Australian Towns, Cities & Highways: Home Hill

Home Hill

Home Hill, an attractive town located in North Queensland, lies on the Bruce Highway just south of the Burdekin River and only 10km from the large town of Ayr. Despite Ayr being settled in the late 1800's, the area south of the Burdekin River was originally part of the Inkerman cattle station. When the station was converted to sugar cane in the early 1910's, the township of Home Hill was formed shortly after to service the Inkerman sugar mill. While sugar farming remains the primary industry in the region, Home Hill has ultimately become a quasi suburb of nearby Ayr, however still has a distinctive CBD & shopping precinct despite Ayr being the commercial centre of the Burdekin region. The street layout of Home Hill is somewhat unique with all thoroughfares named numerically with east-west suffixes being "Streets" and north-south suffixes "Avenues". In many places, for instance, Tenth Street crosses Tenth Avenue making for some confusion when giving directions. Of interest in the area includes the Burdekin Bridge (also known as the Silver Link, of which is over 1km long - 3km north), Lookouts from the prominent Mt Inkerman (10km south) and the Inkerman sugar mill (2km north).

Population: 2,900
State: Queensland
Name Origin: Named after a battle site from the Crimean War.
Pronunciation: Home Hill
Postcode: 4806
Local Government: Burdekin Shire Council
Location: 1257km north west of Brisbane, 97km south-east of Townsville
Main Watercourses: Burdekin River
Main Roads: Bruce Highway
Radio Stations (Music): Hot FM (103.1), 4TO-FM (102.3), Mix FM (106.3), Zinc Rocks (100.7), Triple J (105.5), 4TO (AM 774)

Photos from Home Hill (Click on thumbnail for full sized image):

Looking north along Seventh Ave (Bruce Hwy) as it departs Home Hill with the Inkerman sugar mill in the distance (2007).

Eighth Ave (Bruce Hwy), looking south-east from Tenth St, Home Hill (2007).

Eighth Ave (Bruce Hwy), looking south-east from Ninth St, Home Hill (2007).

Eighth Ave (Bruce Hwy), looking south-east from Ninth St, Home Hill (2007).

The Eighth Ave service lane, looking north-west from Eighth St, Home Hill (2007).

Eighth Ave (Bruce Hwy), looking north-west from Seventh St, Home Hill (2007).

Eighth Ave (Bruce Hwy), looking south-east from Sixth St, Home Hill (2007).

Kirknie Rd, looking east as it approaches the Bruce Hwy, Home Hill (2007).

Sixth Street, looking north-east from Eighth St, Home Hill (2007).

Looking north across sugar can fields from nearby Mt Inkerman, Home Hill (2007).

The impressive Burdekin River bridge, heading south between Ayr and Home Hill (2007).

	Looking north along Seventh Ave (Bruce Hwy) as it departs Home Hill with the Inkerman sugar mill in the distance (2007).
	Eighth Ave (Bruce Hwy), looking south-east from Tenth St, Home Hill (2007).
	Eighth Ave (Bruce Hwy), looking south-east from Ninth St, Home Hill (2007).
	Eighth Ave (Bruce Hwy), looking south-east from Ninth St, Home Hill (2007).
	The Eighth Ave service lane, looking north-west from Eighth St, Home Hill (2007).
	Eighth Ave (Bruce Hwy), looking north-west from Seventh St, Home Hill (2007).
	Eighth Ave (Bruce Hwy), looking south-east from Sixth St, Home Hill (2007).
	Kirknie Rd, looking east as it approaches the Bruce Hwy, Home Hill (2007).
	Sixth Street, looking north-east from Eighth St, Home Hill (2007).
	Looking north across sugar can fields from nearby Mt Inkerman, Home Hill (2007).
	The impressive Burdekin River bridge, heading south between Ayr and Home Hill (2007).