20260710 QLD Coppabella, Moranbah & Clermont

20260710 We called into the town of Coppabella a rural town in the Isaac region, established by Queensland Railways to accommodate train crew and railway maintenance staff. Recognised for its large mining monument at the entrance of the town, Coppabella was designed to service the junction of two railway lines, one from Goonyella Mine and the other from Saraji Mine. The railway line would then continue on to the sea at Hay Point, Sarina. The Goonyella to Hay Point line was opened on the 5 November 1971 and the Coppabella Railway Station was opened on the same day.
These days Coppabella is wholly owned and operated by Queensland Railway, in other words, the people of Queensland.

The large monument as you enter the town Coppabella’s represents the town's rich coal-mining and railway heritage, it features a massive aluminium gondola coal hopper that was erected to commemorate the town's 25th anniversary.

Passing into the Central Highlands we continued onto Moranbah watching the mine pass us by in the distance. Travelling along Moranbah Access Rd when I spotted a heap of buffalo but couldn’t manage to get a photo.We had lunch at Moranbah then left heading to Clermount looking for a camp for the night. Driving along SR70 Peak Downs Hwy and OMG this road certainly needs some work, I thought the roads around these mining towns are supposed to be maintained, another great example of “Better Roads for Qld”.

Our roadside camp for the night, and not a sole in sight just the odd traffic passing by and the cow’s in the meadows, just bliss.

I see a rabbit in the sky and I’m hoping you do to.

20260711 Travelling along the Peak Downs Hwy when I noticed in the distance a chain of Mountains, curious I check them out. The Peak Range is a chain of prominent and picturesque mountains between Moranbah, Clermont and Dysart consisting of four sections, namely Wolfang Peak, Eastern Peak, Lord's Table Mountain and Gemini Mountains. The Peak Range has been built up by an extensive sequence of basalt flows and rhyolite and trachyte intrusive bodies, which erupted from the volcano between 32 and 29 million years ago.

My photo did no justice but I found one better, Gemini Mountain is over 30 million years old ancient volcanic plugs of rhyolite sticking out of the open eucalypt woodland.

Wolfang Peak, and yes this one I took.

20260712 Clermont, now that’s a town we haven’t been to before so let’s go and check it out, it seems pleasant and clean with some old shops still operating. This town like many town’s in the 1800’s were discovered when gold was found in the area sparking a massive gold rush and transforming a remote pastoral district into a booming tent city. Following the gold rush the first copper mine was discovered in 1862, which supported a thriving community of 2,000 people but floods plagued this area occurring in 1864, 1867, 1890, and 1896, all because the town was built on a floodplain. Tragedy in December 1916 struck when torrential cyclone caused floodwaters to surge in the middle of the night, it’s considered one of Australia's worst inland natural disasters, claiming at least 65 lives. Fuel here at the moment is $208.9 so we filled up, got some photos and an ice cream before heading to Teresa Dam.

Clermont Rail Wagons Murals feature four painted carriages near the historic 1884 Railway Station, they depict local gold and coal mining, cattle and sheep farming, and grain crops. A hidden green tree frog is on each wagon

The Commercial Hotel’s history dates back to 1877 when Bernard “Barney” Mullin was granted its first licence, quickly making it a social hub during the gold rush. Following the devastating 1916 Clermont flood, the hotel was famously sawn in half and moved in two sections to higher ground in 1917, with guests continuing to eat and sleep there during the move. Rebuilt in 1938 and surviving a major fire in 1946, this classic two-storey Queenslander remains a popular spot for dining, accommodation, and community events today.

I say go and have fun.

Looking down the street of Clermont and much higher grounds.

Leo Hotel Clermont, 1917, following the flood that destroyed Clermont in 1916, the people of Clermont voted to move the town to higher ground. 'Each building was raised on jacks and timber rails laid underneath it for about one hundred metres, a steam traction engine then winched the building slowly along the track. When it came to the end of the track, the rails were collected and laid down in front for another hundred metres, and thats how you move a town.

The cement obelisk in the shape of a treestump was constructed in 1979 to commemorate the victims of the 1916 flood.

We were told Teresa Dam was nice for a couple of days so lets go and check it out, arriving at the dam we found it very dry but Des paid for a couple of days so we set up over looking the Dam. Waking the next morning we decided to leave and head to Capella.

Theresa Creek Dam, constructed in 1983 to supply water for the town of Clermont, the 9,200-megalitre reservoir has since become a popular camping and water recreation but a boat comes in handy.

Look what I found climbing from one rocks to the other on the edge of the Dam, one of Australia's native egg-laying mammals.

By 1892 the population had declined to 85 and the copper mine closed in 1907

All that remains today of Copperfield is the cemetery, general store and chimney.

Driving along the Gregory Hwy where the farming land reaches as far as the eye can see, we even noticed the flood line which explains the rough road as we attempt driving in the middle when possible, we pass acres of sorghum and wheat, just some I can recognise. I type as we drive and these rough roads don’t make it easy, not to mention a truck stuck behind us and our two way is out along with our radio and all the usb’s, just try finding an auto electrician in these towns.

Passing over into the Capricorn Region

Fields of Sorghum and Wheat dominate this area.

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