Pine Mountain is a semi-rural

locality Locality may refer to: * Locality (association), an association of community regeneration organizations in England * Locality (linguistics) * Locality (settlement) * Suburbs and localities (Australia), in which a locality is a geographic subdivis ...

in the

City of Ipswich The City of Ipswich is a local government area in Queensland, Australia, located within the southwest of the Brisbane metropolitan area, including the urban area surrounding the city of Ipswich and surrounding rural areas. Geography The Ci ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. In the Pine Mountain had a population of 1,667 people.

Geography

The locality is bounded on the north and east by the

Brisbane River The Brisbane River is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay on the Coral Sea. John Oxley, the first European to explore the river, named it after the Go ...

and to the north-west by its tributary Sandy Creek. It is bounded to the south by the

Warrego Highway The Warrego Highway is located in southern Queensland, Australia. It connects coastal centres to the south western areas of the state, and is approximately 715 km in length. It takes its name from the Warrego River, which is the endpoint ...

and to the south-west and west by the

Brisbane Valley Highway The Brisbane Valley Highway is a state highway in Queensland, Australia. It links the Warrego Highway near Ipswich and the D'Aguilar Highway about north of Harlin. Its direction follows the approximate course of the Brisbane River. It is par ...

. Worlds End Pocket is a

pocket A pocket is a bag- or envelope-like receptacle either fastened to or inserted in an article of clothing to hold small items. Pockets are also attached to luggage, backpacks, and similar items. In older usage, a pocket was a separate small bag o ...

of the Brisbane River in the easternmost part of the locality.(). Pine Mountain has the following mountains: * Flinton Hill in the north of the locality () * Pine Mountain in the east of the locality () This area consists mostly of rural properties and acreages with historical farmhouses and buildings.

Araucaria cunninghamii ''Araucaria cunninghamii'' is a species of ''Araucaria'' known as hoop pine. Other less commonly used names include colonial pine, Queensland pine, Dorrigo pine, Moreton Bay pine and Richmond River pine. The scientific name honours the botanist a ...

, also known as the hoop pine is very common in the area.

History

The original inhabitants of the Pine Mountain area were the Ugarapul Aboriginal people. In 1824, the explorers

John Oxley John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley (1784 – 25 May 1828) was an explorer and surveyor of Australia in the early period of British colonisation. He served as Surveyor General of New South Wales and is perhaps best known for his two exp ...

and Allan Cunningham mentioned meeting an elderly Aboriginal man who had been fishing with a spear near Upper Blackwall. Cunningham described his friendliness and his "open frankness of countenance" as he provided them with information regarding convenient places to cross the river and travelled with them to the foot of Pine Mountain. Pine Mountain (the mountain) was originally named ''Pine Ridge'' by John Oxley on 21 September 1824, but later became known as Pine Mountain. The locality takes its name from the mountain. By the 1850s, loggers had moved into the area due to abundant timber provided by the

hoop pine ''Araucaria cunninghamii'' is a species of '' Araucaria'' known as hoop pine. Other less commonly used names include colonial pine, Queensland pine, Dorrigo pine, Moreton Bay pine and Richmond River pine. The scientific name honours the botanist ...

. Some logs were transported to

Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line r ...

using bullock teams, while others were transported down the Brisbane River. After tracts of land were cleared farming commenced, with the early settlers producing lucerne, maize and cotton. Orchards were started and dairying became important. A small butter factory, a school and several churches were established. Of these only the Catholic Church remains. The

Congregational Church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

commenced services at Pine Mountain circa 1863. In May 1873 a Congregational Chapel was erected on a site with a chapel that was relocated from Bremer Mills (at

Bundamba Bundamba is a suburb of Ipswich in the City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. In the Bundamba had a population of 6,514 people. Geography The Bremer River forms the western part of the suburb's northern boundary. The Warrego Highway enter ...

). This chapel was used to house a provisional school under teacher Mr Bryce with an enrolment of 50 to 60 children and an average attendance of about 30 children. Pine Mountain State School opened circa 1864 and closed on 1963. The school was at 820-838 Pine Mountain Road (). Riverside Pine Mountain Provisional School opened in late 1876 and closed on 1882. On Sunday 24 February 1865 St John's Catholic Chapel was opened by

Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

James Quinn. It was built from pine on land donated by John Barnes with contributions from many in the community, both Catholic and Protestants. It was described as the second church erected in the district. The chapel was destroyed by fire on Monday 14 September 1874. In 1879 St Andrew's Catholic Church was erected. In 1934 a new St Michael's Catholic Church was erected. The

Brisbane Valley railway line The Brisbane Valley railway line was a railway connection in Queensland, Australia connecting Ipswich, west of Brisbane, to the upper Brisbane River valley. Progressively opened between 1884 and 1913, the railway provided a vital transport link ...

was established in 1884, connecting

Lowood Lowood is a rural town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Somerset Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Lowood had a population of 4,159 people. Geography The town is on the Brisbane River, west of the ...

and passing through Pine Mountain. This line still exists but is disused. A

United Methodist Free Church United Methodist Free Churches, sometimes called Free Methodists, was an English nonconformist community in the last half of the 19th century. It was formed in 1857 by the amalgamation of the Wesleyan Association (which had in 1836 largely absorbed ...

opened at Pine Mountain on Sunday 13 September 1874 with a service conducted by the Reverend David Porteus of

. The church building was described as being buit of pine at the very top of the mountain on the southern side, a site donated by Reuben Worley. St Peter's Anglican Church opened circa 1886. It closed circa 1962. In the Pine Mountain had a population of 1,667 people.

Geography

History

Amenities

References

Further reading

External links