Calcium, Queensland

The Great Northern railway line runs immediately parallel and west of the eastern boundary of the locality, while the Flinders Highway runs immediately parallel and east of the eastern boundary of the localilty. Both the railway and the highway enter from the north-east (Woodstock) and exit to the south-west (Reid River). No railway stations serve the locality today.{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Road and rail; Railways; Railway stations |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=5 June 2025 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government}}

Manton is a neighbourhood within the east of the locality ({{coord|-19.65|146.8333|type:city_region:AU-QLD|name=Manton}}).{{cite QPN|20848|Manton|locality unbounded in City of Townsville|accessdate=19 September 2020}}

There are a number of mountains in the locality (from north to south):

• Flagstone at {{Convert|591|m||abbr=}} above sea level ({{coord|-19.6080|146.7452|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Flagstone}}){{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Mountains and ranges; Contours; Watercourses |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=5 June 2025 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government}}{{Cite web |date=12 November 2020 |title=Mountain peaks and capes - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/06ff12a9-862e-4aac-bf9d-693f0a63b4c9 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125215033/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/geographic-features-queensland-series/resource/06ff12a9-862e-4aac-bf9d-693f0a63b4c9 |archive-date=25 November 2020 |access-date=25 November 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}{{cite QPN|12678|Flagstone|peak in City of Townsville|accessdate=19 September 2020}}
• Black Mountain at {{Convert|418|m||abbr=}} above sea level ({{coord|-19.6833|146.7666|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Black Mountain}}){{cite QPN|2898|Black Mountain|mountain in City of Townsville|accessdate=19 September 2020}}
• Brown Mountain at {{Convert|600|m||abbr=}} above sea level ({{coord|-19.7166|146.8|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Brown Mountain}}){{cite QPN|4747|Brown Mountain|mountain in Charters Towers Regional|accessdate=19 September 2020}}
• Mount Ellenvale at {{convert|678|m}} above sea level ({{coord|-19.7131|146.7890|type:mountain_region:AU-QLD|name=Mount Ellenvale}})

The Mingela State Forest occupies the south and west of the locality. Apart from this protected area, the land use is mostly grazing on native vegetation with crop growing in the north-west of the locality. There are some historic limestone mines in the centre of the locality.{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Protected areas and forests; Land use; Historical MC (Mining Claim) extent |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=5 June 2025 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government}}

The locality was officially named and bounded on 27 July 1991. It was presumably named after the now-abandoned Calcium railway station ({{Coord|-19.6756|146.8348|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|display=|name=Calcium railway station}}) on the Great Northern railway.{{Cite web |date=2 October 2020 |title=Railway stations and sidings - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005070354/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/transport-features-queensland-series/resource/84fff9a0-e315-4844-9c4d-63934562a9bd |archive-date=5 October 2020 |access-date=5 October 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}{{Cite QPN|5709|Calcium|railway station in the City of Townsville|accessdate=18 November 2018}} which had been named prior to 1914 after the calcium-bearing lime that was mined in the area.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25505199|title=SKETCHER.|date=28 March 1914|newspaper=The Queenslander|accessdate=18 November 2018|issue=2454|location=Queensland, Australia|page=8|via=National Library of Australia|archive-date=2 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202054051/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/25505199|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.vizmap.com.au/NRM/Commodities/481216.htm|title=Calcium North|last=|first=|date=|website=Queensland Minerals|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117205559/http://www.vizmap.com.au/NRM/Commodities/481216.htm|archive-date=17 November 2018|url-status=live|access-date=18 November 2018}}

The neighbourhood of Manton takes its name from the now-abandoned Manton railway station ({{Coord|-19.6573|146.8341|type:railwaystation_region:AU-QLD|display=|name=Manton railway station}}), which takes its name from a pioneer farmer.

Manton Provisional School opened on 1 October 1903. In 1908, it reported an average daily attendance of 11.8 students.{{cite news |date=4 August 1908 |title=State Schools. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article214860913 |accessdate=6 June 2025 |newspaper=The Evening Telegraph |location=Queensland, Australia |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia |volume=8 |issue=2223}} It become Manton State School on 1 January 1909. In 1920, it began to operate as a half-time school in conjunction with Toonpan Provisional School (meaning one teacher was shared between the two schools). It returned to full-time school status in 1923. Due to low student numbers, it closed in October 1924, but reopened in 1928, closing again in 1930. The school reopened in 1934 with 14 students.{{cite news |date=19 January 1934 |title=The Townsville Daily Bulletin FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1934. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62345144 |accessdate=6 June 2025 |newspaper=The Townsville Daily Bulletin |location=Queensland, Australia |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia |volume=LVI |issue=17}}{{cite news |date=15 February 1934 |title=CORRESPONDENCE. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62337464 |accessdate=6 June 2025 |newspaper=The Townsville Daily Bulletin |location=Queensland, Australia |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia |volume=LVI |issue=40}}{{cite news |date=20 June 1934 |title=The Townsville Daily Bulletin WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1934. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61784934 |accessdate=6 June 2025 |newspaper=The Townsville Daily Bulletin |location=Queensland, Australia |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia |volume=LVI |issue=146}} It closed permanently on 18 August 1946 .{{Citation |author1=Queensland Family History Society |title=Queensland schools past and present |publication-date=2010 |edition=Version 1.01 |publisher=Queensland Family History Society |isbn=978-1-921171-26-0}}{{Cite QSA Agency|9112|Manton State School|6 June 2025

}} The school was on a {{Convert|5|acre|adj=on}} site at 4073 Burdekin Highway (now Flinders Highway in neighbouring Woodstock, {{Coord|-19.65338|146.83664|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Manton State School (former)}}).{{cite news |date=20 December 1902 |title=NEW RESERVES. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19183301 |accessdate=6 June 2025 |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |location=Queensland, Australia |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia |volume=LIX |issue=14,022}}{{Cite web |date=1942 |title=Mt Elliott (Special) |url=https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/topographic/topo-map-1mile-military-line-colour-mt-elliott-special-1942/original |access-date=6 June 2025 |publisher=Queensland Government |type=Map}}{{Cite web |date=1922 |title=County of Elphinstone |url=https://apps.information.qld.gov.au/data/v2/HistoricalMaps/StaticMap/cadastral/cad-map-2mile-county-elphinstone-1922/original |access-date=6 June 2025 |publisher=Queensland Government |type=Map}}{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Land parcel; Road and rail |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=5 June 2025 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government}}

In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, Calcium had a population of 21 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC30485|name=Calcium (SSC)|accessdate=20 October 2018|quick=on}}

In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Calcium had a population of 12 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL30482|name=Calcium (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}

There are no schools in Calcium. The nearest government primary school is Woodstock State School in neighbouring Woodstock to the north. The nearest government secondary school is William Ross State High School in Annandale to the north; however, students living in the south-west of Calcium might be too distant from this school with the alternatives being distance education and boarding school. There are also non-government schools in Annandale and other southern suburbs of Townsville.{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=5 June 2025 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government}}

Manton Cemetery is at 13 Manton Cemetery Road, off Manton Quarry Road and just west of the railway line ({{coord|-19.6512|146.8333|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Manton Cemetery}}).{{Cite web |date=12 November 2020 |title=Cemetery Areas - Queensland |url=https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/2baca5c3-a111-4fbc-86c9-3b896884438b |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115100513/https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/built-features-queensland-series/resource/2baca5c3-a111-4fbc-86c9-3b896884438b |archive-date=15 November 2020 |access-date=12 November 2020 |website=Queensland Open Data |publisher=Queensland Government}}{{Cite web |title=Cemeteries |url=https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/facilities-and-recreation/cemeteries |access-date=2025-06-06 |publisher=Townsville City Council}}{{cite web |title=Layers: Locality; Land parcel; Road and rail |url=https://qldglobe.information.qld.gov.au/ |access-date=5 June 2025 |website=Queensland Globe |publisher=Queensland Government}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |title=Woodstock State School centenary, 1890-1990 : including Manton, Reid River & Toonpan schools. |vauthors= |date=1990 |publisher=Woodstock Centenary Committee |isbn=0646008374}} — [https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/1dejkfd/alma997249934702061 via State Library of Queensland]

{{Suburbs of Townsville}}

Category:City of Townsville

Category:Localities in Queensland