Peak Crossing

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

Peak Crossing is a rural locality split between the City of Ipswich and the Scenic Rim Region of Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Peak Crossing had a population of 965 people.

The name Peak Crossingrefers 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 connected Ipswich to the local towns Boonah and Warwick respectively), which is adjacent to Purga Creek. Today, these roads are of less importance as the Cunningham Highway (approx 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west of Peak Crossing) 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 (Queensland's first branch railway line) opened from Ipswich to Harrisville on 10 July 1882.Hillside railway station (27.7497°S 152.7367°E? / -27.7497; 152.7367? (Hillside railway station)),Rocktown railway station (27.7639°S 152.7380°E? / -27.7639; 152.7380? (Rockton railway station)) andPeak Crossing railway station (27.7770°S 152.7336°E? / -27.7770; 152.7336? (Peak Crossing railway station)), all on the Ipswich Boonah Road, serve the areas north of Purga Creek. Flinders railway station on Flinders Road (27.7886°S 152.7217°E? / -27.7886; 152.7217? (Flinders railway station)) 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 (a receiving office had been open from 1885.In October 1872 tenders were called to construct a Congregational Church near Peak Mountain. In 1929 a new church was erected by local builders Walter Florence and Charlie Meier. The former church building was sold and relocated to Rosevale to replace the Lutheran church which was burned down therein 1928. In 1977 the Congregational Church amalgamated into the Uniting Church in Australia. As at 2020, it is known as Flinders Uniting Church.In 1882, the first Catholic church in the Boonah Parish was erected at Peak Crossing and dedicated to St Patrick. George McDonald donated 1 acre (0.40 ha) of land and the church was built by James Madden of Ipswich. The church was 40 by 25 feet (12.2 by 7.6 m) with 12-foot (3.7 m) high walls and a 15-foot (4.6 m) high roof. It had a Gothic door at the front and each of the two sides of the building had 4 Gothic windows. It was officially opened and blessed on Sunday 10 December 1882 by parish priest of Ipswich, Father Andrew Horan. It had been arranged that Bishop Robert Dunne would officiate but he did not attend on the day. The ceremony attracted a large attendance from local people as well as approximately 400 people who came from Ipswich on a train specially organised for the event. It was not possible to accommodate everyone within the church for the ceremony.

In November 1911 St Patrick's Catholic Church was struck by a cyclone and badly damaged. While temporary repairs were carried it, it was discovered that the timber of church had been damaged by white ants. A decision was made to build a new church and St James's Catholic Church was officially opened on 6 September 1914 by Archbishop James Duhig. As at 2020, the church is now known as St John's Catholic Church at 30 Fassifern Street (27.7835°S 152.7307°E? / -27.7835; 152.7307? (St John's Catholic Church)).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 0.75 acres (0.30 ha) 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 officially opened on Friday 20 August 1926 by Ernest Bell, the local Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Fassifern.In the 2011 census, Peak Crossing had a population of 768 people.In the 2016 census, Peak Crossing had a population of 965 people.On Remembrance Day, 11 November, 2018, the new Peak Crossing ANZAC Memorial was officially dedicated.