Bouldercombe is a town and rural locality in the Rockhampton Region in Central Queensland, Australia. The town is on the Burnett Highway, 636 kilometres (395 mi) north west of the state capital, Brisbane and 22 kilometres (14 mi) south of the regional centre of Rockhampton. At the 2011 census, Bouldercombe had a population of 698.
History
Bouldercombe came into existence in 1865 when gold was found at nearby Crocodile Creek and Gavial Creek. Within a year over 2000 miners were living in the area. The town was originally called Crocodile after the creek name.
Land sales occurred in 1867.
Crocodile Creek Provisional School opened on 14 August 1871. It was later closed and reopened on 15 August 1881. It was later relocated to a new building at Bouldercombe. On 23 February 1900 it was renamed Bouldercombe State School.
By 1876, the gold rush was over and the population slumped to 149, but the discovery of gold at nearby Mount Usher in 1897 caused the population to rise to over 1000 people for a short time.
The Royal Hotel opened on the corner of Mount Usher Road and Oleander Street on 5 March 1897 under licensee Samuel Heiser; the hotel is still operating in 2014.
The Crocodile Creek Gold Dredging Company started up in 1935 to extract gold by alluvial washing and operated until 1946.
Since that time, the area has mainly been known for its citrus growing.
In 1976 a brickworks was established.
Post offices
The post office history reflects the history of the locality: Crocodile Creek Post Office opened on 24 September 1866 and closed in 1879; the first Bouldercombe Post Office opened on 7 September 1883 and closed in 1889; Mount Usher Receiving Office opened by 1899, was raised to post office status in 1900, closed in 1906, reopened in 1909, was reduced in status in 1913, was renamed Bouldercombe in 1924 and closed in 1927; the third Bouldercombe Post Office opened on 28 August 1928 and closed in 1977.
Education
Bouldercombe State School is a government primary .
Tourism
Bouldercombe is the gateway to the Bouldercombe Gorge Resources Reserve, including Bouldercombe Falls.
The Bicentennial National Trail passes through Bouldercombe.