Rubyvale, Queensland
title: "Rubyvale, Queensland" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mining-towns-in-queensland", "towns-in-queensland", "central-highlands-region", "localities-in-queensland"] topic_path: "general/mining-towns-in-queensland" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubyvale,_Queensland" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox Australian place"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| type | town |
| name | Rubyvale |
| state | qld |
| image | Rubyvale-gemfields-outback-queensland-australia.jpg |
| caption | Main street of Rubyvale |
| coordinates | |
| pop | 518 |
| pop_year | |
| pop_footnotes | |
| area | 337.1 |
| postcode | 4702 |
| timezone | AEST |
| utc | +10:00 |
| dist1 | 62.1 |
| dir1 | WNW |
| location1 | Emerald |
| dist2 | 332 |
| dir2 | W |
| location2 | Rockhampton |
| dist3 | 894 |
| dir3 | NW |
| location3 | Brisbane |
| lga | Central Highlands Region |
| stategov | Gregory |
| fedgov | Flynn |
| near-n | Argyll |
| near-ne | Carbine Creek |
| near-e | Fork Lagoons |
| near-se | Sapphire Central |
| near-s | Anakie Siding |
| near-sw | Willows |
| near-w | Argyll |
| near-nw | Argyll |
| :: |
| type = town | name = Rubyvale | state = qld | image = Rubyvale-gemfields-outback-queensland-australia.jpg | caption = Main street of Rubyvale | coordinates = | pop = 518 | pop_year = | pop_footnotes = | established = | area = 337.1 | postcode = 4702 | timezone = AEST | utc = +10:00 | dist1 = 62.1 | dir1 = WNW | location1 = Emerald | dist2 = 332 | dir2 = W | location2 = Rockhampton | dist3 = 894 | dir3 = NW | location3 = Brisbane | lga = Central Highlands Region | stategov = Gregory | fedgov = Flynn | elevation = | maxtemp = | mintemp = | rainfall = | near-n = Argyll | near-ne = Carbine Creek | near-e = Fork Lagoons | near-se = Sapphire Central | near-s = Anakie Siding | near-sw = Willows | near-w = Argyll | near-nw = Argyll Rubyvale is a rural town and locality in the Central Highlands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the town of Rubyvale had a population of 518 people.
Rubyvale was one of three towns within the locality of The Gemfields (the others being Sapphire and Anakie) until 17 April 2020, when the Queensland Government decided to replace The Gemfields with three new localities (Rubyvale, Sapphire Central and Anakie Siding) based around each of the three towns respectively. The boundaries of Argyll were also modified to accommodate the introduction of the locality of Rubyvale with an area of 337.1 km2.
Geography
The town is located near the south-east boundary of the locality. The town is approximately 61 km west of Emerald. Sapphires are mined extensively in the area.
History
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Township_of_Rubyvale.jpg" caption="Historic photo of Rubyvale (undated)"] ::
The name Rubyvale derives from a ruby weighing 5 to 6 dwt found near the town by miner William Dunn in the early 1900s.
Rubyvale Provisional School opened on 19 October 1908. On 1 January 1909 it became Rubyvale State School. It closed in 1963.
Rubyvale was one of three towns within the locality of The Gemfields (the others being Sapphire and Anakie) until 17 April 2020, when the Queensland Government decided to replace The Gemfields with three new localities (Rubyvale, Sapphire Central and Anakie Siding) based around each of the three towns respectively. The boundaries of Argyll were also modified to accommodate the introduction of the locality of Rubyvale with an area of 337.1 km2.
Demographics
In the , the town of Rubyvale had a population of 510 people.
In the , the town of Rubyvale had a population of 640 people.
In the , the town of Rubyvale had a population of 518 people.
Amenities
Rubyvale has a convenience store/news agents, post office, hotel and take-away bottle shop, as well as a variety of accommodation and fossicking areas. Some popular places to go fossicking are the Bob n John Mine, Bobby Dazzler and Pats Gems.
The Central Highlands Regional Council operates a public library at 7 Burridge Road ().
Education
There are no schools in Rubyvale. The nearest government primary school is Anakie State School in Anakie Siding to the south. The nearest government secondary schools are Emerald State High School in Emerald to the east and Capella State High School in Capella to the north-east.
Climate
The area can get up to 40 C during summer, and can reach 0 C in winter.
Heritage listings
Rubyvale has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- Argyll (but nearest town is Rubyvale): Tomahawk Creek Huts
References
References
- {{cite QPN. 29264. Rubyvale. town in Central Highlands Region
- {{Cite QPN. 50496. Rubyvale. locality in the Central Highlands Region
- (17 April 2020). "Recent place name decisions: Job number 18-115: The Gemfields". [[Queensland Government]].
- (2019). "Proposed Locality Boundaries and Names: Anakie Siding, Argyll, Emerald, Gindie, Lochington, Minerva, Rubyvale and Sapphire Central". [[Queensland Government]].
- (17 April 2020). "Locality Boundaries and Names: Anakie Siding, Argyll, Emerald, Gindie, Lochington, Minerva, Rubyvale and Sapphire Central". [[Queensland Government]].
- {{Queensland Globe
- (18 November 1950). "The State's mystery town of wealth". [[The Courier-mail]].
- "Queensland schools past and present". [[Queensland Family History Society]].
- {{Census 2006 AUS
- {{Census 2016 AUS
- {{Census 2021 AUS
- "Locations".
- {{cite QHR. 29257. Tomahawk Creek Huts. 602661
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