Comet, Queensland

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Comet
Queensland
File:Grazing Land Near Comet - panoramio (1).jpg
Grazing land west of the town of Comet, 2013
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Population 498 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density 0.28347/km2 (0.7342/sq mi)
Postcode(s) 4702
Area 1,756.8 km2 (678.3 sq mi)
Time zone AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s) Central Highlands Region
State electorate(s) Gregory
Federal Division(s) Flynn
Localities around Comet:
Wyuna Mackenzie River Blackwater
Emerald Comet Stewarton
Gindie Arcturus Togara

Comet is a historically-rich rural town and locality in the Central Highlands Region, Queensland, Australia.[2][3] In the 2016 census, the locality of Comet had a population of 498 people.[1]

Geography

Comet is the oldest town in the Emerald area, established at the confluence of the Comet River with the Nogoa River.[4]

The town is located on the Capricorn Highway, 859 kilometres (534 mi) north west of the state capital, Brisbane.

The Central Western railway line enters the locality from the east (Blackwater / Stewarton), passes through the town, and exits to the west (Emerald).[5] No passenger services stop at the local stations, which, with the exception of that at Yamala, whose use is being expanded as the CQ Inland Port, are all disused:

  • Yamala railway station (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.)[6]
  • Comet railway station, (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.)[6]
  • Tolmies railway station (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.)[6]
  • Burngrove railway station (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.)[6]

Ensham railway station (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) is in the north of the locality on the Blackwater railway system. It provides rail services to the Ensham coal mines operated by Idemitsu Australia.[6][5]

The locality has a number of neighbourhoods (from north to south):

  • Yamala (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.)[7]
  • Leichhardt Tree (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.)[8]
  • Junction (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.)[9]

Mount Crocker is a mountain (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.) in the east of the locality, rising to 248 metres (814 ft) above sea level.[10][11]

The area around Comet supports cotton and grain production as well as cattle, both grazing and in feedlots.[4]

History

File:StateLibQld 1 252786 Early view of Comet, ca. 1878.jpg
Township, circa 1878

Originally called Cometville, the town takes its name from the Comet River, named by explorer Ludwig Leichhardt, who made observations of Comet Wilmot (C/1844 Y2) in the area on 29 December 1844.[12][13]

Comet Post Office opened on 5 September 1877.[14]

Cometville State School opened on 23 October 1877. In 1912, it was renamed Comet State School in 1912.[15]

On 19 March 1931, the town's name was changed from Cometville to Comet.[2]

At the 2006 census, the locality of Comet had a population of 233 people.[16]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Comet had a population of 498 people.[1]

Education

File:Comet State School 2021.jpg
Comet State School, 2021

Comet State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls off the Capricorn Highway (Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.).[17] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 28 students with 5 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 4 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).[18] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 25 students with 5 teachers (3 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).[19]

There are no secondary schools in Comet. The closest government secondary school is Emerald State High School in neighbouring Emerald, situated 41 kilometres (25 miles) west of Comet.[5]

Attractions

File:StateLibQld 2 388261 Leichhardt Tree with the impression L 23 degree 57, Comet River, 1927.jpg
Leichhardt Tree with the impression L 23 degree 57, Comet River, 1927

Comet is home to the Leichhardt Tree, a "dig tree" established by Ludwig Leichhardt to indicate to others where he had buried food and journals.[20]

File:Comet free library.jpg
Comet Free Library 2021

There is a walking trail through the town visiting points of historic interest.[21]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.Lua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Further reading

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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