Monto

History

Gureng Gureng (also known as Gooreng Gooreng, Goreng Goreng, Goeng, Gurang, Goorang Goorang, Korenggoreng) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Gureng Gureng people. The Gooreng Gooreng language region includes the towns of Bundaberg, Gin Gin and Miriam Vale extending south towards Childers, inland to Monto and Mt Perry. The town takes its name from its railway station, which in turn is an Aboriginal word meaning ridgy plain. The township of Monto was not formally established until 1924 in which year the post office opened. Lobbying for a school commenced in 1924. Monto State School opened on 25 January 1926. Unusually the church had been built on leasehold land as freehold was unavailable. It was at 29 Rutherford Street (). It now serves as the church hall for St Theresa's Catholic Church (built circa 1990). Monto Baptist Church opened on 23 April 1930. It was at 24 Kelvin Street (). It closed in 1997 and passed into private ownership. St Therese's Catholic Primary School was opened on 5 February 1940 by the Presentation Sisters. With dwindling gold reserves, Monto turned its economy towards farming and logging, two of the region's major industries today. Deposits of thermal coal and limestone have been discovered in the shire. Monto State High School opened on 28 January 1964. Having been unused for about ten years, it was relocated in February 2017 to the Monto Historical Centre at 20 Flinders Street, Monto (), for use as an archive for the photographs of the Monto Historical Society.

Geography

Monto is located on the Burnett Highway north-west of Brisbane and south of Rockhampton. The Gladstone–Monto Road intersects with the Burnett Highway in the town. The main street in the town is Newton Street. In the Mississippian era (358-323 mya) also known as the Early Carboniferous period, the area

Most-observed species

• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

  Cacatua galerita (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  121
• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  110
• Laughing Kookaburra

  Dacelo novaeguineae (Hermann, 1783) · Aves
  102
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  101
• Pied Currawong

  Strepera graculina (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  96
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  93
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  92
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  91

Most recent

• M 4.9 — 2015-02-15
  42 km N of Mundubbera, Australia
• M 4.4 — 2004-01-16
  27 km SE of Monto, Australia