European Discovery and Exploration
The first European explorer to pass through the area was Ludwig Leichhardt in 1844. He traversed the range on his journey from Brisbane to Port Essington.
In 1842, Governor Gipps declared a large reserve on the Blackall Range to protect the bunya pine food source for Indigenous groups. This reserve remained in place until 1860.
Settlement and Development
The first European settlers began arriving in the area in the 1870s and 1880s, attracted by the soil and climate. They cleared the dense rainforest and established farms, primarily growing crops such as bananas, oranges, and strawberries.
As the population grew, several townships emerged on the Blackall Range, including Maleny, Mapleton, Montville, and Flaxton. These towns developed a distinctive rural character, with charming cottages, lush gardens, and a strong sense of community.
Montville
At Montville the first selectors to take up residence were Peter Weitemeyer and his wife Isabella, who selected land on the present Mill Hill Road in 1887. Other families soon followed. In 1888, William McClintock selected land for a farm on what would become the site of the township of Montville. In 1893 Henry Smith and his brothers arrived. Henry built the only cattle dip in town and opened the first shop and Post Office in Montville.
Montville was originally called Razorback because of the steep ridge on which it stands, where Henry Smith applied to establish a Receiving Office for mail. His first two suggestions of a name, Razorback and Vermont, were rejected as having already been used. So, he suggested Montville, the name of his hometown in Connecticut, USA, and this was accepted.
In the 1880s, thick rainforest covered the locality. Settlers cut into the scrub and made a clearing big enough to build a home. Cape gooseberries grew in the clearings after bushfires and by 1893, these were being harvested and sent to jam factories in Brisbane. Bananas were planted on the rich red volcanic soil. The citrus industry was pioneered by George Butt and Henry Smith and in 1905, Alfred Bowser began the pineapple industry. Citrus orchards and pineapples farms soon covered the plateau at Montville. Oranges and mandarins were marketed mainly in Brisbane and the southern states, but Glen Retreat Mandarins from Smith’s orchard were being shipped to England. In 1930, Bowser planted the first macadamia nut trees and in 1945, J. Wilson began wholesale packing and despatching of avocados. Dairying was an important industry, until the European market collapsed.
Since the 1900s, Montville, with its cool summers and mild winters, has been a thriving mountain holiday resort attracting visitors from all over Southeast Queensland.
Mapleton
Mapleton was first known as Blackall Range, then Luton Vale. The area was officially named Mapleton in 1894 at the suggestion of early settler William Smith.
Mapleton quickly became a leading citrus producing area. The crop matured one month later than other citrus areas. The orchards produced an excellent livelihood for many families and increased the value of land.
The establishment of the township of Nambour in 1890 marked a significant turning point in the development of the Mapleton area. As Nambour grew, so too did the demand for land in the surrounding hinterland. Many of the early settlers arrived in the late 1890s and early 1900s, attracted by the promise of fertile land and a temperate climate.
In the early 1900s, citrus growing was at its peak in Mapleton and the road connection to Nambour was severely damaged by horse-drawn vehicles carrying heavy loads of fruit and produce. The Moreton Mill tramway had been built up to Dulong and after persistent agitation, it was extended to Mapleton in 1915. The tram carried passengers, as well as timber, cream, pigs, cattle, fruit, and sugar cane. Once a month it ran day excursions for visitors from Brisbane. The tramline operated until 1944 when improved roads and more efficient motor transport made it obsolete. By then the citrus industry had collapsed due to the Depression and insect infestation. Mapleton farms converted to dairying, pineapple growing and small cropping.
Flaxton
The first selector at Flaxton was Joseph Dixon, from Buderim, who selected 800 acres, extending from the edge of Mapleton to what became known as Skene’s Hill at Flaxton, Here he planted bananas and, in 1892, citrus trees.
Flaxton was named in 1890 when the Postal Department set up a Receiving Office at the residence of J.C. Wyer, who chose the name of a place in Norfolk, England, where he was born.
Maleny
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