ABOUT

Coppabella takes its name from the local railway station, where in turn was named by Queensland Railways Department in September 1971, using an Aboriginal word meaning a ‘crossing place’. The town of Coppabella was planned to service the junction of two railway lines, one from Goonyella and the other from Saraji Mine. The Goonyella to Hay Point Railway and the Coppabella Railway Station were opened in November 1971. 

Coppabella is unique in the region for two reasons; the first, that it did not form around any existing hub and secondly, that it was built entirely by a government department and passed to a local government to administer. Today Coppabella is classed as a ‘closed town’ in that it lives and exists only because of the railway and the mining companies who utilise this critical infrastructure.  

Coppabella town has grown over the years and currently includes approximately seventy-five residential houses, State School, two Accommodation Centres being QRI Village and Civeo Coppavillage across the highway. The town’s current infrastructure includes a licensed Community Club, swimming pool, basketball and tennis courts, football oval, nine-hole golf course, a Convenience Store including fuel depot and a Rural Fire Brigade service.