Walshs Pyramid
Natural landmark near Gordonvale which rises steeply to 922m.
Watsonville
Former mining town in the Herberton Minerals Area, originated with the discovery of the Great Western Tin Lode by Robert Watson in 1880. Western Hill is on a direct line between Herberton and Irvinebank and the Western mining camp on a sandy flat at the northern base of Western Hill was surveyed and named Watsonville in 1882. The town was the principal centre for several mining camps around it. In 1897 there were three hotels, a store, Catholic and Primitive Methodist churches, a billiard saloon, a school of arts and a private school with an average attendance of 51 pupils. Mining relied on John Moffat's Irvinebank interests. He opened a quartz battery at Watsonville in 1911, but it lasted for less than a year.
Westcourt
Residential suburb of Cairns, formally named in 1973, taking the part of West Cairns between Gatton Street and the Bruce Highway.
Whitfield
Residential suburb of Cairns, ling between Stratford (on the Kuranda railway line) and Edgehill. Formally named in 1973, the suburb takes its name from Mount Whitfield (364m) to the north of the suburb, named in 1873 by George Dalrymple after Edwin Whitfield, a merchant in Cardwell,and the Mount Whitfield conservation park.
Whitsunday
Electorate created by the 1949 redistribution from portions of the Bowen and Mirani electorates, encompassing the coastal strip from south of Bowen to north of Mackay, and inland to Collinsville. In 1959 the boundaries were moved south and east, excluding Collinsville, and after 1971 the northern boundary extended almost as far as Home Hill. The 1986 redistribution saw the seat revert to the coastal area it originally occupied. The 1991 redistribution moved the boundaries north and west into areas the former electorate of Bowen including Bowen and Collinsville.
Group of continental islands off the central coast of Queensland lying within the chain named Cumberland Isles by Captain Cook. A reasonably defined section of 74, s in four main groupings have become known world-wide as The Whitsundays.
Islands within the Whitsunday Group: Bird, Black, Border, Cid, Cowrie, Deloraine, Dent, Dumbbell, Dungarra, Esk, Fitzalan, Hamilton, Harold, Haslewood, Hayman, Henning, Hook, Ireby, Langford, Long, Lupton, Nicolson, Perseverance, Plum Pudding, Teague, Titan, Whitsunday, Wirrainbela, Workington,
Islands in the Lindeman Group include: Baynham, Cornston, Gaibirra, Triangle, Keyser, Lindeman, Little Lindeman, Maher, Mansell, Pentecost, Seaforth, Shaw, Thomas, Volskow,
Islands in the Molle Group: Daydream (formerly West Molle), Denman, Goat, Mid Molle, North Molle, Planton, South Molle,
Islands in the Northern Group: Armit, Double Cone, Eshelby, Gloucester, Grassy, Gumbrell, Olden, Rattray, Saddleback
Island, the largest island in the Whitsunday group of islands, named by Captain James Cook in early June 1770. The island contains popular destinations for day visitors and overnight sailors, including Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet, Cid Harbour, and Gulnare Inlet.
Passage identified by Cook, with the description: we found the Main land trend away North by West 1/2 West, and a Strait or Passage between it and a Large Island (Whitsunday Island.) or Islands laying in a Parrallel direction with the Coast; this passage we Stood into, having the Tide of Ebb in our favour and, a day later It is form'd by the Main on the West, and by Islands on the East, one of which is at least 5 Leagues in length. Our Depth of Water in running thro' was between 25 and 20 fathoms; everywhere good Anchorage; indeed the whole passage is one Continued safe Harbour, besides a Number of small Bays and Coves on each side, where ships might lay as it where in a Bason… This passage I have named Whitsundays Passage, as it was discover'd on the day the Church commemorates that Festival.
Wickham
Township established on Rita Island near the mouth of the Burdekin shortly after pastoral runs were taken up in the early 1860s but swept away by the river in one of its floods.
Woothakata
Aboriginal word which describes the way Aborigines traveled to Ngarrabullgan/Mount Mulligan, an important meeting place.
Electorate created by the 1887 redistribution, covering the western Atherton Tableland and the catchment of the Mitchell River, including Chillagoe and Herberton. In the 1911 redistribution the northern part was included in Cook and the south-eastern segment into a new electorate, Chillagoe.
Rural property on Chillagoe creek named after the early Tableland shire.