[2][3] The town is situated on the Peak Downs Highway 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south-west of Mackay.

[5] In May 1860, Scots-born John Mackay was only 21 years old when he left Armidale, New South Wales in January 1860 with men, horses and provisions in search of land for cattle runs in north Queensland.

They travelled up the east coast, taking a mainly inland route until they came to the junction of Cattle Creek and the Pioneer River, in an area about 15 miles west of present-day Walkerston.

Scrubby Creek was definitely not a nickname for Walkerston; there were no inverted commas included when the words were printed in newspapers or almanacs.

The name was well deserved, for the wild bush scrub grew luxuriantly on the banks of Baker's Creek.

[citation needed] Walkerston Provisional School opened in November 1874 but closed soon after due to low student numbers.

It reopened but then closed on 31 March 1880 with the students transferred to the Alsatia State School which opened on 21 April 1880.