Porcupine, Queensland

Porcupine is an outback locality in the Shire of Flinders, Queensland, Australia.^[2] In the 2021 census, Porcupine had a population of 39 people.^[1]

Porcupine Queensland
Porcupine Creek flowing through Porcupine Gorge, 2015
Porcupine
Coordinates	20.0891°S 144.335°E / -20.0891; 144.335 (Porcupine (centre of locality))
Population	39 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	0.00469/km2 (0.01214/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4821
Area	8,318.6 km2 (3,211.8 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	108 km (67 mi) NNE of Hughenden 452 km (281 mi) WSW of Townsville 1,538 km (956 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Shire of Flinders
State electorate(s)	Traeger
Federal division(s)	Kennedy
Suburbs around Porcupine: Woolgar Gilberton Lyndhurst Basalt Dutton River Porcupine Pentland Hughenden Prairie Torrens Creek

Geography

The drainage divide created by the Great Dividing Range runs from north to south near the eastern boundary of the locality. As a consequence, the terrain in the locality is mountainous with the following named peaks (from north to south):

• Bombarri Hill (19.5902°S 144.3003°E / -19.5902; 144.3003 (Bombarri Hill)) 960 metres (3,150 ft) above sea level^[3][4]
• Castle Hill (19.6804°S 144.2307°E / -19.6804; 144.2307 (Castle Hill)) 900 metres (3,000 ft)^[3][5]
• Mount King (20.0175°S 144.4809°E / -20.0175; 144.4809 (Mount King)) 900 metres (3,000 ft)^[6][7]
• Mount Mistake (20.0578°S 144.4421°E / -20.0578; 144.4421 (Mount Mistake)) 910 metres (2,990 ft)^[8][9]
• Mount Dick (20.1085°S 144.5813°E / -20.1085; 144.5813 (Mount Dick)) 900 metres (3,000 ft)^[3][10]
• Mount Cracknell (20.1582°S 144.6815°E / -20.1582; 144.6815 (Mount Cracknell)) 886 metres (2,907 ft)^[3][11]
• Mount Bradshaw (20.1632°S 144.2928°E / -20.1632; 144.2928 (Mount Bradshaw)) 850 metres (2,790 ft)^[3][12]
• Mount James (20.2156°S 144.3580°E / -20.2156; 144.3580 (Mount James)) 968 metres (3,176 ft)^[3][13]
• Mount Emu (20.2283°S 144.3759°E / -20.2283; 144.3759 (Mount Emu)) 976 metres (3,202 ft)^[3][14]
• Mount Pleasant (20.2330°S 144.6055°E / -20.2330; 144.6055 (Mount Pleasant)) 814 metres (2,671 ft)^[3][15]
• Mount Oxley (20.2338°S 144.8215°E / -20.2338; 144.8215 (Mount Oxley)) 820 metres (2,690 ft)^[3][16]
• Mount Sturgeon (20.2509°S 144.4688°E / -20.2509; 144.4688 (Mount Sturgeon)) 795 metres (2,608 ft)^[3][17]
• Bald Hill (20.2853°S 144.1038°E / -20.2853; 144.1038 (Bald Hill)) 689 metres (2,260 ft)^[3][18]
• Mount Pleasant (second mountain of that name, 20.3388°S 144.2021°E / -20.3388; 144.2021 (Mount Pleasant)) 762 metres (2,500 ft)^[3][19]
• Mount Wongalee (20.6339°S 144.4111°E / -20.6339; 144.4111 (Mount Wongalee)) 515 metres (1,690 ft)^[3][20]
• Mount Canterbury (20.6631°S 144.3158°E / -20.6631; 144.3158 (Mount Canterbury)) 466 metres (1,529 ft)^[3][21]

Numerous creeks rise in this area flowing into valleys west towards inland Queensland where they eventually become tributaries of the Flinders River which flows through the Gulf Country to the Gulf of Carpentaria. In contrast, the South Gregory River rises to the east of the divide and flows eventually into the Burdekin River which enters the Coral Sea at Upstart Bay, east of Ayr.^[22]

The Kennedy Developmental Road enters the locality from north (Lyndhurst) and exits to south (Hughenden / Prairie).^[22]

Some small areas of the locality are part of a number of national parks including Porcupine Gorge National Park (which protects the Porcupine Gorge created by Porcupine Creek, entirely within the southern part of the locality), White Mountains National Park (extending south-east into Torrens Creek) and Blackbraes National Park (extending north into Lyndhurst).^[22]

Apart from the protected areas, the land use is grazing on native vegetation.^[22]

History

Porcupine grass, a species of Triodia

The locality was named and bounded on 23 February 2001.^[2] The name is believed to derive from the appearance of the spiky leaves of the spinifex bushes in the area. In particular the Triodia scariosa is commonly known in Australia as "porcupine grass".^[23]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, Porcupine had a population of 49 people.^[24]

In the 2021 census, Porcupine had a population of 39 people.^[1]

Education

There are no schools in Porcupine. The nearest government school is Hughenden State School (Prep–12) in neighbouring Hughenden to the south-west. However, this school would only be within range of a daily commute for the southern part of Porcupine. Options for students living further north in Porcupine would be distance education and boarding school.^[22]

Attractions

Within the Porcupine Gorge National Park, there are two lookouts:

• Pyramid Rock Lookout (20.3468°S 144.4619°E / -20.3468; 144.4619 (Pyramid Rock Lookout)) which is accessed via a 400-metre (1,300 ft) walk^[25][26]

• Porcupine Gorge Lookout (20.4098°S 144.4370°E / -20.4098; 144.4370 (Porcupine Gorge Lookout)) which is accessed via a 200-metre (660 ft) walk which is wheelchair-accessible with assistance.^[25][26]