QHA-Review_Feb_Digital

Focus
When Paul Gleeson took on the Railway Hotel in
Mount Morgan, little did he know he would be sitting
on his own gold mine.
Located just 30 minutes south-west of Rockhampton,
the town of Mount Morgan was once home to one of
the richest gold mines in Australia - and for a period
of time, the world. Rich in copper, gold and silver,
the wealth of Mount Morgan Mine funded Persian
oil exploration, establishing the Anglo-Persian Oil
Company which became BP in 1954. Publican at
Railway Hotel Mount Morgan, Paul Gleeson, said
Mount Morgan is a proud mining town.
“It's got the richest goldmine in the southern
hemisphere which ran for about 150 years and dates
back to the early 1800s. The mine closed about 35
years ago, but it’s about to reopen which is really big
news for anyone who owns a pub up here.
“The technology back in the 1800s was really poor, but
the technology these days to extract copper and gold
is a lot more advanced. The Mount Morgan Mine left
behind tailings, which is like the leftover dirt, and it's
been determined that there is gold left in those tailings.
“With new processes and technology, they can pull or
extract a lot more gold out of those tailings, which is
why they’ll be reopening for 30 years.”