Clermont: Flood History, Gold Prospecting and Nature

Clermont combines evocative memorial sites with waterside nature and opportunities for gold prospecting. At Hoods Lagoon, you can see birds and wildlife; the town’s history is reflected in places such as the 1916 flood marker and the Clermont Museum. Choosing a holiday rental in Clermont is a good option if you’d like to combine local history and gold prospecting with an outing in nature or a fishing trip: Theresa Creek Dam is 22 kilometres southwest of Clermont.

Lagoon and fishing opportunities

Hoods Lagoon is a natural body of water where you can see birds and wildlife. Centenary Park is beside the water, offering a peaceful setting for picnics and barbecues. In Clermont, wildlife watching and relaxing outdoors sit alongside the town’s historical attractions.

If you’d also like to go fishing during your stay, Theresa Creek Dam offers opportunities to do so. The dam is 22 kilometres southwest of Clermont; the fish species found there include barramundi, golden perch, eels, sleepy cod, silver perch and bony bream. This fishing spot adds a destination outside Clermont to your options, without requiring a particular itinerary.

Memorials to the 1916 flood

A flood marker from 1916 stands at the corner of Capricorn Street and Drummond Street. It shows the flood’s height and lists the names of those who lost their lives. Rose Harris Park commemorates Rose Harris and her service during the flood. Together, these sites provide tangible points of reference for the event: the marker records its scale and loss of life, while the park remembers one person and her contribution.

Clermont Cemetery also preserves memories of the flood. Established in 1866, the cemetery is one of the early public burial grounds in Central Queensland. A mass grave and a memorial stone there commemorate the victims of 1916. The cemetery is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. Each of these memorial sites tells a different story of Clermont’s past.

Museum and traces of mining

The Clermont Museum explores Clermont’s settlement, mining and agricultural history. Among the objects on display is the Aveling and Porter No. 6803 steam traction engine. It was used to relocate the town after the 1916 flood. The museum thus connects the history of technology with a defining period in the town’s history. The Clermont Visitor Information Centre is also located in the museum.

Other built landmarks point to the town’s mining past. Copperfield Store is a locally heritage-listed building; its interior is currently not open to the public. Copperfield Chimney is the last remaining chimney of the Peak Downs Smelter. Traces of the roasting furnaces can be seen at the chimney’s base. The store and chimney represent different aspects of the built heritage, with access to the store’s interior restricted.

Gold prospecting, the railway station and the Clermont Show

Gold is not only part of Clermont’s mining history: visitors can prospect for gold in one of Clermont’s 11 General Permission Areas. Another option is the remote gold tours run by Golden Prospecting Tours, which take place on an active gold mine and on exclusive private properties. The tours include hands-on instruction in metal detecting, panning for gold and sluicing for gold. This lets you choose between prospecting independently in one of the designated areas and joining guided tours with practical activities.

There’s another detail to discover at Clermont railway station and its murals: visitors can look for the green frogs on each railway carriage. The Clermont Show adds to the experience with competitions and exhibitions held every year. This gives you several different options when planning your trip: historical memorial sites, gold prospecting, waterside nature and recurring events.

Discover more destinations

You can also discover these destinations: Cunnamulla, South Molle Island, Townsville, Shorncliffe, Beenleigh, Boonah, Hope Island, Woodford.

For the broader travel overview: Queensland.