Population 1,914 (2011 census) LGA(s) Isaac Region Middlemount MacKenzie River Local time Wednesday 2:07 AM | Postcode(s) 4746 State electorate(s) Rockhampton Postal code 4746 Federal division Division of Capricornia | |
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Location 878 km (546 mi) NW of Brisbane
242 km (150 mi) SW of Mackay
119 km (74 mi) N of Blackwater | ||
Middlemount is a town and locality in Isaac Region, Central Queensland, Australia. At the 2011 census, Middlemount had a population of 1,914. It is nicknamed the "Giant Peanut" by some locals due to its peanut-shaped road layout.
Contents
- Map of Middlemount QLD 4746 Australia
- Geography
- History
- Mining
- Local attractions
- Education
- Notable residents
- References
Map of Middlemount QLD 4746, Australia
Geography
Middlemount is located 242 kilometres (150 mi) inland (by road) from Mackay and Rockhampton. 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.
Middlemount State School opened in 1980 with a secondary department addded 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.
Most of the housing is owned by Anglo Coal. 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.
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). Central and Southern mines are no longer operating, Southern has become Grasstree West and Central Closed in 2006. Aquila mine is currently in "Care & Maintenance" mode, pending changes to the coal market prices.
The Foxleigh coal mine is a joint venture between Anglo American, POSCO and Nippon Steel It is currently producing around three million tonnes of coal for the export market.
Local attractions
Middlemount has a small shopping complex which contains an IGA store, a butchery, an Australian Post Office, Subway, a jewellery and gift store, clothing store 'The Vault', a dentist, a medical centre, a chemist, an ANZ bank, a bakery, a library, '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 local Bowls Club, 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.
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.
Notable residents
Some of Middlemount's notable former residents are Olympic cyclists Anna Meares and Kerrie Meares. Schapelle Corby's father also had a property in Middlemount, while working at the German Creek Mine during the 1990s.