Gilberton, Queensland (Etheridge Shire)
# Gilberton, Queensland (Etheridge Shire)

Gilberton is a rural locality in the Shire of Etheridge, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Gilberton had a population of 4 people.

## Geography

The old Gilberton township lies within a cattle station (privately owned by one family since 1869, which was established on the Ewamian Aboriginal land. The only remains of the town is the stone fortress that was built by the Martell family in 1869. The date palm on the northern side of the Gilbert River is the site of the Corbett store.

The Gilbert River flows from the south-east to the north-west of the locality and then travels northward towards its mouth at the Gulf of Carpentaria. Gilberton Station neighbors Rungullla National Park.

The terrain is mountainous with the Newcastle Range in the north-east of the locality and Gilbert Range (19°20′00″S 144°02′00″E﻿ / ﻿19.3333°S 144.0333°E﻿ / -19.3333; 144.0333﻿ (Gilbert Range)) in the east of the locality. There are a number of named peaks, from north to south:

* Mount Moran (19°07′54″S 143°50′19″E﻿ / ﻿19.1316°S 143.8386°E﻿ / -19.1316; 143.8386﻿ (Mount Moran))
* North Knob (19°12′57″S 143°52′41″E﻿ / ﻿19.2158°S 143.8780°E﻿ / -19.2158; 143.8780﻿ (North Knob))
* Middle Knob (19°15′18″S 143°53′02″E﻿ / ﻿19.255°S 143.8838°E﻿ / -19.255; 143.8838﻿ (Middle Knob))
* Conical Hill (19°13′30″S 143°54′47″E﻿ / ﻿19.225°S 143.9130°E﻿ / -19.225; 143.9130﻿ (Conical Hill))
* Commissioners Hill (19°17′10″S 143°39′59″E﻿ / ﻿19.2861°S 143.6663°E﻿ / -19.2861; 143.6663﻿ (Commissioners Hill))
* Hanns Table Mountain (19°17′14″S 143°49′24″E﻿ / ﻿19.2872°S 143.8233°E﻿ / -19.2872; 143.8233﻿ (Hanns Table Mountain))
* South Knob (19°17′15″S 143°52′47″E﻿ / ﻿19.2875°S 143.8797°E﻿ / -19.2875; 143.8797﻿ (South Knob))
* Black Cap (19°18′29″S 143°58′37″E﻿ / ﻿19.3080°S 143.9769°E﻿ / -19.3080; 143.9769﻿ (Black Cap))
* Mount Rous (19°19′52″S 143°54′31″E﻿ / ﻿19.3311°S 143.9086°E﻿ / -19.3311; 143.9086﻿ (Mount Rous))

## History

The name Gilberton comes from the Gilbert River, which in turn was named by explorer Ludwig Leichhardt on 12 July 1845, after his expedition member John Gilbert who was killed near the Carpentaria coast on 28 June 1845.

In the 2016 census, Gilberton had a population of 4 people.

## Heritage listings

Gilberton has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

* Forsayth-Agate Creek - Ortona (Iona) Station Road: Ortona Mine and $Battery^{[9]}$
* New Woolgar Road: Mount Moran Battery
* Joseph Morris Mine

## Education

There are no schools in Gilberton. The nearest primary school is Forsayth State School in neighbouring Forsayth to the north but it is a considerable distance away. There are no nearby secondary schools. Distance education or boarding schools would be options.

