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Explore Sarina's rich history

History of Sarina

History of Sarina and surrounds

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area was occupied by the Yuwi Aboriginal people. The first Europeans to the area arrived in 1865 and established a property known as Plane Creek. In 1869, the surveyor William Charles Borlase Wilson named Sarina Inlet. The source for Wilson's naming of the inlet is unrecorded.

By the 1880s land in the area was being selected and the land around Sarina was developed by 1896. Within a few years, the settlement of Plane Creek had a postmaster, a storekeeper and a blacksmith. By 1905 there were two each of blacksmiths, storekeepers, butchers and hotels (the Commercial and the Grand Central).

Plane Creek was renamed Sarina on September 2, 1907. The 1911 directory recorded around double the number of farmers (mostly cane growers supplying the mill) compared with 1905, together with four hotels (the two new ones being the National and the Palace).

By 1913 Sarina was connected by rail to Mackay and further extensions followed; in 1915 to Koumala and in 1921 to St Lawrence, which completed that part of the North Coast railway route south to Brisbane.

In 1897 a primary school was established (Sarina Provisional School) and a catholic primary school was opened in 1925. The Power Alcohol Distillery began operations in 1927. In 1935 reticulated electricity was switched on in the town, and bowls and golf clubs were started by 1936.

Post-war development intensified in the 1960s, with the town hospital (1962), a high school (1964) and the formation of a show society (1965). The next decade's development came from further away, the Bowen Basin coal fields. Late in the 1970s plans were made for coal export terminals north-east of Sarina, at Dalrymple Bay and Hay Point.

The beaches south of Hay Point – Sarina, Campwin, Armstrong, Grasstree and Half Tide beaches – also grew as retirement and holiday spots. From the 1960s to 1990s there was a steady increase in Sarina's population from the low 2000s to 3200.

Sarina is a welcoming township with the area retaining its natural charm while having developed into a thriving business hub. Here you can enjoy country hospitality, beautiful beaches, scenic mountain ranges and prime fishing and prawning.

For more information on the history of Sarina, visit the Museum at the Sarina Field of Dreams (February - March, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9am - 2pm) and April to November - Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9am - 2pm or phone (07) 4956 2436 or 0415 533 314.

Sarina Heritage Walk

Residents and tourists are able to take a self-guided heritage tour of Sarina’s township using their smartphone or tablet.