Springsure

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

title: "Springsure" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["springsure", "towns-in-queensland", "central-highlands-region", "localities-in-queensland"] topic_path: "general/springsure" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springsure" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox Australian place"]

FieldValue
typetown
nameSpringsure
stateqld
imageEntrance sign, Springsure, Queensland.jpg
captionEntrance sign, Springsure, Queensland
coordinates
pop950
pop_year
pop_footnotes
postcode4722
area141.6
timezoneAEST
utc+10:00
dist168.3
dir1S
location1Emerald
dist2335
dir2WSW
location2Rockhampton
dist3764
dir3NW
location3Brisbane
lgaCentral Highlands Region
stategovGregory
fedgovFlynn
maxtemp28.8
mintemp14.0
rainfall677.4
elevation344.9
near-nMinerva
near-neArcturus
near-eOrion
near-seCairdbeign
near-sCona Creek
near-swCona Creek
near-wMinerva
near-nwMinerva
::

| type = town | name = Springsure | state = qld | image = Entrance sign, Springsure, Queensland.jpg | caption = Entrance sign, Springsure, Queensland | coordinates = | pop = 950 | pop_year = | pop_footnotes = | established = | postcode = 4722 | area = 141.6 | timezone = AEST | utc = +10:00 | dist1 = 68.3 | dir1 = S | location1 = Emerald | dist2 = 335 | dir2 = WSW | location2 = Rockhampton | dist3 = 764 | dir3 = NW | location3 = Brisbane | dist4 = | dir4 = | location4 = | lga = Central Highlands Region | stategov = Gregory | fedgov = Flynn | maxtemp = 28.8 | mintemp = 14.0 | rainfall = 677.4 | elevation = 344.9 | near-n = Minerva | near-ne = Arcturus | near-e = Orion | near-se = Cairdbeign | near-s = Cona Creek | near-sw = Cona Creek | near-w = Minerva | near-nw = Minerva Springsure is a rural town and locality in the Central Highlands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Springsure had a population of 950 people.

Geography

Springsure is situated 68.3 km by road south of Emerald, at the southern end of the Gregory Highway, and at the northern end of the Dawson Highway. Springsure is 764 km northwest of Brisbane.

The terrain varies from 270 to 602 m above sea level, with a number of named mountain features:

  • Mount Booramool () 602 m

  • Mount Zamia () 559 m

  • Eclipse Gap () The Minerva Hills National Park is in the north-west of the locality ().

Springsure was served by a branch railway from the Central Western railway line. The Springsure branch railway line separated from the main line at Springsure Junction station (now Nogoa station), near Emerald. The locality was served two railway stations:

  • Zamia railway station, serving north of the town ()
  • Springsure railway station, serving the town ()

Springsure Airport is south of the town on Airport Drive (). It is operated by the Central Highlands Regional Council but it is only suitable for light aircraft, has limited facilities, requires permission, and care needs to be taken in relation to wildlife and livestock.

Climate

| width = auto | metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = Springsure (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1965–present) | Jan record high C = 44.5 | Feb record high C = 43.7 | Mar record high C = 40.4 | Apr record high C = 36.5 | May record high C = 34.0 | Jun record high C = 30.5 | Jul record high C = 29.6 | Aug record high C = 34.6 | Sep record high C = 39.0 | Oct record high C = 41.1 | Nov record high C = 43.3 | Dec record high C = 43.8 | year record high C = 44.5 | Jan high C = 33.9 | Feb high C = 32.6 | Mar high C = 31.8 | Apr high C = 29.1 | May high C = 25.4 | Jun high C = 22.5 | Jul high C = 22.5 | Aug high C = 24.6 | Sep high C = 28.0 | Oct high C = 30.6 | Nov high C = 32.4 | Dec high C = 33.6 | year high C = 28.9 | Jan mean C = 27.6 | Feb mean C = 26.7 | Mar mean C = 25.6 | Apr mean C = 22.4 | May mean C = 18.5 | Jun mean C = 15.5 | Jul mean C = 15.0 | Aug mean C = 16.6 | Sep mean C = 20.2 | Oct mean C = 23.3 | Nov mean C = 25.4 | Dec mean C = 26.9 | year mean C = 22.0 | Jan low C = 21.4 | Feb low C = 20.9 | Mar low C = 19.4 | Apr low C = 15.6 | May low C = 11.5 | Jun low C = 8.5 | Jul low C = 7.6 | Aug low C = 8.7 | Sep low C = 12.4 | Oct low C = 16.0 | Nov low C = 18.4 | Dec low C = 20.2 | year low C = 15.0 | Jan record low C = 13.3 | Feb record low C = 14.0 | Mar record low C = 7.8 | Apr record low C = 2.4 | May record low C = -1.3 | Jun record low C = -4.0 | Jul record low C = -4.4 | Aug record low C = -3.2 | Sep record low C = 0.0 | Oct record low C = 1.6 | Nov record low C = 5.4 | Dec record low C = 9.6 | year record low C = -4.4 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 129.9 | Feb precipitation mm = 102.3 | Mar precipitation mm = 62.1 | Apr precipitation mm = 32.9 | May precipitation mm = 27.7 | Jun precipitation mm = 33.1 | Jul precipitation mm = 16.2 | Aug precipitation mm = 18.9 | Sep precipitation mm = 34.4 | Oct precipitation mm = 61.7 | Nov precipitation mm = 60.9 | Dec precipitation mm = 98.3 | year precipitation mm = 678.5 | unit precipitation days = 1 mm | Jan precipitation days = 7.1 | Feb precipitation days = 6.7 | Mar precipitation days = 4.4 | Apr precipitation days = 2.8 | May precipitation days = 2.4 | Jun precipitation days = 2.9 | Jul precipitation days = 1.8 | Aug precipitation days = 2.2 | Sep precipitation days = 2.7 | Oct precipitation days = 4.6 | Nov precipitation days = 5.8 | Dec precipitation days = 6.7 | year precipitation days = 50.0 | Jan dew point C = 17.3 | Feb dew point C = 17.8 | Mar dew point C = 15.9 | Apr dew point C = 12.7 | May dew point C = 9.4 | Jun dew point C = 7.6 | Jul dew point C = 6.0 | Aug dew point C = 5.2 | Sep dew point C = 7.3 | Oct dew point C = 10.7 | Nov dew point C = 13.2 | Dec dew point C = 15.6 | year dew point C = 11.6 | source 1 = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration{{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/4.4/data/0-data/Region-5-WMO-Normals-9120/Australia/CSV/Springsure_95362.csv |title = Springsure Climate Normals for 1991-2020 |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |format = CSV |access-date = 11 August 2024}} | source 2 = Bureau of Meteorology{{Cite web |title = Climate statistics for Australian locations |publisher = Bureau of Meteorology |access-date = 11 August 2024 |url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_035065_All.shtml}}

History

The area had been occupied by Aboriginal people for thousands of years. Gangalu (Gangulu, Kangulu, Kanolu, Kaangooloo, Khangulu) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Gangula country. The Gangula language region includes the towns of Clermont and Springsure extending south towards the Dawson River. Wadja (also known as Wadjigu, Wadya, Wadjainngo, Mandalgu, and Wadjigun) is an Australian Aboriginal language in Central Queensland. The language region includes the local government areas of the Aboriginal Shire of Woorabinda and Central Highlands Region, including the Blackdown Tablelands. the Comet River, and the Expedition Range, and the towns of Woorabinda, Springsure and Rolleston.

Ludwig Leichhardt was the first European to explore the area, doing so between 1844 and 1845. His favourable reports encouraged settlers to move in and settle the land.

In 1861, squatter Horatio Wills and a party of Victorian settlers arrived near modern-day Springsure in 1861. Two weeks later, 19 men women and children, including Wills, were killed by Aboriginal Australian people, the Kairi or Gayiri, in the Cullin-La-Ringo massacre, which was the largest massacre of European settlers by Aboriginal peoples in Australian history. At least 15 Aboriginal men, women and children were killed by the Queensland Native Police and militias of local European colonists and their employees in a series of reprisals over the months that followed. However, the massacre of the 19 European family members was itself a retaliatory response to an earlier shooting of fugitive murderer who was Gayiri tribesman by Jesse Gregson, manager of nearby Rainsworth Station, with Second Lieutenant Alfred March Patrick and Native Police Troops in his command. Prior to the massacre of the 19 colonists, in early 1861 Second Lieutenant Patrick had complained to Charles Dutton, lessee of Bauhinia Downs pastoral lease 148 km south-east of Springsure, that other officers in the Queensland Native Police "...had been able to bag their first Aborigine after only a few weeks in the Force; he had served for six months and still had not yet killed a black." The Old Rainworth Fort was built in 1862 by the colonists of Springsure in order to defend themselves from future raids by Aboriginals. Horatio's son, star cricketer and Australian rules football pioneer Tom Wills, survived the massacre, and remained on site until 1864.

The town takes its name from a pastoral run which was first named Springsure in 1861, after its permanent spring.

The town was surveyed by Charles Frederick Gregory in August 1863. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Springsure_qld_presbyterian_church.jpg" caption="Presbyterian Church, Springsure, 2006"] ::

On Sunday 7 April 1867, the first Springsure Presbyterian Church was opened in Charles Street. It was 25 by 20 ft with 12 ft high walls. In 1922, it was replaced by a new church building known as St Andrew's Presbyterian Church. It closed in March 2011 after 145 years. It was at 55 Charles Street (). ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Old_Springsure_State_School.jpg" caption="Springsure State School, circa 1929"] ::

Springsure State School opened on 14 March 1870 under head teacher John Henry Nicholson, son of an eminent scholar, John Nicholson, a friend of Ludwig Leichhardt.

The Springsure branch railway line opened on 15 August 1887. The section beyond Wurba Junction to Springsure railway station was closed on 26 June 2013.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Unveiling_the_War_Memorial_fountain_in_Springsure_State_School,_6_December_1919.jpg" caption="Unveiling the War Memorial fountain in Springsure State School, 6 December 1919" alt=""] ::

On 6 December 1919, the Springsure State School Memorial Fountain was dedicated by Mrs Annie Wheeler (née Laurie), a former pupil at the school. The memorial is a marble fountain and commemorates students of the school who served in World War I. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Sisters_of_Mercy_convent,_Springsure,_sketch_by_architect_Roy_Chipps,_1926.jpg" caption="Sisters of Mercy convent, Springsure, sketch by architect Roy Chipps, 1926"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Sisters_of_Mercy_school,_Springsure,_sketch_by_architect_Roy_Chipps,_1926.jpg" caption="Sisters of Mercy school, Springsure, sketch by architect Roy Chipps, 1926"] ::

In March 1925, the Rev. Father Thomas Andrew Sweeney arrived in Springsure to replace Rev. Father Jules Bucas as the Catholic priest for the parish. Sweeney saw that there was a need for a Catholic school in Springsure and set about building a school and a convent for its teachers in August 1925. The architect was Roy Chipps and the builder E.H. Fletcher, both of Rockhampton. In January 1926 the school and the convent opened in a ceremony led by Roman Catholic Bishop of Rockhampton Joseph Shiel. The convent and school were under the control of Sister Mary Bonaventure of the Sisters of Mercy. The school opened on 2 February 1926 with 64 children. It was originally known as The Convent of the Little Flower, but the name was later changed to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

On 16 November 1943, a Douglas C-47A Skytrain broke up in mid-air during a violent storm in the area, and crashed on Rewan Station, around 100 km south of Springsure. All 19 people on board the aircraft perished in the crash.

Minerva Hills National Park was gazetted in 1994.

Demographics

In the , the locality of Springsure had a population of 829 people.

In the , the locality of Springsure had a population of 1,103 people.

In the , the locality of Springsure had a population of 950 people.

Heritage listings

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Springsure_Hospital_Museum_from_north_(2009).jpg" caption="Springsure Hospital Museum from north, 2009"] ::

Springsure has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Education

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Springsure_State_School,_2023.jpg" caption="Springsure State School, 2023"] ::

Springsure State School is a government primary and secondary (Prep-10) school for boys and girls at 55 Eclipse Street (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 158 students with 21 teachers (16 full-time equivalent) and 14 non-teaching staff (8 full-time equivalent). The school motto is 'Success by Effort'.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at Gap Street (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 50 students with 7 teachers (6 full-time equivalent) and 6 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).

There is no secondary education for Years 11 and 12 in Springsure. The nearest government school offering secondary education for these years is in Emerald, but it might be out of range for a daily commute in which case distance education and boarding school are alternatives.

Facilities

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Bicentennial_Library_&_Art_Gallery,_Springsure,_2017.jpg" caption="Bicentennial Library & Art Gallery, Springsure, 2017"] ::

The Central Highlands Regional Council operate a public library in Springsure at 27 Eclipse Street.

The Springsure branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association has its rooms at 27 Eclipse Street. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Springsure_ambulance_station,_2017.jpg" caption="Springsure ambulance station, 2017"] ::

Springsure has the following facilities:

  • Springsure Cemetery ()
  • Springsure sewage treatment plant ()
  • Springsure Ambulance Station ()
  • Springsure Police Station ()
  • Springsure Fire Station ().
  • Springsure SES Facility ()
  • Springsure Multipurpose Health Service, a public hospital ()

Other facilities in Springsure include the airport, a caravan park, motocross track, service station and showground.

Attractions

A cliff face in the mountains just to the north of the town is known as the Virgin Rock, so named because it looked like the Virgin Mary cradling the baby Jesus. Subsequent erosion led to the rock resembling the baby Jesus falling away, but the original resemblance to the Virgin Mary remains.

Notable residents

Gallery

File:Staircase Range Cutting, near Springsure, Queensland - info sign 01.jpg|Staircase Range Cutting, near Springsure, Queensland - information sign File:Staircase Range Cutting, near Springsure, Queensland.jpg|Staircase Range Cutting, near Springsure, Queensland File:Staircase Range Cutting, near Springsure, Queensland - detail of hand tooling.jpg|Staircase Range Cutting, near Springsure, Queensland - detail of hand tooling

References

References

  1. {{cite QPN. 31998. Springsure. town in Central Highlands Region
  2. {{cite QPN. 46976. Springsure. locality in Central Highlands Region
  3. (12 November 2020). "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". [[Queensland Government]].
  4. {{cite QPN. 3791. Mount Booramool. mountain in Central Highlands Region
  5. {{cite QPN. 38830. Mount Zamia. mountain in Central Highlands Region
  6. {{Cite QPN. 39550. Minerva Hills National Park. national park in the Central Highlands Region
  7. (2 October 2020). "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". [[Queensland Government]].
  8. (22 October 2020). "Airports - Queensland". [[Queensland Government]].
  9. "Aeroplane landing areas".
  10. "Gangalu".
  11. "Wadja".
  12. (2008-11-21). "Springsure - Culture and History".
  13. (11 November 1861). "ROCKHAMPTON.". National Library of Australia.
  14. T. Bottoms (2013) Conspiracy of Silence: Queensland's frontier killing times, Allen & Unwin, pp.53-54
  15. T Bottoms (2013) Conspiracy of Silence: Queensland's frontier killing times, Allen & Unwin, p.54
  16. G. Reid, "From Hornet Bank to Cullin-La-Ringo", Royal Historical Society of Queensland, 18 May 1981, p.69
  17. "Thomas Wentworth Wills and Cullin-la-ringo Station".
  18. (6 May 1867). "TELEGRAPHIC.". [[The Brisbane Courier]].
  19. "Springsure Presbyterian Church {{!}} Springsure".
  20. (16 February 1867). "SPRINGSURE.". [[Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser]].
  21. (18 May 1922). "PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.". [[The Telegraph (Brisbane).
  22. Carson, Julie-Ann. (30 March 2011). "Church closes after 145 years". [[CQ News]].
  23. "St Andrew's Presbyterian Church {{!}} Springsure".
  24. {{Cite QldSchool
  25. (2020-03-09). "Our school".
  26. "Our history: 1880s".
  27. (17 August 1887). "QUEENSLAND NEWS.". [[Morning Bulletin]].
  28. Salecich, Judith. (2023-08-18). "Beta, Queensland: Keeping its unique story and memory alive".
  29. (13 December 1919). "SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL MARBLE FOUNTAIN.". National Library of Australia.
  30. "Springsure State School Memorial Fountain". Monument Australia.
  31. (26 March 1925). "PERSONAL.". [[The Brisbane Courier]].
  32. (19 August 1925). "OPPORTUNITIES". [[Construction And Local Government Journal]].
  33. (26 January 1926). "SPRINGSURE CATHOLICITY". [[Morning Bulletin]].
  34. (13 February 1926). "NEW BUILDINGS AT SPRINGSURE.". [[The Capricornian]].
  35. (2010). "Queensland schools past and present". [[Queensland Family History Society]].
  36. (18 February 1926). "SPRINGSURE.". [[The Catholic Press]].
  37. "Our History".
  38. Dunn, Peter. "16 NOVEMBER 1943 CRASH OF A C-47A DAKOTA ON REWAN STATION SOUTH OF SPRINGSURE, QLD". www.AustraliaAtWar.com.
  39. {{Census 2006 AUS
  40. {{Census 2016 AUS
  41. {{Census 2021 AUS
  42. {{cite QHR. 14800. Springsure Hospital Museum. 600025
  43. {{cite QHR. 14801. Old Rainworth Stone Store. 600026
  44. (9 July 2018). "State and non-state school details". [[Queensland Government]].
  45. (2020-11-29). "Springsure State School".
  46. "ACARA School Profile 2017".
  47. "Springsure State School".
  48. "Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School".
  49. "Locations".
  50. "Branch locations".
  51. (12 November 2020). "Cemetery Areas - Queensland". [[Queensland Government]].
  52. (18 November 2020). "Landmark Areas - Queensland". [[Queensland Government]].
  53. (18 November 2020). "Emergency services facilities - Queensland". [[Queensland Government]].
  54. (2009-10-22). "About {{!}} Minerva Hills National Park". Queensland Government.
  55. "Virgin Rock". Queensland Government.
  56. Greenland, Hall. "Eatock, Lucy Harriet (1874–1950)". National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

springsuretowns-in-queenslandcentral-highlands-regionlocalities-in-queensland