Ogmore, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ogmore Queensland
Queensland Rail locomotive on the North Coast line crossing the Styx River from Ogmore to St Lawrence, circa 1991
Ogmore Location in Queensland
Population	105 (2016 census locality)
• Density	0.0737/km2 (0.191/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4706
Area	1,424.0 km2 (549.8 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
LGA(s)	Shire of Livingstone
State electorate(s)	Mirani
Federal Division(s)	Capricornia
Localities around Ogmore: St Lawrence Coral Sea Stanage Clarke Creek Ogmore Marlborough Mount Gardiner Marlborough Marlborough

Ogmore is a small rural town and coastal area in the Livingstone Shire, Queensland, Australia. It's located near the coast. In 2016, about 105 people lived in the Ogmore area. The town of Tooloombah is also part of this locality.

Exploring Ogmore's Location

The north-eastern edge of Ogmore is next to Broad Sound, which is a large bay. The Styx River flows through Ogmore and into this sound. Sometimes, the Styx River is also called Tooloombah Creek.

The Bruce Highway, a major road, goes through the Ogmore area from south to north. However, it passes to the west of the actual town. The North Coast railway line also runs through the area, east of the highway. This railway line goes right through Ogmore town, where there is a train stop called Ogmore railway station.

A Look at Ogmore's Past

Styx No. 3 Mine at Ogmore, 1949

Ogmore was first known as Harley. It got this name from its railway station. But on January 20, 1933, the name was changed to Ogmore. This was done to avoid confusion with another place called Hartley in New South Wales. The new name, Ogmore, comes from a coal-mining town and a river in Glamorganshire, Wales.

Coal Mining in Ogmore

Coal mining was important to Ogmore's history. The Styx No 3 coal mine opened near the town in 1924. This mine brought many people to the area.

Schools in the Area

Over the years, several schools opened and closed in the Ogmore area, often linked to the mining community.

• Styx Coal Mine Provisional School opened in 1921. It sometimes shared a teacher with Styx River Provisional School.
• Styx River Provisional School opened in 1919. It later became Styx River State School.
• Hartley Provisional School opened in 1924 and became Hartley State School in 1929. When the town's name changed, this school was renamed Ogmore State School in March 1933. It closed in 1999.

Ogmore's Hospital

An emergency hospital was opened in Ogmore on May 15, 1949. It was a wooden building that cost £4235. It could care for 4 patients normally, or up to 10 in an emergency. Its main job was to help people who didn't need to stay overnight. It also served as a clinic for visiting dentists.

Train Derailment

In April 1954, a goods train went off its tracks near Ogmore. It was thought that a bulldozer on one of the train's flat carriages moved, causing the carriage to tip over.

Changes in Population

The Styx coal mines closed in the 1960s. Later, in the 1990s, Queensland Rail stopped having a railway crew based in Ogmore. These changes caused the town's population to drop a lot, from thousands of people to only about 30. By 2016, the population had grown slightly to 105 people.

Future Plans: A New Coal Mine

As of December 2016, there are plans for a new coal mine in the Styx River area. This proposed mine would be about 4 kilometers south of Ogmore town. The plan involves digging two open pits to get the coal. The coal would then be loaded onto trains using the North Coast railway line.

This project is currently being checked to see how it might affect the environment. If the mine goes ahead, it is expected to create 200 to 250 jobs. These jobs would likely go to people from nearby towns like Ogmore, Marlborough, and St Lawrence.