In 1880 the following description of Copperfield was given In the Queensland P Office Directory; A mining township, four miles distant from Clermont.  Owing to cessation of operations at the local copper mine, the township is reported to be gradually decaying. The numerous quartz reefs are mostly abandoned, owing to want of capital to develop them.  Population 359, now reduced to about 150. Copper, the curse of the goldminer, was responsible for bringing into existence once flourishing little township of Copperfied.  In 1862 a ten metre high wall of solid copper was discovered In the area by gold Prospector, Jack Mollard, and not being too sure what it was he had Just discovered, he brought his find into Rockhampton to be analyzed.  After the promise of a bottle of rum and a share in the mine, Mr. Mollard disclosed the whereabouts of his find.  Between 1862 and 1877 Copperfield was a rich and bustling township, with a large Population of two thousand being Increased by about one hundred experienced Cornish miners from the mines of South Australia.  School enrolments wore at 210, but  unfortunately many school age boys were encouraged by their parents to work in the mines, so education in many cases was neglected.  Some boys would attend school in the mornings then go home to get ready to do the afternoon shift at the mine. More than 100,000 tons of ore were smelted, the highest price reaching $200 per ton. The ore was dug and transported by bullock teams to St. Lawrence to be shipped to Wales for smelting. At its Peak Copperfield boasted two churches, two banks, a baker, three butchers, three blacksmiths, six stores, a stationer, a saddlery, a newspaper (the Copper-field Miner), two auctioneers, a Cordial maker, six hotels, a school, a post office, two societies (Oddfellows’ Lodge and MUIOOF) and a cemetery trust.,

Copperfield grew rapidly but unfortunately died just as rapidly.  The mining company changed hands several times but it was impossible to breathe life back Into the dying township.  Today the only reminder that Copperfield was once an important financial asset to Queensland, is the lone brick chimney stack, one of fourteen, still standing.  Charles Bettridge, a bricklayer who came from England to Copperfield In 1871 was responsible for building a kiln and manufacturing all the bricks for the Copperfield mines as well as Other brick projects In the area. The land on which the chimney stands was donated by the Tindale family to the Belyando Shire Council who have restored it.

COPPERFIELD - Clermont Co.

Leichardt District: 231 miles N.W. from Rockhampton; rail to Clermont thence hire 4 miles; 2 churches (Roman Catholic and Wesleyan) Prov.  School, Post Office; mining.
 

ADAMS ELLEN JANE AH BOW JOHNNY AH COO AH FOO AH MAN AH SANG ALDERDICE EDWIN STANLEY ALDERDICE THOMAS WOLFINGTON ALLAN MARY MAGDALINE ANDREW ROSAMUND ROSETTA ANDREW SUSANNAH BARDSLEY JANE BARRY EMILY BASTIAN ELIZA JANE BASTION ARTLESS BASTION LAVINIA BASTION SAMUEL BAWDEN JOHN BEASLEY       JOSEPH JOHN BENNETT MATILDA BERRY JOHN BETTERIDGE ALFRED JOHN BETTRIDGE CHARLES BETTRIDGE EMILY BETTRIDGE FRANK BETTRIDGE SELINA BETTRIDGE WILLIE BIANCHI CARLO BICKLE EMMA JANE BICKLE MARY ELLEN BICKLE WILLIAM THOMAS BLUME MARY ANNE BONE ANNIE BONE JOHN BONE THOMAS BOPF CHRISTINA BOPF LOUISA BOTRILL FRANCIS NICHOLLS BOYLE MICHAEL BBRACE ANTHOW LEWES BREAR JOHN THOMAS BRENT ANNA BRENTON ANNA MARY BRENTON GRACE BRENTON JAMES HENRY RHODDA BRISBANE ELIZABETH BROWN REUBEN BROWNING ANNIE BROWNING JAMES BURNS AGNES BURNS JAMES BURNS MARY BURNS MICHAEL CARBIS RICHARD CARLYON WLLLAM CHAPPEL WILLIAM HENRY CHAPPEL WILLIAM HENRY CHICONI ELLEN CHICONI JOSEPH CHICONI JOSEPH CHICONI THOMAS NICHOLAS CLARK ISAAC CLARKF: EMILY ANN CLARKE EVA EMILY VICTORIA E CLOWES RONALD CHARLES P CLUNAS JOHN COBBIN RICHARD NORMAN COLQUHOUN JANE COLQUHOUN JANE CONGOON MARY ELIZABETH CONSTANTINE CATHERINE MATILDA COOK EMMA COOMBS JOHN COOPER JOHN CORBETT ELIZABETH COUCH EMILY MARY COUCH JOHN COUCH LAURA MARY COUCH ROSE JANE COUCH WLLIAM COX ANNIE COX FANNY COX JOHN COX MARY COX MARY CATHERINE COX WLLLAM COX WLLLAM CROSSMAN JOHN CULLEN KATHLEEN CUNNINGHAM ROBERT CURNOW MARY AGNES DANIELS CHARLES DAVEY ELIZABETH DAVY JAMES FRANCIS DEAGAN JOHN JOSEPH DERRETT HENRY THOMAS DERRETT JANE DOUGLAS JOHN DOUGLAS ROBERT DRISCOLL THOMAS DRUERY JOHN DUNKIN JOH DUNN JAMES DUNN JOSEPH EDGELEY JAMES ELLERY JOHN EOSELEY JOHN FARRELL ELLEN FINGER ADOLPH DANIEL FINGER AUGUST HENRY FINGER FREDERICA WILHELMINA FINGER JOHN FINGER JOHN GUSTAV FINGER JULIA FINGER LENA FREDERICA MENA FOLSTER MARIA FOO TI FO FOSTER CHARLES READ NEWMAN GALLAGHER MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER GEANEY TIMOTHY GILL BESSIE GLASSON JOHN GRAHAM MARGARET GREY MARY CATHERINE GUY WILLIAM GUY WILLIAM HAGGER ANNIE HAGGERT JANE EUZABETH HALVORSEN JACOB CHRISTIAN HANCOCK GEORGE HANSEN JOHN HASZ LOUIS CHARLES HENRY HASZ MARY CHRISTINA HASZ WILLIAM FREDRICK HATFIELD GEORGE FFTANCIS HATTAM SAMUEL HERRSCHER GEORGE HERRSCHER KATE HERSCHER JOHN GEORGE HILL RALPH HILL WILLIAM HINE WILLIAM STEVEN HINZ EMILY HINZ EMMA H0CKING ERNEST HOCKING JOHN HOCKINGS MINNIE HOGAN EMILY HOUSTON LILY MAUDE IRWIN WILLIAM GEORGE IVERS ANNA

JENKIN ELTZA JENSEN HANS JULIAN EUZABERH JANE JULIAN WILLIAM GEORGE KAUNE BERTHA KEHL WALTER KEMP MARIA AUCE KETTLE FREDERICK GEORGE KEUNE AUGUST , KEUNE JOHANN CHRISTOPHER C KEUNE MARIA KILDENT0FT FREDERICK ILDENT0FT HENRY LABRUNEY CHARLES LEON LETCHER W1LUAM HENRY LOMBERG CHARLAIN PETERSEN LOMBURY CARL OLE PETERSEN LOUSBERG CHRISTIANNA LYNCH JOHN MACKAY HUGH MACNAMARA MARY ELLEN MARTIN ARTHUR HENRY MARTIN CHARLES HENRY MARTIN ELLEN MARTIN WILLIAM McAULIFFE EMILY McGAVIN JOHN McGREGOR WILLIAM McINNERY JOHN McINTYRE JAMES McIVER WILHELMINA McLEAN JOHN MITCHELL JOHN MITCHELL JOHN MITCHELL SAMUEL MITCHELL SOPHIA MORLAND CHARLES MORTON THOMAS MUNSTER JOHN EDWARD MUNSTER LENA MURPHY EMMA MARIA MYERS JOHN MARTIN NELSON ALEXANDER NETTLE JAMES NEVETHAN JANE NICHOLLS JAMES NORMAN ALFRED NORTHEY FREDERICK NORTON JOHN NUNN ELIZA O'BRIEN ANNE O'DONOHUE ALICE O'DONOHUE BRIDGET O'LOUGHUN UNNAMED MALE PAINTER WILLIAM PARNELL HENRY PEARCE EDWIN JOHN PEARCE FRANCIS JANE PEDWELL ETHEL MAUD PENGELLY JOHN PHILLIPS AMELIA EMMA PIERCE THOMAS HENRY PITCHER SUSAN PLATE CHRISTIAN HENRY POLKINGHORNE ELIZABETH ANNE POPE FRANCIS1 PORTER CAROLINE FRANCIS RAILSTON THERESA RASMUSSEN SOREN REID LILLIAN ALICE REID WILLIAM REIMERS ANNA CHRISTINA W REIMERS MARY REMPEY UNNAMED MALE RICE MARY RICHARDS JAMES RICHMOND JOHN WALTER ERNEST RICKARD JOHN ROBERTS EDWARD ROBERTSON DONALD RODDA JAMES ROE ALFRED ROOTS WILLIAM ROSEVEAR BEATRICE ROULSTON ELLEN ROWE DAVID SALMOND BRIDGET SALMOND DANIEL SALMOND ELIZABETH SALMOND JULIA SIEBY SALMOND MARY JOSEPHINE SALMOND            MICHAEL SALMOND WILLIAM FRANCIS SAMMON DANIEL SAMMON JULIA SAMMON NORAH SAMMON WILLIAM FRANCIS SANDERS JOSEPH VALENTINE SCHNUCKEL CARL FREDERICK SCHNUCKEL CHARLES SHEA ANNE SHEA MARY SHEPHERD DAVID SINNOTT THOMAS JOHN SMITH ALFRED SMITH CHARLES SMITH GRANVILLE SMITH HOWARD SMITH MARTHA LYDIA SMITH WILLIAM GEORGE SOMERS MARY CATHERINE STAMP PETER  MORITZ  DETLEF STRATION WILLIAM THEE ANNIE THOMAS JOHN THORNCROFT CHARLOTTE JANE TOOGOOD WILLIAM SYDNEY TREGEA NICHOLAS TREVITHICK MARY  MAYNE WASLEY JAMES HENRY WATERS ELIZABETH WATERS ELIZABETH WATERS FRANCIS WEBBER JOSEPH WELLINGTON AMELIA WELLINGTON JESSIE WELLINGTON. MINNIE WEST THOMAS HENRY WHEATLEY ALICE WHEATLEY ELIZABETH WHEATLEY JAMES WHEATLEY JAMES WLLIAM WHEATLY ANNE MARIA WHEATLY WLLIAM JAMES WHELAN ALICE WHITE MARGARET JANE WHITE MARY ANNE WILLIAM JOHN WILLIAMS ERNEST WILLIAMS HENRY WILLIAMS JANE WILLIAMS MARY WILLIAMS UNNAMED FEMALE WILLIAMS WILLIAM HENRY WILLOUGHBY JAMES WILSON JOHN WOONTON ISABELLA WRIGHT JOHN IRWN WYVELL ROBERT YOUNG LEE YOUNG SING FREDERICK ARTHUR

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Mt. Hedlow is described in the 1892/93 Post Office Directory as a pastoral area in the Livingstone County, Port Curtis District, approximately fourteen miles north of Rockhampton by coach.  In 1892 there was a school, a Post Office and various pastoral holdings.

Today Mount Hedlow is regarded as an area encompassing various mountains and hills or, as a group of trachyte plugs that crop out over an area of about 50 square miles, and not as one specific mountain.  This group takes in lronpot on Yeppoon Road and Mount Wheeler in Cawarral.  It Is believed that lronpot was called "Hedloo" by the local aborigines.

 ATHERTON, Rebecca - grazier
 BARRETT, Benjamin - selector
 BEAK, Henry - selector
 BEAK, Montague - selector
 BELL, William - grazier
 BOYE, Charles - selector
 BROOKFIELD, Ruth - selector
 CADWALLADER, Mary - selector
 CADWALLADER, Thomas - selector
 DAVIS, Thomas - selector
 FADGEN, Alexander - selector
 FAWCETT, P. - selector
 GLASCOCK, James - selector
 GOBEL, Charles - selector
 GREGSON, Joseph - selector
 GUNN, Alexander - selector
 GUNN, Miss. Mary - selector
 HABBERLEY, Richard - selector
 HOGAN, Edward - selector
 HOGAN, John - selector
 HOGAN, Martin - selector
 JAMES, William (manager) - Greeks'Reef Gold Mining Company.
JENSEN, John - selector
JONES, Arthur -
 JONES, William - selector
 LAWS, William - selector
 McCONNELL, Robert - selector
 McCONNELL, John - selector
 MILLAR, Alexander B. - teacher
 NASH James -
 PEARSON, George - selector
 REA, Robert - selector
 RICHTER, Ernest - selector
 RICHTER, John - selector
 SLATER, William - selector
 SPEED, William - selector
 *TAYLOR, William - selector
 THOMMASEN, J. - selector
 THOMMASEN, W. - selector
 WAGSTAFF, John - selector
 WALTERS, Alfred - selector
 WEIRHAUSSER, ? - selector
 WYATT, Alfred - Old Dairy Inn.

In 1880 there were 24 school age children so an area of 45 acres was set aside as a school reserve and the parents commenced to erect a school building.  It had an earthen floor, slab wails, shingle roof and wooden shutters for windows.

The first teacher to instruct the children of Mount Hedlow in the three R's, was eighteen year old Alexander Boswell.  Most families of that day had neither clock nor watch and so the children were taught to tell the time by the sun and the shadows.  My grandmother knew that she had to have her chores done by the time the shadows were a certain length, so she would not be late for school.  When the enrolment reached forty children, the parents arranged to have a larger building constructed, Over the years the attendance figures would fluctuate and more than once the school was closed.  In the wet seasons the attendance would drop dramatically as the majority of the children lived on the opposite side of Hedlow Creek to the school, and crossing the creek was often dangerous.  The doors were finally closed in August 1920 and the school building was removed to Pandoin.

The main recreation in Mount Hedlow was the weekend tennis picnics, where the locals would gather not only for a good game of tennis but a social outing as well.  The old time dances held in the Mount Hedlow schoolhouse were well patronised and many would travel all day Saturday to attend, then spend all Sunday getting home again.  The music was usually an accordion and now and then someone would bring along a mouth organ as an extra treat.  My grandmother, who was a beautiful dancer, learnt the art under these primitive conditions.  Her baby sister, along with other babies slept in fruit packing cases under the Buts, oblivious to the music and gaiety around them.  In those days a special licence was needed before a dance could be held.

The one day of the year, besides Christmas, that the community really looked forward to was the Separation Day public holiday when a Picnic Race Meeting was held.  It was a time for everyone to let their hair down.  Many a love match was made on Picnic Race Day and, 1 dare say, many a near, divorce.  It was the special times as well as the bad times that drew the community together as a strong unit.  Everyone worked together for the betterment of their living standards.

On the 2nd May 1898 the following letter and petition wore forwarded to the Education Office in Brisbane by the Provisional School in Mount Hedlow.

"We the undersigned parents and guardians of children attending the Mount Hedlow Provisional School, respectfully request that you will permit an application to be made to the Lands Department for the granting of a portion of the school reserve, namely two acres, for the purpose of a Cemetery.  Also for the sale by auction or otherwise of another portion of two acres which the undersigned wish to buy for church purposes.

The reserve was proclaimed as shown in the Gazette of 1882 folio 1056, and is in a very central position.  So much so that the parents would not like any of it to be withdrawn for other than public uses".

 

George WHITE Joseph OLIVE Andrew BECK Fred DROCHMANN Jane REA William BROOKFIELD A. WALTERS Ruth BROOKFIELD

** Daniel SLATTER Montague BEAK James THOMASSON W.S. THOMASSON Harwood ALLENBY Benjamin BARRETT E. BROOKFIELD John HOGAN

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