Chillagoe

History

Chillagoe was named by William Atherton in 1888. The name is taken from the refrain of a sea shanty: "Hikey, Tikey, Psyche, Crikey, Chillagoe, Walabadorie". James Mulligan had explored the area in 1873 and Atherton backed up his reports of rich copper outcrops in the area. Mining pioneer John Moffat sent prospectors to the field in 1888 and quickly monopolised the field. A receiving office opened in 1891 (with W. Atherton as Receiving Office Keeper) but closed in 1893. A post office opened in 1900 with F. Donner as the storekeeper and postmaster. The Chillagoe Railway and Mining Company's line opened from Mareeba in 1901 and a Town Reserve was proclaimed 27 October 1910. In 1899, Finnish socialist Matti Kurikka and around 100 followers attempted to establish a utopian settlement in Chillagoe. The project failed within a year, and Kurikka sailed to Canada, where he went on to lead a similarly short-lived utopian settlement in Sointula, British Columbia. Chillagoe is sometimes remembered for its involvement in the Mungana affair, a mining scandal which brought down the government. In 1919, after fluctuating fortunes and closures, ownership of the smelter was transferred to the Queensland Government. This acquisition by the Labor Government brought allegations of political corruption which persisted for many years. Closures plagued the smelter again in the late 1920s. When the Labor Party lost power in 1929, the new government ordered a Royal Commission into the incident. The political careers of two former Queensland Premiers, 'Red' Ted Theodore and William McCormack, were ruined by the commission's report. The Chillagoe Public Library opened in 2002. Although Chillagoe is currently and historically within the local government area of Shire of Mareeba, between 2008…

Most-observed species

• Blue-faced Honeyeater

  Entomyzon cyanotis (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  286
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  260
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  209
• Great Bowerbird

  Chlamydera nuchalis (Jardine & Selby, 1830) · Aves
  206
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  195
• Apostlebird

  Struthidea cinerea Gould, 1837 · Aves
  194
• Pied Butcherbird

  Cracticus nigrogularis (Gould, 1837) · Aves
  192
• Red-winged Parrot

  Aprosmictus erythropterus (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  166