Silver Valley Queensland | |||||||||||||||
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![]() Remains of the Coolgarra Battery, Silver Valley | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 17°32′16″S145°15′45″E / 17.5377°S 145.2625°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 145 (2021 census) [1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 0.4370/km2 (1.132/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 4872 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 331.8 km2 (128.1 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
Location | |||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | Tablelands Region | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Dalrymple | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Kennedy | ||||||||||||||
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Silver Valley is a rural locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. [2] In the 2021 census, Silver Valley had a population of 145 people. [1]
It is known for its mining in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The Wild River forms the western boundary of the locality. The Kennedy Highway passes from west to east through the southern edge of the locality. The locality is mountainous, rising from an elevation of 650m in Bulldog Gully in the south of the locality through to numerous unnamed peaks of up to 1050m. The land is relatively undeveloped apart from some areas now laid bare as the result of mining. [3]
James Venture Mulligan is credited with the first discovery of silver at Silver Valley in 1880. [4] [5] [6] By 1883, outcrops of silver, lead and galena had been found in the area and it was named Silver Valley and mining commenced. [7] It was also known as Newellton after a pioneer family. However, while the silver mines were initially productive (one yielding up to 150 ounces of metal per ton), after a few years the silver lode was exhausted and the mines abandoned. [8] However, in 1895, three prospector George Harrod discovered two rich lodes of tin and, with Hammond and White, established the Lancelot mine and, with Hammond, White and Daniels, established the Hadleigh Castle mine. [9] In 1899 a German company (the German Lancelot Tin Mining Company) purchased the Lancelot Mine [10] and proposed naming the area Lancelot after the mine and later proposed to establish a new town called New Frankfurt (although there is no evidence that this occurred). [7] However, the German company did build a dam and a 5-head battery. [8] However, by 1910 the lodes were exhausted and diamond drills were used to search for new lodes, but without success. [7] In 1911 the mines were sold to John Moffat. [11] However, the popular story is that the Germans operated the mine up until the start of World War I whereupon they suddenly disappeared overnight, but this story reflects the anti-German sentiment in response to World War I rather than actual events. [11]
Despite the apparent cessation of mining in the area, Silver Valley was described in 1912 as being "rich in minerals" with "beautiful scenery, fishing and shooting". The Silver Valley Hotel (licensee James Ramsay) could provide accommodation for 20 people for 6/- per day or 30/- per week. [12]
Like most old mines, there were occasional flurries of renewed activity whenever there were prospects of poorer ore lodes being profitably mined, usually in response to rising metal prices or more efficient extraction technologies, but generally such mining is short-lived as it is extremely price-sensitive. [13] [14]
Coolgarra Provisional School opened on 29 April 1901 and closed on 1934. On 1 January 1909 it became Coolgarra State School. In July 1916 it became a half time provisional school in conjunction with Lower Nettles Provisional School (meaning a single teacher shared between two schools). However Lower Nettles closed later in 1916 and Coolgarra was again a full -time state school. Coolgarra State School closed in 1934. [15]
Lancelot Provisional School opened in 1905 but closed in 1906 when insufficient students enrolled. It reopened circa 1920 and closed in 1926. [15]
In the 2016 census Silver Valley had a population of 144 people. [16]
In the 2021 census, Silver Valley had a population of 145 people. [1]
Silver Valley has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau, which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It has very deep, rich basaltic soils and the main industry is agriculture. The principal river flowing across the plateau is the Barron River, which was dammed to form the irrigation reservoir named Lake Tinaroo. Unlike many other rural areas, the Tablelands is experiencing a significant growth in population.
Chillagoe is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Chillagoe had a population of 214 people.
Atherton is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Atherton had a population of 7,724 people.
Herberton is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Herberton had a population of 855 people.
Mount Garnet is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Mount Garnet had a population of 430 people.
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Irvinebank is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Irvinebank had a population of 113 people.
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The Historic Village Herberton is an open-air historic museum in Herberton, Queensland. It was opened in 1977 by then Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke Petersen and was owned by Harry and Ellen Skenner, who closed it in April 2003 due to escalating public liability costs. It was reopened in 2009 by Just Jeans retail chain store founder Craig Kimberly and his wife Connie. The Village is located on a 16-acre site and comprises over 50 historically restored period buildings dating back to the 1860s, set out like a tin mining town. It is the largest private collection of its type in Queensland.
Great Northern Mine is a heritage-listed mine off Jacks Road, Herberton, Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1880 to 1940s. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
Coolgarra Battery is a heritage-listed stamper battery at Coolgarra Station, Silver Valley, Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1896 to 1901. It is also known as Coolgarra Old Furnace. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 25 August 2000.
Irvinebank School of Arts Hall is a heritage-listed school of arts at McDonald Street, Irvinebank, Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1900. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 29 May 1995.
Almaden is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Almaden had a population of 41 people.
Wondecla is a rural locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Wondecla had a population of 661 people.
Wilsons Pocket is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Wilsons Pocket had a population of 191 people.
Petford is a rural locality in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Petford had a population of 22 people.
Tumoulin is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Tumoulin had a population of 135 people.
Wongabel is a rural locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Wongabel had a population of 251 people.
Moomin is a rural locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Moomin had a population of 191 people.
Moregatta is a rural locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Moregatta had a population of 62 people.
Media related to Silver Valley, Queensland at Wikimedia Commons