Mount Coolon, Queensland

Mount Coolon is a rural town and locality in the Whitsunday Region, Queensland, Australia. In the, the locality of Mount Coolon had a population of 172 people.

Geography
The Suttor River rises here. The river marks part of the eastern and all of the southern and western boundaries of Mount Coolon. The Sellheim River forms a small section of the northern border. The landscape is dotted with many waterholes and numerous peaks belonging to the Leichhardt Range.

Mount Coolon has the following mountains:


 * Beaucazon Peak (-21.0811°N, 147.0009°W) 291 m
 * Bulgonunna Peak (-21.2932°N, 147.5396°W) 516 m
 * Bungobine Peak (-21.0731°N, 147.3634°W) 358 m
 * Carey Guille (-20.9925°N, 147.0093°W) 374 m
 * Mount Carmel (-21.3129°N, 147.1947°W) 290 m
 * Mount Douglas (-21.4008°N, 146.9154°W) 279 m
 * Mount Harry Marsh (-21.1798°N, 147.189°W) 375 m
 * Mount Kroman (-21.1533°N, 146.9857°W) 345 m
 * Mount Loudon (-21.1143°N, 147.3434°W) 418 m
 * Mount Manaman (-21.4253°N, 147.3492°W) 350 m
 * Mount Patterson (-21.214°N, 147.4122°W) 430 m
 * Mount Tindale (-20.9686°N, 147.3196°W) 426 m
 * Norcot Peak (-21.0909°N, 146.9968°W) 294 m
 * Rodborough Hill (-21.0328°N, 147.038°W) 296 m
 * Scartwater Hill (-21.0877°N, 146.8673°W) 196 m
 * The Tor (-21.0363°N, 146.9014°W) 224 m
 * Whitestone Peak (-20.9815°N, 147.4658°W) 425 m

History
Mount Coolon was originally called Koala, and was founded on Yangga tribal lands. It was renamed after Thomas Coolon, a prospector.

In 1918, following a claims dispute, Coolon shot and killed four men, then committed suicide.

Koala Provisional School opened on 11 July 1921. On 1 September 1925, it became Koala State School. In 1946, it was renamed Mount Coolon State School in 1946. It closed in 1950, but reopened in 1962. It finally closed on 30 April 1971. Mount Coolon Post Office opened on 1 May 1925 (a receiving office had been open from 1922) and closed in 1984.

Koala police station opened in 1925 and was renamed Mount Coolon police station in 1931. It closed in 1967. 18 police officers served at the station over its lifetime.

Between 1925 and 1967 when the station closed there were 18 officers stationed at Mt Coolon.

Demographics
In the, the locality of Mount Coolon had a population of 567 people.

In the, the locality of Mount Coolon had a population of 64 people.

In the, the locality of Mount Coolon had a population of 172 people.

Heritage listings
Mount Coolon has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
 * Collinsville road (-21.3836°N, 147.3415°W): Barclay's Battery
 * St Annes Road (-21.225°N, 146.9126°W): Suttor River Causeway on the Old Bowen Downs Road

Education
There are no schools in Mount Coolon. Glenden State School in Glenden to the east is the nearest government primary and secondary school; however, the distances involved in a daily commute mean that distance education and boarding schools are other options.

Amenities
Mount Coolon Hotel is at 1 Mill Street. It provides meals and accommodation.

The former Mount Coolon State School is now the Mount Coolon Community Centre.