Irvinebank with Wades Royal Hotel, National Bank, School of Arts and other buildings, circa 1906
First known as Gibbs Camp, the town was founded in 1884 by John Moffat, who had purchased the mining leases from the original prospectors. From 1889 he owned the Vulcan tin mine. He built a dam, a mill, smelters and other infrastructure that attracted settlers and miners to the area.[17] Moffat was born at Newmilns, Ayrshire, Scotland, which is situated on the River Irvine, and it is assumed he named the town Irvinebank in honour of his home town.[2][3] Irvinebank became a thriving town with an economy based on mining, milling and smelting.
In late 1884, Irvinebank became famous for a massacre of Aboriginal Australians and a subsequent inquiry. In October of that year a Native Police patrol led by officers William Nichols and Roland Garraway conducted a series of raids in the area during which an Aboriginal camp was fired upon. An old man, two women and a 6-year-old child were killed. Another two Aboriginal men were arrested, never to be seen again.[18] John Moffat alerted authorities and an investigation was held. Seven troopers were later charged with murder and Sub-inspector Nichols was charged with being an accessory. At a trial in Townsville the magistrate concluded there was no case against Nichols and he was discharged "amid considerable applause".[19] The troopers were remanded in custody and in October 1885 they too were discharged.[20] Nichols, however, was dismissed from the Native Police by the Queensland government and the Irvinebank massacre is regarded as a turning point away from the policy of indiscriminate killing of Indigenous people in the colony.[21]
Irvinebank Post Office opened on 1 June 1885 (areceiving office had been open from 1884).[22]
Irvinebank Provisional School opened on 27 September 1886. On 1 August 1890 it became Irvinebank State School.[23]
Montalbion State School opened c. 1888 and closed in 1906.[23]
Stannary Hills Provisional School opened on 18 January 1904. In 1907, it became Stannary Hills State School. It closed c. 1931.[23]
Rocky Bluffs Provisional School opened on 1904 and closed on 1910.[23]
Gurrumba Provisional School opened in 1907. On 1 January 1909, it became Gurrumba Provisional School. It closed c. 1916.[23]
Hale's Siding Provisional School opened on 22 February 1915 and closed in February 1922.[24]
In the ten years up to the 1911 census the population had swelled from 619 to 1264, but another 10 years saw it reduced back to only 607 and continued to fall.[25]
Although currently and historically within the Shire of Mareeba, between 2008 and 2013, the Shire of Mareeba (and hence Invinebank) was within the Tablelands Region) until 2014 when the shire was re-instated following a vote by the residents.[27]
In the 2016 census, the locality of Irvinebank had a population of 125 people.[28] In the 2021 census, this decreased to 113.[1]
There is no secondary school in Irvinebank. The nearest government secondary schools are Dimbulah State School (to Year 10) in neighbouring Dimbulah to the north-west and Herberton State School (to Year 10) in Herberton to the east. Catholic secondary education to Year 12 is available in Herberton, while the nearest government secondary school offering schooling to Year 12 is Atherton State High SchoolinAtherton to the north-east; [4] Given the size of the locality, some children might live too far away to attend any of these schools; distance education and boarding schools would be other options.
^"Alleged Slaughter of Aborigines". The Queenslander. Vol. XXVI, no. 478. Queensland, Australia. 22 November 1884. p. 845. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"The Irvinebank Murders". The Queenslander. Vol. XXVII, no. 489. Queensland, Australia. 7 February 1885. p. 227. Retrieved 14 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"The Irvinebank Tavern". www.athertontablelandnetguide.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
^"Loudoun House Museum". Irvinebank Heritage Town, Queensland, Australia. 16 March 2016. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
On the Irvinebank Massacre 1884:
Dillon Paul, The Irvinebank Massacre, ISBN 9781922449498, Connor Court Publishing, Brisbane, 2021.
