Middlemount, Queensland

Middlemount Queensland
Middlemount
Population:	2,038[1]
Postcode:	4746
Location:	878 km (546 mi) NW of Brisbane 242 km (150 mi) SW of Mackay 119 km (74 mi) N of Blackwater
LGA:	Isaac Regional Council
State District:	Rockhampton
Federal Division:	Capricornia

Middlemount is a town in Queensland, Australia, located 242 kilometres (150 mi) inland (by road) from Mackay and Rockhampton. It is a mining town servicing two coal mines, Foxleigh and German Creek. At the 2006 census, Middlemount had a population of 2,038.^[1]

The German Creek mine (or Capcoal), operated by Anglo Coal, is notable as having the deepest longwall coal mine in Queensland, and also for operating Australia's only 'thin-seam' underground coal mine, using technology from the USA. It has five producing underground mines (Central, Southern, Bundoora, Grasstree and Aquila) and two open cut (open pit) mines (Oak Park and Lake Lindsay). Central and Southern mines are no longer operating, Southern has become Grasstree West and Central Closed in 2006.

The Foxleigh mine is a joint venture between the QLD government, CAML resources and a number of other partners. It is currently producing around 2 million tonnes of coal for the export market.

Middlemount, like many other mining towns in Queensland virtually sprung up overnight in the early 1980s; this means that the houses are all almost identical, in this instance there are three types of houses; lowset L-shaped, lowset square and highset.^{[citation needed]}

Nicknamed the "Giant Peanut" by some locals due to its slightly bizarre road layout. Some of Middlemount's notable former residents are Olympic cyclists Anna Meares and Kerrie Meares and music producer Blake Brown. It is also one of Queensland's highest earning locations - in 1998, it returned the 5th highest average taxable income (according to the Australian Tax Office). It should also be said that the locations in spots 1-4 were Glenden, Tieri, Moranbah and Dysart, all of which are similar mining towns in the same region.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Middlemount (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=UCL337800&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 2008-07-05. 

External links

• Broadsound Shire Council
• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Middlemount

Coordinates: 22°48′32″S 148°41′53″E / 22.809°S 148.698°E / -22.809; 148.698