Turkey Beach, Queensland
Turkey Beach is a coastal town and locality in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Turkey Beach had a population of 183 people. Geography. Turkey Beach is a coastal fishing village that sits in the protected Rodds Bay., and one of the geographically closest places to the Great Barrier Reef. The area features large areas of mangrove inlets, creeks, and estuaries that provide excellent fishing and some of the best mud crabbing areas in Queensland. The Eurimbula National Park preserves the rugged peninsular between the bay and the Coral Sea where Rodds Bay is home to  a variety of marine and bird life. Nearby Pancake Creek is a wilderness park located in the lee of Bustard Head providing a popular anchorage for yachts and boats. Turkey Beach also has a small tidal swimming enclosure near the boat ramp and an extensive network of sandy beaches outside Rodds Harbour offers beachgoers plenty of choices. History. The town was gazetted on 1 November 1968. The name Turkey relates directly back to the bustard or bush turkey shot by Captain Cook's crew back in 1770 when they discovered the area aboard . Nearby Turkey Station existed since at latest  1875. At the , Turkey Beach had a population of 133. Turkey Beach was within the Shire of Miriamvale until the shire was amalgamated into the Gladstone Region in 2008. Amenities. The town of Turkey Beach has good amenities. Accommodation is available, but there is no camping in the township. Turkey Beach has good links with the towns of 1770 and Agnes Water, the tourist hubs of the Discovery Coast. Education. There are no schools in Turkey Beach. The nearest government primary school is Bororen State School. The nearest government secondary schools are Miriam Vale State School (offering secondary schooling to  Year 10) and Tannum Sands State High School (offering secondary schooling to Year 12). Getting there. Access to Turkey Beach is from the Bruce Highway. Take the turn off north of Bororen. The road leading into Turkey Beach is bitumen.