Capella

History

Capella was founded on traditional Wangan land in the 1860s by graziers influenced by the good reports of Ludwig Leichhardt. The town takes its name from Capella Creek, which was in turn named after the star Capella. The Creek was probably named by surveyor Charles Frederick Gregory In June 1883 Mr Jorgensen was contracted to build a Presbyterian Church and school for £146, to be completed in one month. Capella Provisional School opened on 29 August 1883. In July 1884 the school had an enrolment of 35 children, and an average attendance of 28 children. In 1900 it became Capella State School. In 1978 a pre-school was added. In 1984 a secondary department was added, but it ceased when Capella State High School opened on 23 January 1989. Gordon Downs Provisional School opened circa 1885 and closed circa 1886. Land resumed from large pastoral runs was made available to small farm selectors in 1883 and small cropping and dairying became early industries; a Butter Factory was built in 1900 under the "Meat and Diary Encouragement Act." From 1894 Wesleyan Methodist services were held at Capella State School by Reverend Taylor, minister of the Wesleyan Church in Clermont. On 2 May 1898, Reverend J.R. Williams, based at Clermont, held the first Wesleyan service in the Capella church. By the late 1890s it was reported that "great improvements have been made at this place of late": in 1898 new offices for the Peak Downs Divisional Board (the fore-runner of the Peak Downs Shire Council) were opened, a number of new shops had been built, and the Old Exchange Hotel and the Peak Downs Hotel were renovated and re-opened. Mrs Lucy Stuart of Gordon Downs Station laid the foundation block for the Holy Spirit Anglican Church on Easter Monday 1 April 1907. The early 20th century…

Geography

Capella is midway between Emerald and Clermont on the Gregory Highway. The highway, also known as Peak Downs Street, passes through Capella from north to south and is Capella's Main Street. Capella is served by the Capella railway station () on a railway line from Emerald to Blair Athol; it is a branch line of the Central Western railway line. The branch line also runs from north to south and is immediately adjacent and to the west of the highway. Capella Creek flows from east to west across the northern part of the locality to the immediate north of the town. Capella Creek is a tributary of the Nogoa River, which in turn is a tributary of the Fitzroy River which enters the Coral Sea.

Most-observed species

• Crested Pigeon

  Ocyphaps lophotes (Temminck, 1822) · Aves
  65
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  54
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  49
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  49
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  47
• Apostlebird

  Struthidea cinerea Gould, 1837 · Aves
  44
• Yellow-throated Miner

  Manorina flavigula (Gould, 1840) · Aves
  41
• Pale-headed Rosella

  Platycercus adscitus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  38