton, PJ Marsh and David Taylor all grew up in Blackwater. They have represented various teams in the National Rugby League competition.<ref name="bsgh">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Wayne Denning, who established the award-winning creative agency Carbon Creative, was born in Blackwater.Template:Citation needed
See also
References
External links
Template:Central Highlands Region Template:Central Queensland