Hervey Bay, Queensland

Infobox Australian Place
type = city
name = Hervey Bay
state = qld


imagesize = 270
caption = Torquay Beach Hervey Bay
pop = 52,230
pop_footnotes = [cite web|url=http://www.herveybay.qld.gov.au/herveyBay/statistics.shtml |title=Hervey Bay Statistics|publisher=City of Hervey Bay|accessdate=2008-01-13 ("refer individual links under "Population in Selected Locations (ABS, 2006)")]
poprank = 29
density = 22.17
density_footnotes = cite web|url=http://www.herveybay.qld.gov.au/herveyBay/statistics.shtml |title=Hervey Bay Statistics|publisher=City of Hervey Bay|accessdate=2008-01-13]
est =
coordinates = coord|25|17|7|S|152|52|22|E|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title
elevation =
elevation_footnotes=
area = 2356
area_footnotes =
timezone = AEST
utc = +10
dist1 = 292
dir1 =
location1 = Brisbane
dist2 = 113
dir2 =
location2 = Bundaberg
lga = Fraser Coast Regional Council
region =
county =
stategov = Hervey Bay
fedgov = Wide Bay
maxtemp = 30.0
mintemp = 16.6
rainfall = 1061.6

Hervey Bay is a rapidly-growing city in south eastern Queensland, Australia. The 'Bay' has a sub-tropical climate with no real extremes (average 30 degrees Celsius in summer and 23 degrees in winter). At the 2006 census the population was approximately 52,230, with the city covering an area of convert|2356|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on.

The city is situated on the shores of the South Pacific Ocean, and is only a short distance from Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island, and Lady Elliot Island, a pristine resort island on the Great Barrier Reef. The local economy relies on tourism, for which whale watching, Fraser Island and Lady Elliot Island are the major drawcards.

History

The Bay was originally named "Hervey's Bay" by Captain Cook (in the Admiralty copy of his journal) when he passed there on 21 May 1770, after naval officer The Hon. Augustus Hervey. [Ray Parkin, "H. M. Bark Endeavour", Miegunyah Press, second edition 2003, ISBN 0-522-85093-6.]

Until recent years, Hervey Bay was a string of small townships stretching along the coast.

Climate

Hervey Bay has a warm sub-tropical climate with no real extremes. In summer, daytime maximum temperatures average 30 degrees celsius with minimum temperatures a mild 21 degrees celsius. Winters in 'The Bay' can be quite cold, with average daytime maximums of 22 degrees celsius. The temperature occasionally reaches very low figures; the lowest temperature recorded is -1.2 degrees celsius in July 2007. Since the climate is sub-tropical, Hervey Bay receives most of its annual rainfall during the summer wet season from December to February.

Transport

Hervey Bay is situated approximately 3.5 hours drive north of Brisbane, and 30 minutes drive north-east of Maryborough. The city is served by the Hervey Bay Airport, with direct flights from Brisbane (QantasLink) and Sydney (Virgin Blue and Jetstar). The City of Hervey Bay has released an Airport Master Plan which includes future provisioning of a taxiway parallel to the main runway, a 900 metre cross runway, additional car parking facilities and larger terminal. [cite web |url=http://www.herveybay.qld.gov.au/news/2007/Airport%20Master%20Plan.shtml |title=Hervey Bay City Council - Airport Master Plan |publisher=Hervey Bay City Council | accessdate=2007-05-07]

Politics

Hervey Bay is under the administrative control of the Fraser Coast Regional Council.

Hervey Bay is represented in the Parliament of Queensland by Andrew McNamara. The current Mayor of The Fraser Coast Council is Mick Kruger. [cite web |url=http://www.herveybay.qld.gov.au/council/aboutCouncil/mayorandCouncillors.shtml |title=Hervey Bay City Council - Mayor and Councillors |publisher=Hervey Bay City Council | accessdate=2007-05-07]

Localities

Hervey Bay began as a dispersed community spread over numerous small, seaside villages. As the area grew, these communities amalgamated and became suburbs of the new city. The current city includes the following suburbs:
* Dundowran
* Dundowran Beach
* Eli Waters
* Kawungan
* Nikenbah
* Pialba
* Point Vernon
* Scarness
* Torquay
* Urangan
* Urraween
* WondunnaTowns outside the Hervey Bay area but within the city council boundaries are:
* Aldershot
* Booral
* Burrum Heads
* Craignish
* Howard
* River Heads
* Toogoom
* Torbanlea

Education

Hervey Bay has many primary and secondary schools, both government and private.

Hervey Bay has two Higher Education institutes
** University of Southern Queensland - [http://www.usq.edu.au/frasercoast/ Fraser Coast Campus]
** [http://www.widebay.tafe.qld.gov.au/ Wide Bay Tafe]

ister Cities

Hervey Bay has two sister cities, according to the [http://www.asca.asn.au/index.html Australian Sister Cities Association] :
*flagicon|Japan Otsuki, Japan
*flagicon|China Leshan, China

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/ Fraser Coast Regional Council ]
* [http://www.herveybay.qld.gov.au/ Old Hervey Bay City Council Website ]
* [http://www.oceania.org.au/index.html Homepage for The Oceania Project. Humpback Whale Research Expedition, Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia]