Marian

History

The town name Marian comes from the name of the (now closed) Marian railway station, which in turn reportedly derived its name from a local property called Mary Ann. Marian Presbyterian Church opened in 1902. Marian Mill Post Office opened by 1 January 1909 (a receiving office had been open from 1886) and was renamed Marian in 1910. In December 1882, Helen Porter Mitchell (later Dame Nellie Melba) married Charles Armstrong, the manager of the Marian Sugar Mill. A house was built for them beside the mill. It was not a happy marriage as they separated in December 1883. Their home was later relocated to a riverbank location on Eungella Road in Edward Lloyd Park two kilometres from the centre of Marian and named Melba House. It serves as a museum to Nellie Melba and as the Pioneer Valley Visitor Information Centre. The Marian Mill Provisional School opened on 15 November 1886. In 1899 it became the Marian State School.The Sisters of Mercy established a convent in 1921 with a view to establishing a school. It closed on 31 December 1987. On Whitsunday 5 June 1927, Bishop Shiel officially opened and blessed the new Holy Rosary Catholic Church. It was an imposing Romanesque structure. The old church was relocated to lower level on the site, between the new church and the convent.

Geography

The town is located on the south bank of the Pioneer River approximately west of Mackay. The river forms part of the northern boundary. In the east is Mount Vince which remains vegetated. Surrounding the town is farmland, mostly growing sugar cane, which is serviced by a network of rail lines. These lines lead to the Marian Mill which was constructed in 1885.

Most-observed species

• Masked Lapwing

  Vanellus miles (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  369
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  327
• Black Kite

  Milvus migrans (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  326
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  275
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  269
• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  264
• Pacific Black Duck

  Anas superciliosa J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  264
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  249