Bushley, Queensland

The Central Western railway line forms the northern boundary of the locality, with the now-abandoned Bushley railway station (23.5284°S 150.2510°E / -23.5284; 150.2510 (Bushley railway station)) serving the locality.^[3][4]

Bushley has the following mountains (from north to south):

• Mount Hay (23.5671°S 150.2141°E / -23.5671; 150.2141 (Mount Hay)) 360 metres (1,180 ft)^[5][6][7]
• Mount Gordon (23.5677°S 150.2776°E / -23.5677; 150.2776 (Mount Gordon)) 175 metres (574 ft)^[5][8][7]
• Mount Coombs (23.5716°S 150.2795°E / -23.5716; 150.2795 (Mount Coombs)) 200 metres (660 ft)^[5][9][7]
• Browns Lookout (23.5729°S 150.2997°E / -23.5729; 150.2997 (Browns Lookout)) 200 metres (660 ft)^[5][10][7]

The land use is predominantly grazing on native vegetation.^[11]

Methodist church services at Bushley date back to 1875 when Reverend Robert Hartley commenced worship services at the home of Mr and Mrs Isaac Coombs family.^[12] The Coombs family later donated their land for the construction of a community hall where church services were held until the opening of the existing brick church building in 1959 in front of the hall.^[12][13] The Bushley Methodist Church was officially opened on 13 December 1959.^[12] It became the Bushley Uniting Church following the amalgamation of the Methodist Church into the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977. The final service was held at the church on 5 December 2021, just shy of its 62nd anniversary, which was attended by about 75 people including Uniting Church moderator Rev Andrew Gunton.^[12] The church was closed due to dwindling attendance numbers.^[12][13] Bushley Uniting Church was at 525 Brickworks Road (access from Bushley Road off the Capricorn Highway, 23.5288°S 150.2528°E / -23.5288; 150.2528 (Bushley Uniting Church)).^[14][15] It was part of the Parish of Rockhampton South Uniting Church.^[16]

Playfair State School opened on 10 July 1917.^[17] It closed in 1928.^[18] It presumably takes its name from the parish.^[19] The school was located at approximately 213 Sandy Creek Road (23.5364°S 150.2661°E / -23.5364; 150.2661 (Playfair State School (former))).^[20]

In 2019, Bushley was selected as the site of a new waste transfer station which aimed to serve the needs of residents of Rockhampton Regional Council's western districts from Gogango to Stanwell following the closure of roadside bin stations.^[21] The council's decision to close the local roadside bin stations had previously been criticised by residents and led to a heated community meeting at nearby Wycarbah in 2018.^[22]

In the 2016 census, Bushley had a population of 30 people.^[23]

In the 2021 census, Bushley had a population of 36 people.^[1]

There are no schools in Bushley. The nearest government primary schools are Stanwell State School in neighbouring Stanwell to the north-east, Mount Morgan Central State School in Mount Morgan to the south-east, and Westwood State School in neighbouring Westwood to the west.^[24]

The nearest government secondary schools are Mount Morgan State High School in Mount Morgan to the south-east and Rockhampton State High School in Wandal, Rockhampton, to the north-east. However, students living in the south-west of the locality might be too distant from these secondary schools for a daily commute; the alternatives are distance education and boarding school.^[24]

There are also a number of non-government schools in Rockhampton.^[24]

Browns Lookout is a tourist attraction (23.5731°S 150.2998°E / -23.5731; 150.2998 (Browns Lookout)).^[25]