Created 1901 Namesake Tropic of Capricorn Demographic Provincial Member of parliament Michelle Landry | MP Michelle Landry Electors 98,233 (2016) Founded 1901 Elector 98,233 | |
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Area 91,049 km (35,154.2 sq mi) Party Liberal National Party of Queensland | ||
The Division of Capricornia is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named after the Tropic of Capricorn, which runs through the Division. It is located on the central Queensland coast and its centre has always been the city of Rockhampton. On its current boundaries it also includes the town of Yeppoon and the southern suburb of Mackay, Ooralea.
The first election saw Alexander Paterson, with 51% of votes, narrowly elected over the ALP candidate Wallace Nelson. For most of its subsequent history it has been a fairly safe seat for the ALP. However, it has fallen to the conservatives at high-tide elections. It is currently held by Michelle Landry for the Liberal National Party who in 2016, became the first reelected conservative MP for the seat since Henry Pearce in 1958.
Its best-known member was Frank Forde, who was briefly Prime Minister of Australia in 1945.