Gracemere

Gracemere is a town located on the Capricorn Highway in Central Queensland, Australia, approximately 9 kilometres west of the city of Rockhampton. Because of the proximity of the town to Rockhampton, Gracemere has become a dormitory town, with many residents commuting the short distance to work in the city. At the 2006 census, Gracemere had a population of 5,061.

History

The area was first explored by Europeans in 1853, when the Archer brothers arrived looking for pastures for their sheep. They settled by a small lake, originally called "Farris" or Padgole lagoon which was named Gracemere in 1855. The name Gracemere comes from "Grace", the name of one of the Archer brothers wife and "mere" which is a Scottish term for lake. They also located a suitable landing point for supplies on the nearby Fitzroy River, which later became Rockhampton.

Heritage listings

Gracemere has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• 234 Gracemere Road: Gracemere Homestead

Construction and industry

Gracemere, as a commuter town, has a relatively low level of industry compared to Rockhampton. Grazing, particularly of beef cattle, has long been the significant industry of the area. The Gracemere Saleyards, located on the western side of the town, is the largest cattle sales facility in the Southern Hemisphere, and has recently undergone a multi-million-dollar upgrade. A new shopping centre, Gracemere Shoppingworld, located just off the Capricorn Highway has just opened with Woolworths and Best and Less operating as the ancher stores along with up to 20 speciality stores. Gracemere is rapidly expanding with around 10 new housing estates under construction.