Mount Surprise, Queensland

Mount Surprise Queensland
Mount Surprise
Coordinates	18°08′S 144°18′E / 18.133°S 144.300°ECoordinates: 18°08′S 144°18′E / 18.133°S 144.300°E
Population	162 (2006 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	4871
Elevation	453 m (1,486 ft)[2]
Location	1,722 km (1,070 mi) NW of Brisbane 285 km (177 mi) SW of Cairns 393 km (244 mi) E of Normanton 96 km (60 mi) E of Georgetown
LGA(s)	Shire of Etheridge
State electorate(s)	Mount Isa
Federal Division(s)	Kennedy
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 31.1 °C ^88 °F 16.1 °C ^61 °F 790.3 mm ^31.1 in

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, 1,722 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.^[1]

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.^[3]

Mount Surprise Post Office opened by July 1908.^[4]

The town today is little more than a pub, one cafe and two 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. At the Mt. Surprise Tourist Park, a large bird aviary is open to the public.

Mount Surprise 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 near the Undara Volcanic National Park and Forty Mile Scrub National Park. Other activities in the area include gem fossicking.^[3]

Panorama of Elizabeth Creek Valley. This picture was taken from the northern side of the O'Brien's Creek Fossicking Area from a hilltop.

Heritage listings

Mount Surprise has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Gulf Developmental Road: No.53 RDF Station^[5]
• Via Mount Surprise: Quartz Hill Coach Change Station Site and Cemetery^[6]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Mount Surprise (Etheridge Shire) (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
2. Bureau of Meteorology
3. "Mount Surprise". Walkabout - Australian Travel Guide. Fairfax. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
4. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
5. "No.53 RDF Station (entry 602259)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
6. "Quartz Hill Coach Change Station Site and Cemetery (entry 602232)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 7 July 2013.