Kidston, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids KidstonQueensland |
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 Kidston
Location in Queensland
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| Established | 4871 |
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) |
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| LGA(s) | Shire of Etheridge |
| State electorate(s) | Traeger |
| Federal Division(s) | Kennedy |
Kidston is a ghost town in Queensland, Australia. A ghost town is a place that used to be busy and full of people, but now it's mostly empty. Kidston is located in a rural area called Einasleigh.
The old buildings and structures that are left in Kidston are very important. They are protected as a special historical site called the Kidston State Battery & Township. This means they are part of Australia's heritage.
The Story of Kidston
Kidston began as a gold mining area known as Oak's Rush. In September 1907, two men, Charles Mack and Charles Hawkins, found a lot of gold here. This discovery made many people excited!
How Kidston Got Its Name
Soon after the gold was found, the area needed a proper name. In 1908, it was decided to rename the place Kidston. This was done to honor William Kidston, who was the Premier of Queensland at the time. A Premier is like the leader of a state government.
By the end of 1907, about 120 men were already working in the gold fields. They had found a good amount of gold from the rivers and creeks. Many workers from a nearby copper mine even left their jobs to come to Kidston and search for gold!
Schools in Kidston
As more families moved to Kidston, schools were needed for the children.
- Kidston Provisional School opened on January 1, 1909.
- It became Kidston State School on September 25, 1911.
- This school closed on February 10, 1954, as the town became less populated.
Another school, Percyville Provisional School, opened in 1914. It became Percyville State School in 1915 but closed that same year.
Mining and New Energy
Gold mining in Kidston stopped in the 1940s. However, the Kidston Gold Mine reopened in the 1980s as a large open-pit mine. This type of mine digs a huge hole in the ground to get minerals. The mine eventually closed again in 2001.
Today, the old mine site is being used for new and exciting projects:
- The area where mining waste was piled up is now home to the Kidston Solar Project. This project uses the sun's energy to make electricity.
- The old mine and a nearby dam, called Kidston Dam, are being turned into a pumped hydro energy storage facility. This is a way to store large amounts of energy using water, which can then be released to create electricity when needed. It's like a giant battery!
