Pentland, Queensland

Pentland Queensland
Postcard showing Pentland railway station, 1909
Pentland
Coordinates	20°31′22″S145°23′57″E / 20.5227°S 145.3991°E / -20.5227; 145.3991 (Pentland (town centre))
Population	248 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	0.01656/km2 (0.04288/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4816
Area	14,979.5 km2 (5,783.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	107 km (66 mi) SW of Charters Towers 242 km (150 mi) SW of Townsville 1,406 km (874 mi) NW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Charters Towers Region
Region	North Queensland
State electorate(s)	Traeger
Federal division(s)	Kennedy
Localities around Pentland: Porcupine Basalt Homestead Torrens Creek Pentland Campaspe Aramac Laglan Llanarth Belyando

Pentland is a rural town and locality in the Charters Towers Region, Queensland, Australia. ^{[2] [3]} In the 2021 census, the locality of Pentland had a population of 248 people. ^[1]

Geography

Pentland is located between Charters Towers and Hughenden. ^[4]

In the east, a small section of the Campaspe River flows through Pentland. White Mountains National Park has been established in the north. The Cape River rises in the area. In the south is the salt lake known as Lake Buchanan.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Flinders Highway passes through Pentland (both town and locality) from east to west, as does the Great Northern railway line. ^[5] The locality is served by the following railway stations (from west to east):

• Burra railway station ( 20°44′02″S145°11′09″E / 20.7338°S 145.1857°E / -20.7338; 145.1857 (Burra railway station) ) ^[6]
• Warrigal railway station ( 20°39′08″S145°16′20″E / 20.6521°S 145.2722°E / -20.6521; 145.2722 (Warrigal railway station) ) ^[6]
• Pentland railway station, serving the town ( 20°31′31″S145°23′55″E / 20.5252°S 145.3986°E / -20.5252; 145.3986 (Pentland railway station) ) ^{[6] [7]}
• Cape River railway station, now abandoned ( 20°28′17″S145°28′54″E / 20.4714°S 145.4818°E / -20.4714; 145.4818 (Cape River railway station (abandoned)) ) ^[6]
• Kimburra railway station, now abandoned ( 20°26′58″S145°31′17″E / 20.4495°S 145.5214°E / -20.4495; 145.5214 (Kimburra railway station (abandoned)) ) ^[6]

The former town of Capeville ( 20°27′04″S145°22′23″E / 20.4511°S 145.3731°E / -20.4511; 145.3731 (Capeville (former town)) ) on the Cape River is within the locality of Pentland approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) NNW of the town of Pentland. ^[8]

Within the town, the Flinders Highway is also known as Main Street. ^[5]

History

Train at Pentland railway station in 1929

The Cape River goldfields opened in July 1867 on the advice of geologist Richard Daintree. ^[9] By 1870 there were over 20,000 men working the goldfield but by 1873, the population of Capeville had reduced to about 30. ^[10]

There was a telegraph office from 1880 to 1884. ^[11]

Bett's Creek Post Office opened on 7 October 1884. It was renamed Pentland in 1885. ^[12]

The Great Northern Railway opened to Pentland on 6 October 1884. ^[2]

Pentland Provisional School opened on 11 May 1885. On 1 January 1909, it became Pentland State School. ^[13]

Oakvale Provisional School opened in 1902 and closed in 1907. ^[13]

The Soldiers Memorial Hall was opened on Saturday 24 April 1926 by Mrs Lydia Pilcher, who had four sons in the military in World War I, one of whom, Ernest Sydney Pilcher, died of wounds in 1918. ^{[14] [15] [16]}

Cape River State School opened on 25 October 1915 and closed in 1938. ^[13]

Pentland Meatworks (also known as Cape River Meatworks) was opened in 1943 to meet the additional needs of Australian and American forces arriving in North Queensland during World War II. ^[17] The end of the war in 1945 meant the army no longer had a need for the facility, after which it had a number of changes of ownership. ^[17] The meatworks saw the township of Pentland thrive. ^[18] The meatworks eventually closed in September 1989. ^[17]

In 1964, St Mary's Catholic Church opened in Pentland. It was relocated from Sellheim where it was built in 1906. ^{[19] [20] [21]}

In the early 1970s, there were two grocery stores and the Pentland State School had around 70 enrolled students, the town pool was opened and the town's only hotel, the Pentland Hotel Motel was renovated. ^[18]

In 2009, the locality of Pentland was expanded to include the discontinued localities of The Cape, Buchanan and Torrens Creek. ^[2]

The 2013 Australian Federal Government budget included funds for a feasibility study on "the potential to develop land for sugarcane production, milling, ethanol and cogeneration infrastructure in the Pentland region." ^[22]

On Wednesday 25 April (Anzac Day) 2018, a war memorial was officially opened at the Soldiers Memorial Hall as part of the Centenary of World War I. The memorial commemorates all who have served and died in Australia's military forces. ^[23]

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Pentland had a population of 306 people. ^[24]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Pentland had a population of 248 people. ^[1]

Education

Pentland State School is a government primary (Early Childhood to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 18 Mill Street (conner of Gilmore Street, 20°31′23″S145°23′54″E / 20.5231°S 145.3982°E / -20.5231; 145.3982 (Pentland State School) ). ^{[25] [26] [27]} In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 23 students with 3 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (3 full-time equivalent). ^[28]

There is no secondary school in Pentland or nearby. Distance education and boarding schools are options. ^[5]

Amenities

Pentland Soldiers Memorial Hall is at 2 Gilmore Street ( 20°31′24″S145°23′55″E / 20.5234°S 145.3987°E / -20.5234; 145.3987 (Soldiers Memorial Hall) ). ^[29] There is a small war memorial at the front of the building where the annual Anzac Day ceremony is held. ^[30]

There are two churches in Pentland:

• St Aidan's Anglican Church, 21 Mill Street ( 20°31′22″S145°23′58″E / 20.5227°S 145.39945°E / -20.5227; 145.39945 (St Aidan's Anglican Church) ) ^{[31] [32]}
• St Mary's Catholic Church, 64 Main Street (corner of Hunt Street, 20°31′38″S145°23′44″E / 20.5272°S 145.3956°E / -20.5272; 145.3956 (St Mary's Catholic Church) ) ^[33]

Attractions

Pentland's history is presented at Pentland Hotel at 32 Main Street ( 20°31′27″S145°23′55″E / 20.5242°S 145.3987°E / -20.5242; 145.3987 (Pentland Hotel) ). It also provides meals and accommodation. ^[34]

In the west of the locality where the highway passes over the Great Dividing Range ( 20°42′53″S145°13′29″E / 20.7146°S 145.2247°E / -20.7146; 145.2247 (Burra Range Lookout) ) is the Burra Range Lookout, on the Flinders Highway at the Burra Range Rest Area in the White Mountains National Park. ^{[35] [36]}

Transport

Queensland Rail's Inlander service between Townsville and Mount Isa provides a twice-weekly service which can be booked to stop at Pentland and Torrens Creek. ^[37]

Preceding station	Queensland Rail			Following station
Long distance rail services
Charters Towers towards Townsville		The Inlander		Torrens Creek towards Mount Isa

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Pentland (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "Pentland – town in Charters Towers Region (entry 26410)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 27 December 2020.
3. "Pentland – locality in Charters Towers Region (entry 49794)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 27 December 2020.
4. "Our Region – Pentland". Charters Towers Regional Council. Archived from the original on 11 December 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
5. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 12 February 2022.
6. "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
7. "Pentland – railway station (entry 26412)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 19 April 2017.
8. "Capeville – locality unbounded (entry 6148)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 19 April 2017.
9. "CAPE RIVER GOLD-FIELDS". The Brisbane Courier . Vol. XXII, no. 3, 064. Queensland, Australia. 6 August 1867. p. 3. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2017– via National Library of Australia.
10. "MR. JARDINE ON THE NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS". The Brisbane Courier . Vol. XXVII, no. 4, 793. Queensland, Australia. 8 February 1873. p. 5. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2017– via National Library of Australia.
11. Hooper, Colin (2011). Angor to Zillmanton; stories of North Queensland’s deserted towns (7th ed.). Bolton. p. 13. ISBN   0975775006.
12. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
13. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN   978-1-921171-26-0
14. "PENTLAND NOTES". Townsville Daily Bulletin . Vol. XLII, no. 106. Queensland, Australia. 4 May 1926. p. 10. Retrieved 13 February 2022– via National Library of Australia.
15. "NAA: B2455, PILCHER ERNEST SYDNEY". National Archives of Australia . Retrieved 12 February 2022.
16. "Driver Ernest Sydney Pilcher". War Casualty Details. Commonwealth War Graves Commission . Retrieved 12 February 2022.
17. "Cape River Meat Works". Queensland World War II Historic Places. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
18. "Pentland abattoir". Australian Abattoirs. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
19. "Pentland's History". Pentland Hotel. Archived from the original on 17 March 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
20. Blake, Thom. "St Mary's Catholic Church". Queensland religious places database. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
21. "New Church at Sellheim, Queensland". The Catholic Press . Vol. X, no. 560. New South Wales, Australia. 13 September 1906. p. 4. Retrieved 15 February 2022– via National Library of Australia.
22. ^[ permanent dead link ] Federal Budget, Commonwealth of Australia, published 14 May 2013
23. "Pentland War Memorial". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
24. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Pentland (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
25. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
26. "Pentland State School". Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
27. Google (16 August 2023). "Pentland State School" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
28. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
29. "Pentland Soldiers Memorial Hall". Monument Australia. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
30. "Pentland Soldiers Memorial Hall Stone". Queensland War Memorials Register. Archived from the original on 9 March 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
31. "Ministry Units: Charters Towers". Anglican Diocese of North Queensland . Archived from the original on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
32. Blake, Thom. "St Aidan's Anglican Church". Queensland religious places database. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
33. Blake, Thom. "St Mary's Catholic Church". Queensland religious places database. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
34. "Pentland's History". Pentland Hotel. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
35. "Tourist points - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
36. "Charters Towers - Pentland". Visit Charters Towers. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
37. "Timetables". Queensland Rail. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.

Further reading

• Scholarship, kin & community : a history of Pentland State School : 1885 - 2010, Pentland State School Parents & Citizens Association, 2010

• Muller, Robyn (1999), Cape River Meatworks : From go to woe 1942-1989, Robyn Muller, ISBN   978-0-646-38321-7

External links

• "Town map of Pentland". Queensland Government. 1975.