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Mount Mulligan
Mount Mulligan was a coal mining town that ceased to
exist in 1958. The town derives its name from the mountain where
it is located. It was named after James Venture Mulligan who
sighted the mountain in 1874. Gold was discovered on the Hodgkinson
River during Mulligan's 5th expedition in 1876. The discovery
of gold brought a rush of prospectors to the area with camps
and small settlements along the Hodgkinson river. The gold was
never rich and people left with only a handful of gold scratchers
left. From time to time small revivals occurred in hard rock
mining. Abandoned mine shafts and rusting machinery can still
be seen today. Find out more about some of the nearby settlements
like Woodville
etc.
Coal was discovered in the mountain in 1907. Commercial mining
of coal commenced in approx. 1914. Coal was never very profitable
as the method of mining, the quality of the coal and transport
problems ensured a slow decline of the township.
Majestic Mount Mulligan
In its brief life of 50 years it had experienced one of Queenslands
worst mining disasters. A historical marker erected recently
tells about this disaster. "On Monday 19th September 1921 at
9:25 there was a loud explosion in the mine which killed 75
men. the explosion was heard 60 kilometres away at Mount Molloy".
The town had
a reticulated water system, and electricity. It had a school,
two cricket pitches, two tennis courts, two hotels, Jack & Newells
store, Billiards room, bakery, hospital railway station and
police station. Population at the time of the mine explosion
was approx. 350 in 1921. There were two coal mines in operation,
the state owned Mount Mulligan mine and the privately owned
King Cole. Remains of the town can be explored quite easily
with streets, walkways and the typical ghost town debris of
white ant eaten house stumps and roofing iron. The only remaining
intact building is the hospital which is occupied by the property
owner of Mt Mulligan Station.
Memorial
News Flash
- Station is being
sold, new owners may not allow access for camping, prospecting,
metal detecting may no longer be permitted!
Copyright © 2005
-2007 All rights reserved.
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