Shoalwater
QLD 4702 • Queensland
About Shoalwater
Shoalwater is an extremely remote and vast rural locality in the Rockhampton district of Central Queensland, sharing postcode 4702 with Rockhampton and covering an extraordinary 2,939 square kilometres of open savanna woodland, tropical grassland and semi-arid scrub. The 2021 census recorded a population of just 6 residents, reflecting its character as pure pastoral country with negligible habitation across an area the size of a small European country. The locality lies in the Flynn federal electorate and Rockhampton state electorate, occupying the inland pastoral zone west of Rockhampton between the Fitzroy River catchment and the Capricorn Highlands. Cattle grazing on large, extensively managed stations is the dominant land use across Shoalwater's expansive terrain.
Shoalwater's handful of residents are engaged in extensive cattle station operations, living a self-sufficient lifestyle that typifies Queensland's remote inland pastoral zones. All services are accessed by vehicle over long distances to Rockhampton, the nearest regional city — approximately 100–150 kilometres to the east — which offers hospitals, retail, Queensland Rail connections and Rockhampton Airport with domestic flights. The Fitzroy River system and the spectacular Carnarvon Gorge National Park to the south-west provide natural attractions for adventurous travellers passing through this remote corner of Central Queensland. The locality's vast, open sky landscapes and profound solitude appeal exclusively to those committed to the demanding but rewarding lifestyle of outback cattle farming.
Shoalwater falls under postcode 4702 and is governed by the local council Council (LGA). For state elections, residents vote in the Rockhampton electorate.
Location
Transport & Commute
Nearest Train Stations
Commute to Brisbane
🛣️ Rockhampton (~130 km east) is the regional centre with full services, airport and rail. Roads are mostly unsealed and can become impassable during wet season flooding. The Royal Flying Doctor Service is critical for emergency medical care.
Shoalwater is an uninhabited pastoral locality with zero walkable amenities. A 4WD vehicle and full self-sufficiency (fuel, water, supplies) are essential. Satellite communications are strongly recommended.
Supermarkets Nearby
No major supermarkets listed for this suburb.
Schools
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Cook Street
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Dawson Highway
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1 Power Street
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Main Street
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Burnett Highway
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125 Annie Drive
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Off Capricorn Highway
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269 Coowonga Road
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Cnr Kennedy & Normanby Streets
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Dingo-Mount Flora Road
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Old Cullen-La-Ringo Road
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Wills Street
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Rannes Road
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O'Shanesy Street
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Threeways Road
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Keppel Sands Road
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Rogers Street
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11 Mason Avenue
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43 Dalma-Ridgelands Road
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16 Warrijo Street