Comet, Queensland

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]

Comet
Queensland
Grazing land west of the town of Comet, 2013
Comet is located in Queensland
Comet
Comet
Coordinates23.6041°S 148.5480°E / -23.6041; 148.5480 (Comet (town centre))
Population498 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density0.28347/km2 (0.7342/sq mi)
Postcode(s)4702
Area1,756.8 km2 (678.3 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (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

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:

Ensham railway station (23.4664°S 148.5282°E / -23.4664; 148.5282 (Ensham railway station)) 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):

Mount Crocker is a mountain (23.5880°S 148.6391°E / -23.5880; 148.6391 (Mount Crocker)) 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
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
Comet State School, 2021

Comet State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls off the Capricorn Highway (23.6061°S 148.5451°E / -23.6061; 148.5451 (Comet State School)).[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
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]

Comet Free Library 2021

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

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Comet (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Comet – town in Central Highlands Region (entry 7828)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  3. "Comet – locality in Central Highlands Region (entry 46938)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  4. "Townships". Emerald Shire Council. Archived from the original on 10 October 2007. Retrieved 23 October 2007.
  5. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  6. "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  7. "Yamala – locality unbounded in Central Highlands Regional (entry 38379)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  8. "Leichhardt Tree – locality unbounded in Central Highlands Regional (entry 19179)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  9. "Junction – locality unbounded in Central Highlands Regional (entry 17465)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  10. "Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  11. "Mount Crocker – mountain in Central Highlands Regional (entry 8764)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  12. John Dunmore Lang (1847). Cooksland in north-eastern Australia: the future cottonfield of Great Britain: its characteristics and capabilities for European colonization. With a disquisition on the origin, manners, and customs of the aborigines. Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans. p. 315.
  13. Bond, G. P. (1850). "On the great comet of 1844-45". Astronomical Journal. 1 (13): 97–103. Archived from the original on 4 March 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2009.
  14. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  15. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0
  16. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Comet (Emerald Shire) (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  17. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  18. "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  19. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  20. "Comet". Central Queensland. Tourism Queensland. Archived from the original on 10 October 2007. Retrieved 23 October 2007.
  21. "Comet". Central Highlands Queensland. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.

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