Peak Crossing, Queensland


Peak Crossing is a rural locality split between the City of Ipswich and the Scenic Rim Region of Queensland, Australia. In the, Peak Crossing had a population of 965 people.

Geography

Peak Crossing is located south of Ipswich. The town is surrounded by farming land, mostly small cropping. The western boundary is marked by the east branch of Warrill Creek, a tributary of the Bremer River. Just upstream from where the road joining Peak Crossing with Mutdapilly crosses Warrill Creek is the Churchbank Weir.
The eastern parts of Peak Crossing are dominated by the naturally vegetated central peaks of the Flinders Peak Group. These include Mount Goolman, Ivorys Rock, Mount Blaine and Flinders Peak. Also located here is the Flinders Peak Conservation Park and sections of the Flinders-Goolman Conservation Estate. These parks are used for bushwalking, horse riding, mountain bike riding and camping.

History

The name Peak Crossing refers to a mountain and a once important road crossing of Purga Creek.
The mountain Flinders Peak is to the east of the township, named in honour of the explorer Matthew Flinders.
The road crossing is the intersection of the Ipswich-Boonah Road and the Old Warwick Road, which is adjacent to Purga Creek. Today, these roads are of less importance as the Cunningham Highway carries most of the traffic to these destinations.
Purga Creek No 2 School opened on 4 September 1871. It was renamed Peak Mountain State School before 1875. In the late 1920s it was renamed Peak Crossing State School.
The Fassifern railway line opened from Ipswich to Harrisville on 10 July 1882. Hillside railway station, Rocktown railway station and Peak Crossing railway station, all on the Ipswich Boonah Road, serve the areas north of Purga Creek. Flinders railway station on Flinders Road serves the area south of Purga Creek. On 12 September 1887 the line was extended from Harrisville to Dugundan. The line closed in June 1964.
Peak Crossing Post Office opened on 2 January 1886.
On 3 November 1924, a meeting of residents was held at the school is propose the erection of a public hall. In 1925 a piece of land approx was purchased from Wilhelm Althaus for £20. Mr Wyman was the architect for a fee of £6/2/9 and the builder was A. F. Schelbach for £525/5/9. The hall was officiallly opened on Friday 20 August 1926 by Ernest Bell, the local Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Fassifern.
In the, Peak Crossing had a population of 768 people.
In the, Peak Crossing had a population of 965 people.
On Remembrance Day, 11 November, 2018, the new Peak Crossing ANZAC Memorial was officially dedicated.

Heritage listings

Peak Crossing has the following heritage-listed sites:
Peak Crossing State School is a government primary school for boys and girls at Ipswich-Boonah Road. In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 215 students with 22 teachers and 14 non-teaching staff.

Amenities

The Peak Mountain View Park on Ipswich Boonah Road is provided by the Scenic Rim Regional Council. It features open space with play equipment, electric BBQs, picnic shelters as well as public toilets and off-street car parking. The Peak Crossing ANZAC memorial is within the park.
The Scenic Rim Regional Council operates a mobile library service which visits the Peak Mountain View Park.
The Peak Crossing branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets in the Peak Crossing Public Hall.