McKinlay, Queensland

McKinlay is a town and locality in McKinlay Shire, Queensland, Australia. At the 2011 census, McKinlay and the surrounding pastoral area had a population of 417.GeographyMcKinlay is in the remote north west of Queensland and on the Landsborough Highway 1595km north west of the state capital Brisbane and 228km south east of the regional centre of Mount Isa.HistoryMcKinlay is named for the nearby McKinlay River—itself named for its European discoverer, the Scottish explorer John McKinlay who passed by the area in 1861. Gold was discovered in the area in 1872 and a letter receiving office was opened in 1883. The town was surveyed and allotments sold in 1888. The offices of the Shire of McKinlay were located in the town until 1930 when they were relocated to Julia Creek. Mackinlay Post Office opened on 1 April 1894 and was renamed McKinlay in 1909.TodayMcKinlay today is described as "nothing more than a roadhouse, a few houses and a pub." The town is best known for the Walkabout Creek Hotel, featured in the movie Crocodile Dundee. BHP Cannington mine, Australia's largest silver and lead mine, is 85km west of McKinlay. The McKinlay pub has become a major tourism draw for the town and when put up for sale in 2010 attracted worldwide interest.