Mount Coolon, Queensland

Mount Coolon is a rural town and locality in the Whitsunday Region, Queensland, Australia.^[2][3] In the 2021 census, the locality of Mount Coolon had a population of 172 people.^[1]

Mount Coolon Queensland
Town of Mount Coolon, 1932
Mount Coolon
Coordinates	21.3838°S 147.3413°E / -21.3838; 147.3413 (Mount Coolon (town centre))
Population	172 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	0.02828/km2 (0.07326/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4804
Area	6,081.0 km2 (2,347.9 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	156 km (97 mi) W of Glenden 210 km (130 mi) SW of Bowen 271 km (168 mi) SW of Proserpine 287 km (178 mi) W of Mackay 1,147 km (713 mi) NW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Whitsunday Region
State electorate(s)	Burdekin
Federal division(s)	Capricornia
Localities around Mount Coolon: Seventy Mile Mount Wyatt Newlands Llanarth Mount Coolon Suttor Belyando Pasha Eaglefield

Geography

The Suttor River rises here. The river marks part of the eastern and all of the southern and western boundaries of Mount Coolon. The Sellheim River forms a small section of the northern border. The landscape is dotted with many waterholes and numerous peaks belonging to the Leichhardt Range.^{[citation needed]}

Mount Coolon has the following mountains:

• Beaucazon Peak (21.0811°S 147.0009°E / -21.0811; 147.0009 (Beaucazon Peak)) 291 metres (955 ft)^[4][5]
• Bulgonunna Peak (21.2932°S 147.5396°E / -21.2932; 147.5396 (Bulgonunna Peak)) 516 metres (1,693 ft)^[4][6]
• Bungobine Peak (21.0731°S 147.3634°E / -21.0731; 147.3634 (Bungobine Peak)) 358 metres (1,175 ft)^[4][7]
• Carey Guille (20.9925°S 147.0093°E / -20.9925; 147.0093 (Carey Guille)) 374 metres (1,227 ft)^[4][8]
• Mount Carmel (21.3129°S 147.1947°E / -21.3129; 147.1947 (Mount Carmel)) 290 metres (950 ft)^[4][9]
• Mount Douglas (21.4008°S 146.9154°E / -21.4008; 146.9154 (Mount Douglas)) 279 metres (915 ft)^[4][10]
• Mount Harry Marsh (21.1798°S 147.1890°E / -21.1798; 147.1890 (Mount Harry Marsh)) 375 metres (1,230 ft)^[4][11]
• Mount Kroman (21.1533°S 146.9857°E / -21.1533; 146.9857 (Mount Kroman)) 345 metres (1,132 ft)^[4][12]
• Mount Loudon (21.1143°S 147.3434°E / -21.1143; 147.3434 (Mount Loudon)) 418 metres (1,371 ft)^[4][13]
• Mount Manaman (21.4253°S 147.3492°E / -21.4253; 147.3492 (Mount Manaman)) 350 metres (1,150 ft)^[4][14]
• Mount Patterson (21.2140°S 147.4122°E / -21.2140; 147.4122 (Mount Patterson)) 430 metres (1,410 ft)^[4][15]
• Mount Tindale (20.9686°S 147.3196°E / -20.9686; 147.3196 (Mount Tindale)) 426 metres (1,398 ft)^[4][16]
• Norcot Peak (21.0909°S 146.9968°E / -21.0909; 146.9968 (Norcot Peak)) 294 metres (965 ft)^[4][17]
• Rodborough Hill (21.0328°S 147.0380°E / -21.0328; 147.0380 (Rodborough Hill)) 296 metres (971 ft)^[4][18]
• Scartwater Hill (21.0877°S 146.8673°E / -21.0877; 146.8673 (Scartwater Hill)) 196 metres (643 ft)^[4][19]
• The Tor (21.0363°S 146.9014°E / -21.0363; 146.9014 (The Tor)) 224 metres (735 ft)^[4][20]
• Whitestone Peak (20.9815°S 147.4658°E / -20.9815; 147.4658 (Whitestone Peak)) 425 metres (1,394 ft)^[4][21]

History

Bernard Thompson at Goodna, one of the four men shot and killed by Thomas Coolon at Mount Coolon, 1918

Mount Coolon was originally called Koala, and was founded on Yangga tribal lands. It was renamed after Thomas Coolon, a prospector.^[2]

In 1918, following a claims dispute, Coolon shot and killed four men, then committed suicide.^[22]

Koala Provisional School opened on 11 July 1921. On 1 September 1925, it became Koala State School. In 1946, it was renamed Mount Coolon State School in 1946. It closed in 1950, but reopened in 1962.^[23] It finally closed on 30 April 1971.^[24]

Mount Coolon Post Office and General Store, 1932

Mount Coolon Post Office opened on 1 May 1925 (a receiving office had been open from 1922) and closed in 1984.^[25]

Koala police station opened in 1925 and was renamed Mount Coolon police station in 1931. It closed in 1967. 18 police officers served at the station over its lifetime.^[23]

Between 1925 and 1967 when the station closed there were 18 officers stationed at Mt Coolon.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, the locality of Mount Coolon had a population of 567 people.^[26]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Mount Coolon had a population of 64 people.^[27]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Mount Coolon had a population of 172 people.^[1]

Heritage listings

Chimney, Barclay's Battery

Mount Coolon has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Collinsville road (21.3836°S 147.3415°E / -21.3836; 147.3415 (Barclay's Battery)): Barclay's Battery^[28]
• St Annes Road (21.225°S 146.9126°E / -21.225; 146.9126 (Suttor River Causeway)): Suttor River Causeway on the Old Bowen Downs Road^[29]

Education

There are no schools in Mount Coolon. Glenden State School in Glenden to the east is the nearest government primary and secondary school; however, the distances involved in a daily commute mean that distance education and boarding schools are other options.^[30]

Amenities

Mount Coolon Hotel is at 1 Mill Street. It provides meals and accommodation.^[31]

The former Mount Coolon State School is now the Mount Coolon Community Centre.^[23]