Innisfail

Geography

Innisfail's town centre is situated at the junction of the Johnstone River and South Johnstone River, approximately 5 km (3 mi) from the coast. It is located near large tracts of old-growth tropical rainforest surrounded by vast areas of extensive farmlands. Queensland's highest mountain, Mount Bartle Frere, part of Australia's Great Dividing Range, is 15 kilometres (9 mi) to the north.

The town's central business district is in the vicinity of Edith Street and Rankin Street (17.5241°S 146.0311°E / -17.5241; 146.0311 (Innisfail central business district)).

Climate

Innisfail experiences a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen: Af) and has no month with an average temperature below 18 °C (64.4 °F) or with less than 60 millimetres (2.4 in) of rainfall. However, as a trade-wind climate that experiences frequent cyclones, it is not equatorial. Consistently, humid, very warm to hot weather dominates in Innisfail. In particular Innisfail is reputed as being among the wettest towns in Australia. Babinda, 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of Innisfail is generally considered to be the wettest.

Unlike most of tropical Australia, the southern winter or "dry" season is not completely dry as moist easterly winds bring frequent showers; rainfall is, however, still far lower than during the southern summer. Monthly totals of over 1,000 mm (39 in) are common in the region between January and April and some months will not experience a day without rain if the monsoon is unusually heavy. The town gets around 63.5 clear days per year.

During the summer "cyclone season", Innisfail is frequently under threat from tropical cyclones developing in the Coral Sea. High rainfall associated with these storms, combined with Innisfail's riverside location often causes flooding.

Climate data is taken from Innisfail weather station, which has recorded rainfall since 1881 and temperature since 1908. Meanwhile, sun data was borrowed from the South Johnstone EXP weather station, 9.7 km SW of Innisfail.

History

Prior to European settlement the Innisfail area was occupied by five separate societies of the Mamu people. These Aboriginal people followed migratory lifestyles in the rainforest and traversed rivers in string-bark canoes.

The first arrival of European people came in January 1872 when survivors of the shipwreck, the "Maria" arrived on the coastal areas surrounding what is now the Johnstone River. Sub-Inspector Robert Arthur Johnstone of the Native Police came with the intention of rescuing remaining survivors and collectively punishing Aboriginals thought to have killed a number of the shipwrecked crew. In mid 1873, Johnstone returned to the area as part of another punitive mission and ventured further upriver between what is today Flying Fish Point and Coquette Point. Johnstone wrote very highly of the area, stating:A most glorious view appeared – a noble reach of fresh water, studded with blacks with their canoes and catamarans, others on the sandy beaches; deep blue fresh water expanding to an imposing breadth.

In October 1873, Johnstone again returned as part of the Northeast Coast Expedition led by the explorer George Elphinstone Dalrymple. British settlement was first established at the junction of the north and south branches of the Johnstone River by this expedition on 5 October 1873. It was named Nind's Camp after Philip Henry Nind who accompanied the party.

Later in 1879, Irishman Thomas Henry Fitzgerald arrived in the area to establish a sugar industry at his Innisfail Estate (now the locality of that name). He was accompanied by large numbers of Kanaka South Sea Islanders workers accompanied by smaller numbers of Irish labourers. The house built by Fitzgerald and thus the first establishment in the area was called Innisfallen, after the largest island in the Lakes of Killarney, Ireland. Inis Fáil (island of destiny) is an ancient Irish name for Ireland itself. The name is used in the rarely sung third verse of "The Soldier's Song", the Irish national anthem. The stone mentioned may be the stone at Tara, County Meath, at which high kings of Ireland were crowned.

From 1879, the settlement was named Geraldton (officially in July 1883) by Fitzgerald, but on 20 August 1910 it was renamed "Innisfail" to avoid confusion with the town of the same name in Western Australia. It was Margaret-Mary Noone a long time resident of the area who suggested the name Innisfail as a way to honour T.H Fitzgerald's pioneering efforts and Ireland

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the town of Innisfail had a population of 7,236 people, which includes the urban and suburban parts of the localities of Innisfail, Cullinane, Innisfail Estate, East Innisfail, Webb, South Innisfail, Mighell, Goondi Hill, Hudson, and Goondi Bend. Within the town, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 17.3% of the population. 72.1% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were India 4.0%, Italy 1.9% and England 1.8%.74.8% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Punjabi 4.4% and Italian 2.8%. The most common responses for religion were Catholic 27.0%, No Religion 20.5% and Anglican 13.9%. The locality of Innisfail (the town's centre) had a population of 1,145 people.

In the 2021 census, the town of Innisfail had a population of 7,173 people, while the locality of Innisfail (the town's centre) had a population of 1,091 people.

Education

Innisfail State School is a government primary (Preparatory to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 7 Emily Street (17.5183°S 146.0280°E / -17.5183; 146.0280 (Innisfail State School)). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 165 students with 22 teachers (19 full-time equivalent) and 20 non-teaching staff (13 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program known as Canecutters Cluster.

Good Counsel Primary School is a Catholic primary (Preparatory to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 96 Rankin Street (17.5212°S 146.0288°E / -17.5212; 146.0288 (Good Counsel Primary School)). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 279 students with 27 teachers (21 full-time equivalent) and 20 non-teaching staff (13 full-time equivalent).

Good Counsel College is a Catholic secondary (7 to 12) school for boys and girls at 66 Owen Street (17.5207°S 146.0285°E / -17.5207; 146.0285 (Good Counsel College)). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 371 students with 41 teachers (39 full-time equivalent) and 31 non-teaching staff (24 full-time equivalent).

There is no government secondary school within the locality of Innisfail, as the town's government secondary school, Innisfail State College, is located in Innisfail Estate immediately across the river east of the main town centre.

Amenities

The Cassowary Coast Regional Council operates a public library at 49 Rankin Street. The current library opened in 2015.

The Innisfail branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the CWA Hall at 1 McGowan Drive.

Chinese Australians built the Innisfail Temple / Lit Sing Gung (列聖宮) in Owen Street, which is now open to other races and religions.

The Sikh community has built the Sikh Temple / Guru Nanak Sikh Education Centre in East Innisfail.

Mother of Good Counsel Catholic Church is at 90 Rankin Street. It is within the Innisfail Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns.

The Dormition of Our Lady Greek Orthodox Church is at 133 Ernest Street (17.5189°S 146.0273°E / -17.5189; 146.0273 (The Dormition of Our Lady Greek Orthodox Church)). Their feast day is 15 August.

Economy

The main industries remain predominately banana and sugar cane. Outlying areas of Innisfail also grow tea, pawpaws and other exotic fruits.

Innisfail remains a popular destination for backpackers seeking employment in the fruit picking industry. Tourism is of importance to the township and the town consistently seeks to attract visitors passing through on the Bruce Highway. The town's Art Deco architecture is a drawcard for many tourists.

Heritage listings

Innisfail has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Innisfail Courthouse, 10 Edith Street

See Poy House, 134 Edith Street

Canecutters Memorial, Fitzgerald Esplanade

Johnstone Shire Hall, 70 Rankin Street

Mother of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 90 Rankin Street

St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church, 114 Rankin Street

Events

Popular annual events to celebrate Innisfail's diversity include:

Kulture Karnival

Festival Innisfail

Feast of the Senses

Feast of the Three Saints

Tropical Art Deco Festival

There are many events that act predominantly as community events, the main ones include:

The Innisfail Rodeo

Harvest Festival

Innisfail Agricultural Show

Notable residents

Scott Bolton, rugby league player for the North Queensland Cowboys, grew up in Innisfail. Bolton debuted with the Cowboys in 2007 and has spent his entire career with the club, winning a premiership in 2015.Barring injury, the 32-year-old Innisfail product and Cowboys life member will play his final game against the Storm in Melbourne in Round 25, 2019.

Kerry Boustead: former Queensland and Australian Rugby league great, Queensland's first ever try scorer in State of Origin rugby league. Kerry Boustead was also the only player from outside the Sydney and Brisbane Leagues selected to represent Australia on the 1978 Kangaroo tour.

Michael Martin Clancy, first resident Parish Priest in Geraldton.

Jessica-Rose Clark, mixed martial artist currently signed to the UFC.

Steve Corica: retired footballer who was capped numerous times for Australia and played in England, notably for Wolverhampton Wanderers, was also capped over 100 times for Marconi Stallions in the ex-NSL and Sydney FC in the A-League.

Brent Cockbain former international rugby player (2003 World cup for Wales) grew up in Innisfail.

Ben Dunk, born 1987 Australia T20 and ODI cricket player

Billy Slater, rugby league player, grew up in Innisfail. Billy Slater played for the Melbourne Storm for sixteen seasons in the NRL and was an Australian International and Queensland State of Origin representative fullback. He played his whole NRL career at Melbourne and won four grand finals, two Clive Churchill Medals and the Dally M Medal with the Storm before his retirement from the sport in 2018. He wrote an autobiography and is often considered one of the games best fullbacks.

Norman Stevens, Australian boxer at 1980 Moscow Olympics

In popular culture

Elizabeth Haran's 2003 novel Sunset over Eden is set in the town.

In March 2017, an Innisfail teenager survived a crocodile attack after entering the Johnstone River. Subsequent interviews with the survivor went viral online.