Alpha

History

The town of Alpha is situated approximately 400 kilometres to the west of Rockhampton, with the name being derived from Alpha Pastoral Station, established in 1863. This was a very large station, dominating the area and growing to more than 1,600 square kilometres by the 1890s. The area was originally visited and partly explored by the New South Wales Surveyor-General, Thomas Mitchell, in 1846 and it was his reports that were to encourage settlement, particularly from the 1860s. Alpha was initially established as a temporary terminus during construction of the Central Western railway line (then known as the Great Northern line, a name that would be subsequently assigned to the subsequent more northern line west of Townsville to Mount Isa), which was being built westwards from Rockhampton. The major coastal centre was keen to take full advantage of the inland pastoral wealth being generated and pushed for a central railway line. Construction commenced in 1867, Alpha Provisional School opened on 30 August 1886. It became Alpha State School on 7 September 1894. A preschool centre was added in 1987. A United Protestant Church opened in March 1894. A Catholic church opened in 1899. Three Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart arrived by train in Alpha on Thursday 15 May 1902. The Sisters operated a temporary Catholic primary school in the church in 1902. A convent with school boarding facilities was established in 1904 and was officially opened by Bishop Higgins in June 1904. In November 1904, the pupils presented a successful concert for a large crowd. St Joseph's Convent School gained its own building, offiicially opened by Bishop Shiel in November 1918. It was erected at a cost of £820. When the convent became dangerously riddled with white ants in 1922, it was…

Geography

Alpha is in Central West Queensland. It lies on Alpha Creek. The Central Western railway line passes through the town, which is served by Alpha railway station. The town is a service centre for the surrounding pastoral properties and travellers on the highway.

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  26
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  24
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  21
• Crested Pigeon

  Ocyphaps lophotes (Temminck, 1822) · Aves
  21
• Pied Butcherbird

  Cracticus nigrogularis (Gould, 1837) · Aves
  20
• Pale-headed Rosella

  Platycercus adscitus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  19
• Pied Currawong

  Strepera graculina (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  19
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  17