Mount Surprise, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Mount Surprise is a town in the Gulf Savannah, Far North Queensland
, Australia
. The town is located in the Shire of Etheridge Local Government Area, on the Gulf Developmental Road
, 1722 kilometres (1,070 mi) north west of the state capital, Brisbane
and 285 kilometres (177 mi) west of the regional centre of Cairns
. At the 2006 census
, Mount Surprise and the surrounding area had a population of 162.
The town was founded by Ezra Firth, from the English
county of Yorkshire
, who along with his family settled in the area in 1864. The property struggled at first; relations with the indigenous
inhabitants of the country were hostile and the country was not suited for wool growing. The discovery of gold
in the 1880s and the subsequent gold rush
allowed Firth to sell his sheep to the miners, convert his holding to cattle and become wealthy selling goods to the miners. In 1908, the railway
reached Mount Surprise.
The town today is little more than a pub
, one cafe and two servos or petrol stations with a small store, a gem-shop, a police station and two trailer parks or caravan parks. One park has a block of modern motel units. A museum is planned to open shortly. At the Mt. Surprise Tourist Park, a large bird aviary is open to the public on payment of a gold coin donation. Also situated here is the Thumbalina Miniature Horse Stud where tiny horses are on sale when available.
Mount Surprise also has a passenger rail service; The Savannahlander
, with a weekly service (from March to December inclusive) from the city of Cairns to Einasleigh and Forsayth
to the west and return to Cairns
in the east. The town is nearby the Undara Volcanic National Park
and Forty Mile Scrub National Park
. Other activities in the area include gem fossicking
and hot springs
(no longer open to the public) at nearby Tallaroo Station
.
Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland, or FNQ, is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. The region, which contains a large section of the Tropical North Queensland area, stretches from the city of Cairns north to the Torres Strait...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The town is located in the Shire of Etheridge Local Government Area, on the Gulf Developmental Road
Gulf Developmental Road
The Gulf Developmental Road links the Cairns and Normanton regions in northern Queensland, Australia. It is the only sealed road linking these two regions....
, 1722 kilometres (1,070 mi) north west of the 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...
and 285 kilometres (177 mi) west of the regional centre of Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
. 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,...
, Mount Surprise and the surrounding area had a population of 162.
The town was founded by Ezra Firth, from the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, who along with his family settled in the area in 1864. The property struggled at first; relations with the indigenous
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
inhabitants of the country were hostile and the country was not suited for wool growing. The discovery of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in the 1880s and the subsequent gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
allowed Firth to sell his sheep to the miners, convert his holding to cattle and become wealthy selling goods to the miners. In 1908, the railway
The Savannahlander
The Savannahlander is a railmotor service that operates in Queensland, Australia. The train travels from the coastal town of Cairns to Forsayth. The service was once operated by QR Traveltrain but is now run under contract by a private operator...
reached Mount Surprise.
The town today is little more than a pub
Australian pubs
A public house in Australia is an establishment performing many functions, often serving alcoholic beverages, meals, and providing basic accommodation.-Origin:...
, one cafe and two servos or petrol stations with a small store, a gem-shop, a police station and two trailer parks or caravan parks. One park has a block of modern motel units. A museum is planned to open shortly. At the Mt. Surprise Tourist Park, a large bird aviary is open to the public on payment of a gold coin donation. Also situated here is the Thumbalina Miniature Horse Stud where tiny horses are on sale when available.
Mount Surprise also has a passenger rail service; The Savannahlander
The Savannahlander
The Savannahlander is a railmotor service that operates in Queensland, Australia. The train travels from the coastal town of Cairns to Forsayth. The service was once operated by QR Traveltrain but is now run under contract by a private operator...
, with a weekly service (from March to December inclusive) from the city of Cairns to Einasleigh and Forsayth
Forsayth, Queensland
Forsayth is a town in Etheridge Shire, Far North Queensland, Australia, approximately 415km by road from Cairns. At the 2006 census, Forsayth had a population of 101....
to the west and return to Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
in the east. The town is nearby the Undara Volcanic National Park
Undara Volcanic National Park
Undara Volcanic is a national park in North Queensland, Australia and is notable for its lava tubes and gem fossicking. Minerals found there include topaz, moonstone, peridot, aquamarine, garnet, quartz and gold...
and Forty Mile Scrub National Park
Forty Mile Scrub National Park
Forty Mile Scrub is a national park in Queensland , 1342 km northwest of Brisbane....
. Other activities in the area include gem fossicking
Fossicking
Fossicking is a term found in Cornwall, Australia and New Zealand referring to prospecting, especially in more recent times, when carried out as a recreational activity. This can be for gold, precious stones, fossils, etc. by sifting through a prospective area. In Australian English and New...
and hot springs
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
(no longer open to the public) at nearby Tallaroo Station
Station (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
.