Lakefield, Queensland
Lakefield is a coastal rural locality in the Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia. In the, Lakefield had a population of 21 people.
Geography
Lakefield is on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula. Lakefield Road runs through the locality from the south-east to the north-west with connections via the Endeavour Battle Camp Road to Laura and the Peninsula Developmental Road to the south-west and to Cooktown to the south-east.The Normanby River, North Kennedy River, Hann River, Annie River, and many other creeks and rivers join as they flow to the northern coast of Lakefield to the Coral Sea, creating many lakes.
Islands
The northern boundary of the locality extends offshore to include a number of islands :- Clack Island
- King Island
- the Flinders Group, consisting of:
- * Stanley Island
- * Flinders Island
- * Blackwood Island
- * Maclear Island
- * Denham Island
- * Rocky Islets
Bays and passages
The locality includes the following bays and passages:- Stokes Bay on the west coast of Stanley Island
- Owen Channel between Stanley and Flinders Islands
- Fly Channel between Flinders Island and Mclear Island
- Rattlesnake Channel between Denham Island and the mainland
- Princess Charlotte Bay off the north-west coast of the locality
- Bathurst Bay off the north coast of the locality
Coastal features
Lakefield has the following coastal headlands :- Cape Flinders on Stanley Island
- Nares Point on Stanley Island
- Richards Point on Flinders Island
- Heming Point on Stanley Island
- Pirie Head on Flinders Island
- Howard Bluff on Denham Island
- Pullen Point on Blackwood Island
- Combe Point on the mainland
- Bathurst Head on the mainland
Mountains
Lakefield has the following mountains :- Castle Peaks on Stanley Island
- Flinders Peak on Flinders Island
- Bay Hill
- Conspicuous Peak
- Alkaline Hill
- Jane Table Hill
- Jeannette Hill
- Walkers Hill
- Wards Hill
- Balsers Knob
- Flat Top Hill
- Black Hill
- Mount Jack
Land use
The Rinyirru National Park occupies the south and west of the locality. The Cape Melville National Park is in the north-east of the locality extending into neighbouring Starcke to the east. Apart from the Rocky Islets, all of the islands in the locality are either fully or partially within the Flinders Group National Park.Most of the locality is within these protected areas, while the remaining land is mostly undeveloped. There is a small area used for grazing on native vegetation east of the mouth of Normanby River along the coast.
History
Flinders Island and the Flinders Group were named by Lieutenant Charles Jeffreys, a naval officer on HM Armed Brig Kangaroo on 30 May 1815, after Captain Matthew Flinders. Clack Island was also named by Jeffreys, but the origin of the name is unknown.The other islands are all believed to be named after naval officers who commanded survey vessels operating around the northern Queensland coast:
- King Island named after Lieutenant Phillip Parker King, commander of HM Colonial Cutter Mermaid from 1818 to 1820
- Blackwood Island named after Captain Francis Price Blackwood, who commanded HMS Fly from 1843 to 1845
- Stanley Island named after Captain Owen Stanley, who commanded HMS Rattlesnake from 1847 to 1848
- Denham Island named after Captain Henry Mangles Denham, who commanded HMS Herald from 1853 to 1861
- Maclear Island named after Lieutenant John Maclear, who commanded HMS Alert from 1881 to 1882.
Demographics
In the, Lakefield and surrounding areas had a population of 184 people.In the, Lakefield had a population of 16 people.
In the, Lakefield had a population of 21 people.