St Lawrence
Postcode: 4707
Saint Lawrence is a small town in Queensland, Australia, located 823 km north of Brisbane and 6 km off the Bruce Highway. It is part of the Broadsound Shire Council. Once a prosperous port town, exporting cattle from the hinterland, the population of St Lawrence today stands at approximately 150, most of whom are railway workers. The town is located south of St Lawrence Creek, which flows into a vast bay known as Broad Sound, a waterway noted for its large tidal range (up to 9 metres in the summer).
Located 823 km north of Brisbane St Lawrence is a tiny, insignificant town which through some accident of history and location has managed to survive although it has outlived its usefulness. It sprawls around the railway line and, to the casual observer, seems to have no real reason for its continued existence.
Originally it was created as a port to ship out the cattle which were grazed in the hinterland. Its existence depended almost entirely on the fact that it was located midway between the larger ports of Rockhampton and Mackay and, as such, was a sensible alternative to the relatively long droving runs which were required if cattle were to be shipped out from these larger ports. It is located 183 km from Rockhampton and 161 km from Mackay and it is now 6 km from the Bruce Highway consequently it doesn’t benefit from the passing traffic.