Forrest Beach

History

The name Forrest Beach derives from George Brownrigg Forrest, who was the manager of the Victoria Mill (a sugar mill) near Ingham, while Christopher Allingham was one of the first European pastoral settlers in the district, taking up the pastoral run Muralambeen. Allingham was surveyed as a town in 1925. Allingham Post Office opened on 1 March 1967. Forrest Beach State School opened on 29 January 1980. Forrest Beach War Memorial was dedicated in 2006. It commemorates Australian servicemen and women who served in all wars and conflicts. It is located at the north-east corner of the intersection of Palm Street and Pine Street (). In July 2026, unidentified spherical objects were washed up on the beach and also found in neighbouring Blackrock. They were suspected to contain hazardous liquids and local homes were evacuated. It was believed that the objects were "space junk" and the Australian Space Agency was investigating them.

Geography

Forrest Beach is bounded by the Coral Sea to the east with long sandy beaches; it is sheltered water due to the Orpheus and Palm island group. It is bounded along the south-west by Palm Creek and contains the Palm Creek Conservation Park. There is farming in the western part of the locality. The residential development is mostly beside the northern beaches. There is a small residential area beside the southern beaches known as Cassady Beach () which is named after Francis Andrew O'Connor Cassady who was chairman of the Shire of Hinchinbrook. Lady Elliot Reef is a coral reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef, named after the Lady Elliot, said to be wrecked at this spot in 1816.

Most-observed species

• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  1,751
• Masked Lapwing

  Vanellus miles (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  1,504
• Peaceful Dove

  Geopelia placida Gould, 1844 · Aves
  1,355
• Comb-crested Jacana

  Irediparra gallinacea (Temminck, 1828) · Aves
  1,309
• Crimson Finch

  Neochmia phaeton (Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841) · Aves
  1,210
• Brown Honeyeater

  Lichmera indistincta (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) · Aves
  1,093
• Australasian Darter

  Anhinga novaehollandiae (Gould, 1847) · Aves
  987
• Bar-shouldered Dove

  Geopelia humeralis (Temminck, 1821) · Aves
  953

Most recent

• M 4.1 — 2025-03-01
  0 km SE of Kelso, Australia
• M 4.8 — 2003-08-11
  65 km ENE of Palm Island, Australia