Mapleton

History

For countless generations, the Blackall Range has held spiritual significance for many Aboriginal people throughout South East Queensland. Abundant bunya pines growing throughout this area produced large nut crops, providing enough food for huge gatherings. When the nut crop peaked every three years, Kabi Kabi and neighbouring Wakka Wakka people hosted the Bonyee Festival. Many invited guests travelled great distances from coastal and inland areas to share food, songs and dances, arrange marriages, and other social interactions. A large grassy area near Baroon Pocket was an important gathering place. Early settlers of the area grew fruit, vegetables and cereal crops. The first timber cutters extracted red cedar and beech timber taking it to Nambour. Mapleton Provisional School opened on 17 July 1899 with an initial enrolment of 15 students under teacher Lizzie Fitzgerald. It became Mapleton State School on 1 January 1909. By 1909, a sawmill was operating in the town. The church was located approximately at 21 Flaxton Drive (). The church was still open in 1965, but, as at 2021, it is no longer operating and the building no longer exists. Pineapples, dairying and small crops were the towns major industries until the late 1950s.

Geography

The town is located on the Blackall Range in the Sunshine Coast hinterland at approx above sea level. Montville–Mapleton Road enters from the south, Nambour–Mapleton Road enters from the east, and Obi Obi Road exits to the south-west. Mapleton Falls National Park is in the west of the locality and Kondalilla National Park is in the south of the locality extending into neighbouring Flaxton and beyond. Historically a rural area, the land use is now predominantly rural residential with some grazing on native vegetation.

Most-observed species

• Lewin's Honeyeater

  Meliphaga lewinii (Swainson, 1837) · Aves
  7,826
• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  6,829
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  6,535
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  6,374
• Welcome Swallow

  Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1842 · Aves
  5,681
• Eastern Whipbird

  Psophodes olivaceus (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  5,382
• Pied Currawong

  Strepera graculina (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  5,242
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  5,007

Most recent

• M 4.9 — 2025-08-15
  12 km ESE of Cherbourg, Australia