Middlemount, Queensland

Middlemount is a town and locality in Isaac Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] It is nicknamed the "Giant Peanut" by some locals due to its peanut-shaped road layout.[4]

For other uses, see Middlemount (disambiguation).

Middlemount
Queensland
Middlemount
Coordinates22°49′S 148°42′E
Population1,914 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s)4746
Location
LGA(s)Isaac Region
State electorate(s)Burdekin
Federal Division(s)Capricornia
Localities around Middlemount:
Dysart May Downs May Downs
Dysart Middlemount Mackenzie River
Bundoora Mackenzie River Mackenzie River

Geography

Middlemount is located 242 kilometres (150 mi) inland (by road) from Mackay and Rockhampton in Central Queensland. It is a mining town servicing three coal mines: Foxleigh, German Creek and world record holding underground coal mine Grasstree.

History

Middlemount, like many other mining towns in Queensland virtually sprung up overnight in the early 1980s. Middlemount Post Office opened on 2 June 1980.[5]

Middlemount State School opened in 1980 with a secondary department added in 1983. In 1988 the secondary department was separated from the primary school to create Middlemount State High School. However, on 1 January 2001, the schools were amalgamated to form Middlemount Community School.[6]

The Middlemount Library opened in 1984.[7]

Most of the housing is owned by Anglo Coal.[8] The company operates and maintains some of the town's infrastructure. Most of the houses are almost identical, in this instance there are three types of houses; lowset L-shaped, lowset square and highset.

Approximately 40,000 workes have been employed at Middlemount's coal mining over its 39 year history. This town has contributed to the economic development of Queensland and Australia more generally..

At the 2011 census, Middlemount had a population of 1,914.[1]

Mining

The German Creek coal mine (or Capcoal), operated by Anglo Coal, is notable as having the deepest longwall coal mine in Queensland, and also for operating Australia's only 'thin-seam' underground coal mine, using technology from the United States. It has five producing underground mines (Central, Southern, Bundoora, Grasstree and Aquila) and two open cut (open pit) mines (Oak Park and Lake Lindsay, both in neighbouring Mackenzie River). Central and Southern mines are no longer operating, Southern has become Grasstree West in 2006 and Central Closed in 2004. Aquila mine is currently in "Care & Maintenance" mode, pending changes to the coal market prices.

The Foxleigh coal mine (also in Mackenzie River) used to be a joint venture between Anglo American, POSCO and Nippon Steel It is currently producing around three million tonnes of coal for the export market. Anglo American announced that it had completed the sale of its 70% interest in the Foxleigh metallurgical coal mine in Queensland, Australia to a consortium led by Taurus Fund Management, following the announcement of the sale and purchase agreement on 4 April 2016.[9]

Local attractions

Middlemount has a small shopping complex which contains an IGA store, a butchery, an Australian Post Office, a jewellery and gift store, clothing store 'The Vault', a medical centre, a chemist, an ANZ bank, a bakery, 'Lemon Tree' takeaway store and cafe, a hairdressers, and a news agency. The 'Leisure Centre' located across the parking lot from the shopping centre contains 'Hot Rocks' pizza and takeaway store and cafe, a gym, and a hairdressers. Middlemount also has a pub with a Bottle-O drive-through, a local hall, a restaurant and hotel motel 'The Swag', a skatepark, a local pool, and a golf club.

Isaac Regional Council operate a public library in Middlemount in the shopping centre.[10]

Education

The Middlemount Community School is co-educational government primary and secondary school (P-12) in James Randell Drive. In 2015, the school had an enrolment of 373 students with 32 teachers (29 full-time equivalent). Students in Years 9-12 can also study subjects unavailable at the school through the School of Distance Education.[11]

Notable residents

Some of Middlemount's notable former residents are Olympic cyclists Anna Meares and Kerrie Meares. Schapelle Corby's father also lived in Middlemount, while working at the German Creek Mine during the 1990s.

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Middlemount (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  2. "Middlemount - town (entry 22000)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  3. "Middlemount - locality (entry 49386)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  4. "Isaac ... the region of first choice" (PDF). Isaac Regional Council. p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  5. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  6. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  7. "Queensland Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-2017" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  8. Andrew Fraser & Matt Chambers (19 June 2010). "The towns mining built stand by their makers". The Australian. News Corp. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  9. "Anglo American completes sale of the Foxleigh mine". australia.angloamerican.com. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  10. "Find your local library". Isaac Regional Council. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  11. "2015 School Annual Report" (PDF). Middlemount Community School. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
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