Happy Valley, Queensland (Fraser Island)

Happy Valley is a coastal town in the locality of Fraser Island in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.[1]

For the suburb in the City of Mount Isa, see Happy Valley, Queensland (Mount Isa).

Happy Valley
Queensland
Beach at Happy Valley, 2004
Happy Valley
Coordinates25.3375°S 153.2005°E / -25.3375; 153.2005 (Happy Valley (town centre))
Postcode(s)4581
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)Fraser Coast Region
State electorate(s)Hervey Bay
Federal Division(s)Wide Bay

Geography
Advertising for the Happy Valley tourist resort, 9 February 1935

Fraser Island (the island) is divided into two localities, one very small one, Eurong, and very large one called Fraser Island (the locality) with Happy Valley its only town. Happy Valley is approximately halfway along the east coast of Fraser Island facing the Pacific Ocean.[2]

History
See also: 2020–21 Australian bushfire season § Queensland (Fraser Island Fire), and Fraser Island § 2020 bushfire
Huts at Happy Valley, circa 1935

From August 1934, tourists started coming to the Fraser Island Tourist Resort, a group of huts "offering every comfort and convenience" at Happy Valley.[3][4]

On 7 December 2020 a bushfire, started in October by an illegal campfire, threatened the town and caused residents to evacuate their homes as it burned out of control.[5] Early in the morning (3:35am) the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) issued an emergency warning in which residents were advised to "leave immediately".[6] Heavy rainfall in mid-December helped contain the fire and the QFES handed control back to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS).[7] Up to 14 December 2020 the fire had been burning for over two months and more than half the island had been "blackened". Though the fire was still burning the island was declared safe for visitors and reopened on 15 December.[8]

References
  1. "Happy Valley – town in Fraser Coast Region (entry 15356)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  2. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  3. "TOURIST AGENCY". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (20, 149). Queensland, Australia. 23 February 1935. p. 5. Retrieved 18 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Advertising". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay And Burnett Advertiser (20, 137). Queensland, Australia. 9 February 1935. p. 7. Retrieved 18 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. Binnie, Kerrin; and, Staff (14 November 2020). "Fraser Island bushfire closing in on township after blaze started by illegal campfire". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  6. Stewart, Jessica; and, Staff (7 December 2020). "Fraser Island residents told to 'leave immediately' as bushfire threatens town and interstate resources join firefighting effort". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  7. Van Vonderen, Jessica; and, Staff (13 December 2020). "South-east Queensland braces for flooding after wet weekend". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  8. Hegarty, Nicole (14 December 2020). "K'gari-Fraser Island to reopen as weekend rain contains bushfire that has burned since October". ABC Wide Bay. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 February 2021.

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