Acland, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Acland is a small town north of Oakey
, on the Darling Downs, 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) west of Queensland
's state capital, Brisbane
. At the 2006 census
, Acland had a population of 53.
Originally built to support what would become Queensland's oldest continuously worked coal mine, the town had a population of between 200 and 400 prior to the mine being shut down in 1984. In 2008 almost all properties comprising the town were purchased by the new mine operators with the intention that they be demolished as the open cut mine expands into the town site. By 2009 there was only one remaining resident, Glenn Beutel, who had refused the company's offer to purchase his property.
in the area by the Acland Coal Company. The town had a post office by 1912, and its own police officer by 1913, at which time there was also a primary school nearby, known as Lagoon Creek.
The Acland number two colliery opened in 1929, and in the 1940s and 1950s it employed 52 people. In 1952, several buildings in the town were damaged by a tornado; radio broadcaster Alan Jones described it as "Australia's only inland tornado" and that it "flattened" the town, with sufficient strength to lift a farm water tank off its stand.
By 1971, with demand for coal for transport in decline, Acland was home to the only remaining coalmine on the Darling Downs. The mine was Queensland's "oldest and smallest continuously worked coal mine" at the time of its closure in 1984. The old colliery is state heritage-listed, being "the most intact mine site of its age and type in Queensland". From the mine's closure in 1984, to the sale of the site to the Shire of Rosalie in 2000, the workings were operated as a mining museum by Kath and John Greenhalgh, the owners of the farm on which the mine was located.
In the 1980s Acland was a six-time winner of the Queensland Tidy Town Award
for towns with a population between 200 and 400, and the inaugural overall Tidy Town prize in 1989.
In 1999, New Hope Coal
moved into the area and established the New Acland Mine
, an open cut coal mine that since 2005 has been New Hope's main coal producing operation. Anticipating major expansion, the company began to purchase houses in Acland in advance of the area becoming an open cut mine pit, expected to produce 10 million tonnes of coal each year. Ahead of the mine's development, several Queensland bottle trees were prepared for transplantation to the new National Arboretum in Canberra
.
In December 2008 Glenn Beutel was the only remaining homeowner, having rejected the company's offer to purchase his house. In mid-2010 Beutel continued to resist the company's offers, and was reported to still be maintaining the local park established by his parents.
A declining population meant the primary school had just 12 students by 2004, leading to its closure. The school's most notable former student was controversial Australian radio broadcaster, Alan Jones, who started at the school in 1946.
In the 1980s the town was classed as having a population of between 200 and 400, however it reported a population of just 53 in the 2006 census.
Oakey, Queensland
Oakey is a rural town situated in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. It is situated west of the state capital, Brisbane, and west of the regional city of Toowoomba. At the 2006 census, Oakey had a population of 3,657.-History:...
, on the Darling Downs, 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) west of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
's state capital, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Acland had a population of 53.
Originally built to support what would become Queensland's oldest continuously worked coal mine, the town had a population of between 200 and 400 prior to the mine being shut down in 1984. In 2008 almost all properties comprising the town were purchased by the new mine operators with the intention that they be demolished as the open cut mine expands into the town site. By 2009 there was only one remaining resident, Glenn Beutel, who had refused the company's offer to purchase his property.
History
Acland town developed following the mining of coalCoal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
in the area by the Acland Coal Company. The town had a post office by 1912, and its own police officer by 1913, at which time there was also a primary school nearby, known as Lagoon Creek.
The Acland number two colliery opened in 1929, and in the 1940s and 1950s it employed 52 people. In 1952, several buildings in the town were damaged by a tornado; radio broadcaster Alan Jones described it as "Australia's only inland tornado" and that it "flattened" the town, with sufficient strength to lift a farm water tank off its stand.
By 1971, with demand for coal for transport in decline, Acland was home to the only remaining coalmine on the Darling Downs. The mine was Queensland's "oldest and smallest continuously worked coal mine" at the time of its closure in 1984. The old colliery is state heritage-listed, being "the most intact mine site of its age and type in Queensland". From the mine's closure in 1984, to the sale of the site to the Shire of Rosalie in 2000, the workings were operated as a mining museum by Kath and John Greenhalgh, the owners of the farm on which the mine was located.
In the 1980s Acland was a six-time winner of the Queensland Tidy Town Award
Australian Tidy Town Awards
The Australian Tidy Town Awards were launched in 1968 in Western Australia and are an initiative of Keep Australia Beautiful. These awards encourage, motivate and celebrate the achievements of rural and regional communities across Australia...
for towns with a population between 200 and 400, and the inaugural overall Tidy Town prize in 1989.
In 1999, New Hope Coal
New Hope Coal
New Hope Coal is an Australian coal-mining and energy company. New Hope's operations include New Acland Mine, Jeebropilly Mine, New Oakleigh Mine and Queensland Bulk Handling. New Hope Coal is 61.11% owned by Washington H. Soul Pattinson....
moved into the area and established the New Acland Mine
New Acland Mine
The New Acland Mine is located adjacent to Acland township, about 10 km north of Oakey on the Darling Downs in Queensland, Australia. It contains more than 500 million tonnes of coal that is removed by the open cut method. The mine is owned and operated by New Hope Coal and part of the...
, an open cut coal mine that since 2005 has been New Hope's main coal producing operation. Anticipating major expansion, the company began to purchase houses in Acland in advance of the area becoming an open cut mine pit, expected to produce 10 million tonnes of coal each year. Ahead of the mine's development, several Queensland bottle trees were prepared for transplantation to the new National Arboretum in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
In December 2008 Glenn Beutel was the only remaining homeowner, having rejected the company's offer to purchase his house. In mid-2010 Beutel continued to resist the company's offers, and was reported to still be maintaining the local park established by his parents.
A declining population meant the primary school had just 12 students by 2004, leading to its closure. The school's most notable former student was controversial Australian radio broadcaster, Alan Jones, who started at the school in 1946.
Geography
Acland lies north of Oakey, on the Darling Downs, 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) west of Queensland's state capital, Brisbane. Originally known as Lagoon Creek, it lies in pasture country where there has been some dairy farming, horse breeding and coal mining. Rainfall was measured at the post office between 1912 and 1993, recording an average annual rainfall of 690 millimetres (27.2 in).In the 1980s the town was classed as having a population of between 200 and 400, however it reported a population of just 53 in the 2006 census.
External links
- New Acland Coal Expansion Project documentation, Queensland Government Environmental Protection Authority