Greenvale

History

Gugu Badhun (also known as Koko-Badun and Kokopatun) is an Australian Aboriginal language of North Queensland. The language region includes areas within the local government area of Charters Towers Region, particularly the localities of Greenvale and the Valley of Lagoons, and in the Upper Burdekin River area and in Abergowrie. The town was named by the Queensland Place Names Board on 16 December 1972. The town takes its name from a pastoral run operated by John Langton in 1860s. This is most likely to have been a school serving a construction camp. Greenvale Project No 1 State School opened 18 February 1974. It closed on 29 March 1974. Greenvale State School opened on 18 September 1972. Some of the longest trains in Australia were pulled along the railway line. The railway line tracks were removed in mid-2000; however the bridges, cuttings, blue metal and easement remain. Occasionally people walk from Yabulu to Greenvale along it, as a form of fundraising. Despite the fact that the mine itself has since concluded operations, more mining operations around the area have since commenced and homes are all fully occupied with workers supporting the regional mining and exploration. When the nickel mine was in operation, its population was estimated to be 650 people. In June 2023 at least three buildings in Greenvale were damaged by the sonic boom from a Royal Australian Air Force jet fight that flew at supersonic speeds over the town. It was reported in 2025 that other buildings had been damaged and the RAAF had not provided compensation.

Geography

Greenvale is a nickel mining area, approximately northwest of Townsville. Other metal ores are also extracted there. Greenvale lies on the banks of the Burdekin River and on the Gregory Highway, which is a fully sealed road connecting the town to Charters Towers. Greenvale railway line (an ore-carrying railway line) ran between Greenvale and Queensland Nickel Industries (QNI) processing plant at Yabulu, approximately north of Townsville from 1974 to 1993. There are a number of abandoned railway stations on the line: * Greenvale railway station () * Malan railway station ()

Most-observed species

• Apostlebird

  Struthidea cinerea Gould, 1837 · Aves
  33
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  31
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  26
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  25
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  25
• Blue-faced Honeyeater

  Entomyzon cyanotis (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  24
• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  21
• Pied Butcherbird

  Cracticus nigrogularis (Gould, 1837) · Aves
  20