Mount Chalmers, Queensland

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Mount Chalmers
Queensland
Rural landscape, Mount Chalmers, 2016.jpg
Rural landscape, Mount Chalmers, 2016
Australia Queensland location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Mount Chalmers
Coordinates 23°17′51″S150°38′25″E / 23.2975°S 150.6402°E / -23.2975; 150.6402 (Mount Chalmers (town centre))
Population226 (2021 census) [1]
 • Density6.494/km2 (16.82/sq mi)
Postcode(s) 4702
Area34.8 km2 (13.4 sq mi)
Time zone AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s) Shire of Livingstone
State electorate(s) Keppel
Federal division(s) Capricornia
Localities around Mount Chalmers:
Ironpot Cawarral Cawarral
Mount Archer Mount Chalmers Tungamull
Mount Archer Nankin Nankin

Mount Chalmers is a rural town and locality in the Livingstone Shire, Queensland, Australia. [2] [3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Mount Chalmers had a population of 226 people. [1]

Contents

Geography

The town of Mount Chalmers is in the north of the locality with Mount Nicholson being a neighbourhood within the south of the locality ( 23°19′00″S150°39′00″E / 23.3166°S 150.65°E / -23.3166; 150.65 (Mount Nicholson (neighbourhood)) ). [4]

The locality contains the following named peaks: [5]

Mount Chalmers lies approximately 25 kilometres north-east of Rockhampton. "Mount Chalmers". Queensland Places, University of Queensland. Retrieved 29 August 2025.

History

Fitzroy Copper Mine, Mount Chalmers, 1907 StateLibQld 2 68015 Panoramic view of the Fitzroy Copper Mine, Mount Chalmers, 1907.jpg
Fitzroy Copper Mine, Mount Chalmers, 1907

Gold was found in Mount Chalmers in 1860 but gold mining did not commence in the area until 1869. It was named after Mr Chambers who established a battery. In 1899 copper mining commenced. [10]

Panoramic view of Mount Chalmers, circa 1909 StateLibQld 1 103107 Panoramic view of Mount Chalmers, ca. 1909.jpg
Panoramic view of Mount Chalmers, circa 1909

Mount Chalmers Provisional School opened on 23 January 1901. On 1 January 1909 it became Mount Chalmers State School. [11] The school was mothballed on 31 December 2005 and its closure finalised on 31 December 2006. [12] [13] In 2014 the Livingstone Shire Council purchased the site for $230,000 for use by the local community. [14] It is located at 16 School Street ( 23°17′56″S150°38′27″E / 23.2989°S 150.6409°E / -23.2989; 150.6409 (Mount Chalmers State School (former)) ). [15] [16]

In 1908, the Yeppoon railway line was established from Sleipners Junction on the North Rockhampton to Emu Park railway line and then through to Yeppoon railway station. [10] Mount Chalmers railway station ( 23°18′04″S150°38′28″E / 23.30111°S 150.64111°E / -23.30111; 150.64111 (Mount Chalmers railway station (former)) ) served the town, and Mount Nicholson railway station ( 23°19′03″S150°38′38″E / 23.3175°S 150.6440°E / -23.3175; 150.6440 (Mount Nicholson railway station (former)) ) served the south of the locality. [17]

In 1911, the census recorded a population of 1,181. [10]

The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart opened St Joseph's Catholic primary school in 1913. [18] [19] It closed in 1914. [20]

Mining ended in 1914 and people moved away; the 1921 census showed the population had fallen to 95 people. [10]

Railway bridge on the Yeppoon railway line, Mount Chalmers, 2016 Railway bridge, Mount Chalmers, Shire of Livingstone, Queensland, 2016.jpg
Railway bridge on the Yeppoon railway line, Mount Chalmers, 2016

The Yeppoon railway line ceased passenger services in 1978 and closed completely in 2004. [21]

In January 2023, Carinity Education Rockhampton opened a campus in Mount Chalmers in former Mount Chalmers State School to provide special education services. [22]

Mining

Mount Chalmers developed as a mining settlement in the late 19th century following the discovery of copper and gold in the area. The Mount Chalmers mine was worked intermittently between 1899 and 1982, producing approximately 1.2 million tonnes of ore at average grades of 2.0% copper, 3.6 grams per tonne gold, and 19 grams per tonne silver. [23]

The mine was originally operated by the Mount Chalmers Copper Mining Company in the early 1900s, later passing through a number of owners including Mount Morgan Limited and other operators during the mid-20th century. [24] Mining ceased in 1982 when operations were closed due to falling metal prices and depletion of easily accessible ore.

The site has since attracted renewed interest from exploration companies. In the 2000s, Ausmelt Limited and Polymetals Mining undertook studies of the remaining resource. [25] Since 2021, QMines Limited (ASX:QML) has held 100% ownership of the project and has reported updated resource estimates and feasibility studies as part of its evaluation of recommencing mining. [26]

Demographics

At the 2011 census, Mount Chalmers had a population of 216 people. [27]

By the 2016 census, the population had increased to 235 people. [28]

At the 2021 census, the population remained steady at 235 people. [29]

Education

Carinity Education Rockhampton is a special secondary co-educational school (Years 7 to 9) at 18 School Street ( 23°17′54″S150°38′27″E / 23.29844°S 150.64081°E / -23.29844; 150.64081 (Carinity Education Rockhampton) ). It is operated by the Baptist Union of Queensland and provides education for children who are not succeeding in a mainstream school by providing individualised support in a Christian setting. [30] Students will then transfer to the school's Glenlee campus for later years of schooling. In 2023, the Mount Chalmers campus had 40 students. [31] [32]

There are no government schools in Mount Chalmers. The nearest government primary school is Cawarral State School in neighbouring Cawaral to the north-east. The nearest government secondary schools are North Rockhampton State High School in Frenchville, Rockhampton, to the south-west and Yeppoon State High School in Yeppoon to the north-east. [5]

Amenities

The Mount Chalmers Community History Centre operates from the old school site. [33] The old school also has a library run by volunteers and supported by the Livingstone Shire Council. [34] [35]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mount Chalmers (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  2. ↑ "Mount Chalmers – town in Livingstone Shire (entry 22988)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  3. ↑ "Mount Chalmers – locality in Livingstone Shire (entry 49425)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  4. ↑ "Mount Nicholson – locality unbounded in Livingstone Shire (entry 23115)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "Cabbage Tree Hill – mountain in Livingstone Shire (entry 5632)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "Mount Chalmers – mountain in Livingstone Shire (entry 6822)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  9. ↑ "Mount Standish – mountain in Livingstone Shire (entry 32178)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Mount Chalmers". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  11. ↑ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN   978-1-921171-26-0
  12. ↑ "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government . Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  13. ↑ "Queensland state school - centre closures" (PDF). Queensland Government . 20 August 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  14. ↑ "Council purchases Mt Chalmers State School for the community". Livingstone Shire Council . 28 April 2014. Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  15. ↑ Chiclcott, Tanya; Vlasic, Kimberley (7 June 2013). "Full school asssets sale list". The Courier-Mail . Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  16. ↑ "Mount Chalmers State School (former)" (Map). Google Maps . October 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  17. ↑ "Mount Chalmers railway station (entry 22989)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  18. ↑ "Queensland". Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  19. ↑ "THE CHURCHES". Morning Bulletin . No. 13, 895. Queensland, Australia. 8 May 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 7 March 2025– via National Library of Australia.
  20. ↑ "St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Mount Chalmers". National Redress Scheme . Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  21. ↑ "Emu Park/Yeppoon Railway" (PDF). Archer Park Rail Museum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 February 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  22. ↑ "Changes to the Register of Non-State Schools (Qld)" (PDF). Non-State Schools Accreditation Board. Queensland Government. 3 February 2023. p. 1.
  23. ↑ "Mt Chalmers PFS Supports Viable Copper & Gold Mine" (PDF). QMines Limited (ASX Announcement). 30 April 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  24. ↑ "Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company (1886–1968)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  25. ↑ "Australian Mines Atlas – Historic Mines". Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  26. ↑ "Develin Creek Resource Upgrade Improves Growth & Development Potential" (PDF). QMines Limited (ASX Announcement). 12 March 2025. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  27. ↑ "2011 Census QuickStats: Mount Chalmers". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  28. ↑ "2016 Census QuickStats: Mount Chalmers". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  29. ↑ "2021 Census QuickStats: Mount Chalmers". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  30. ↑ "Education". Carinity. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  31. ↑ "Demand inspires Carinity to open new school campus". Carinity. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  32. ↑ "Our school is growing". Carinity Education - Rockhampton. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  33. ↑ "Mt Chalmers Community History Centre". Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  34. ↑ "Mount Chalmers Library". Library Thing . Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  35. ↑ "Libraries". Livingstone Shire Council . Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
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