Collinsville, Queensland

Collinsville is a rural town and locality in the Whitsunday Region, Queensland, Australia.[3][4] In the 2016 census, Collinsville had a population of 1,248 people.[1]

Collinsville
Queensland
Collinsville, May 2018
Collinsville
Coordinates20.5526°S 147.8452°E / -20.5526; 147.8452 (Collinsville (town centre))
Population1,248 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density44.73/km2 (115.85/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4804
Elevation187 m (614 ft)[2]
Area27.9 km2 (10.8 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Whitsunday Region
State electorate(s)Burdekin
Federal Division(s)Capricornia
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
30.2 °C
86 °F		 16.4 °C
62 °F		 704.7 mm
27.7 in
Localities around Collinsville:
Springlands Springlands Springlands
Springlands Collinsville Springlands
Springlands Scottville Springlands

Geography

Collinsville is in the coal-rich Bowen Basin region of Central Queensland, 1,245 kilometres (774 mi) north of Brisbane and 87 kilometres (54 mi) south-west of the coastal town of Bowen. The Bowen Developmental Road passes through the town connecting with Bowen to the north-east and the Gregory Highway at Belyando Crossing to the south-west.

The Newlands railway system passes through Collinsville serving local mines. The line passes through the town itself but the Collinsville railway station is only a siding near the junction of Station Street and Railway Road (20.5571°S 147.8516°E / -20.5571; 147.8516 (Collinsville railway station)).[5]

History

Biri (Birri) is an Aboriginal language of Central Queensland and North Queensland. Biri refers to a language chain extending from Central Queensland towards Townsville and is often used as a universal name for other languages and/or dialects across the region. The language area includes the towns of Bowen, Ayr, Collinsville and Nebo.[6]

European settlement of the region began in 1861 with the opening of the lands to pastoralists, with some cattle stations still in operation.

Coal was discovered in 1866 but it was not until 1912 that large-scale mining operations commenced.

The town was originally known as Moongunya, an aboriginal word that roughly translates to place of coal.[3] On 20 September 1921 it was officially renamed Collinsville after Charles Collins who was the Labor Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Bowen from 1915 to 1936.[3]

Collinsville State School opened on 27 June 1921.[7]

Collinsville Post Office opened on 21 May 1923 (a receiving office had been open from 1922).[8]

The St John Bosco Catholic School was established in 1936 under the Sisters of Mercy. The school is named after Saint John Bosco, a Roman Catholic priest who devoted himself to the betterment of children through love and education.[9]

On 13 October 1954, seven men were killed in the deepest part of the Collinsville State Coal Mine about 1.5 kilometres from the entrance of the No. 1 tunnel, when an outburst dislodged 900 tonnes of earth.[10] The Collinsville mine disaster was the largest loss of life in a Queensland mine since the Mount Mulligan mine disaster in 1921.[11]

Collinsville State High School opened on 28 January 1986.[7]

In the 2011 census, Collinsville had a population of 1,501 people.[12]

In the 2016 census, Collinsville had a population of 1,248 people.[1]

The town has a historical association with radicalism to the extent that it earned the nickname "little Moscow". This has been attributed to the involvement of the Communist Party in the local miners' union.

Heritage listings

Collinsville has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Economy

The town is home to a number of coal mines. This includes the Collinsville coal mine and the Sonoma Mine. These provide significant employment to the town and surrounding areas.

The town is expected to grow further with the development of more mining related projects, and green energy such as solar power are shaping up to be an important job creating industry for Collinsville.

It is also hoped a new road to Proserpine will be built. This will enable faster travel between the town and the coastal plain, and will also open up new opportunities for land development and export.

Facilities

Facilities in four churches (Catholic, Anglican, Uniting, Assembly of God), a pharmacy, a district hospital, some shops and sporting facilities. Sporting facilities include a golf course, rugby league grounds, tennis courts, a public swimming pool, squash courts, and lawn bowls. The town has one newsagent, a bakery, two fuel stations, two medium size grocery stores, two places to buy clothing and a hardware shop.

The Whitsunday Regional Council operates the Collinsville Library, located on 37 Conway Street, Collinsville.[15] The Collinsville Library was opened in 1982.[16]

The Collinsville branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 33 Conway Street.[17]

Education

Collinsville has two primary schools, Collinsville State School and St John Bosco's Catholic Primary School and the Collinsville State High School.[18] In 2014, the Collinsville State School had an enrolment of 42 students with 4 teachers.[19] In 2014, the Collinsville State High School had an enrolment of 77 students with 12 teachers (11 full-time equivalent).[20] In 2016, St John Bosco's Catholic Primary School had an enrolment of 50 students.[21]

Attractions

A recreational vehicle park has been built offering 72-hour free stays for recreational vehicles and campervans.[22]

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Collinsville (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. Bureau of Meteorology Archived 12 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine - Retrieved on 27 January 2008
  3. "Collinsville - town in Whitsunday Region (entry 7762)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  4. "Collinsville - locality in Whitsunday Region (entry 46859)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  5. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  6. "Indigenous languages map of Queensland". State Library of Queensland. 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  7. "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  8. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  9. "Overview". St John Bosco School. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  10. "Collinsville State Coal Mine 1954- Mining Accident Database". www.mineaccidents.com.au. Archived from the original on 28 February 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  11. "Collinsville disaster remembered". Australian Mining. Archived from the original on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  12. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Collinsville". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  13. "Collinsville Cemetery (entry 602730)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  14. "Bowen River Hotel (entry 600042)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  15. "Collinsville Library". Public Libraries Connect. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  16. "Queensland Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-2017" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  17. "Branch Locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  18. "Queensland State and Non-State Schools". Queensland Government. 24 February 2014. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  19. "2014 School Annual Report" (PDF). Collinsville State School. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  20. "2014 Annual School Report" (PDF). Collinsville State High School. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  21. "St John Bosco Catholic School". St John Bosco Catholic School. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  22. "Collinsville Showground FC". Free Range Camping Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.

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