# Rubyvale, Queensland > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rubyvale,_Queensland > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rubyvale,_Queensland.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubyvale%2C_Queensland > Source revision: 1345913002 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Rubyvale** is a rural town and [locality](/source/Suburbs_and_localities_(Australia)) in the [Central Highlands Region](/source/Central_Highlands_Region), [Queensland](/source/Queensland), Australia.[1][2] In the , the town of Rubyvale had a population of 518 people.[3] ## Geography The town is located near the south-east boundary of the locality.[4] The town is approximately 61 kilometres (38 mi) west of [Emerald](/source/Emerald,_Queensland). [Sapphires](/source/Sapphire) are [mined](/source/Mining) extensively in the area.[5] ## History The name *Rubyvale* derives from a ruby weighing 5 to 6 dwt found near the town by miner William Dunn in the early 1900s.[1] Dunn was very proud of the ruby and did not sell it but showed it to people he trusted; after his death the ruby could not be found.[6] Rubyvale Provisional School opened on 19 October 1908. On 1 January 1909 it became Rubyvale State School. It closed in 1963.[7] Rubyvale was one of three towns within the former [locality](/source/Suburbs_and_localities_(Australia)) of [The Gemfields](/source/The_Gemfields) (the others being [Sapphire](/source/Sapphire,_Queensland) and [Anakie](/source/Anakie,_Queensland)) until 17 April 2020, when the Queensland Government decided to replace The Gemfields with three new localities (Rubyvale, [Sapphire Central](/source/Sapphire_Central,_Queensland) and [Anakie Siding](/source/Anakie_Siding,_Queensland)) based around each of the three towns respectively. The boundaries of [Argyll](/source/Argyll,_Queensland) were also modified to accommodate the introduction of the locality of Rubyvale with an area of 337.1 square kilometres (130.2 sq mi).[8][9][10][4] ## Demographics In the , the town of Rubyvale had a population of 510 people.[11] In the , the town of Rubyvale had a population of 640 people.[12] In the , the town of Rubyvale had a population of 518 people.[3] ## Amenities Rubyvale has a convenience store/news agents, post office, hotel and take-away bottle shop, as well as a variety of accommodation and fossicking areas. Some popular places to go fossicking are the Bob n John Mine, Bobby Dazzler and Pats Gems. The [Central Highlands Regional Council](/source/Central_Highlands_Regional_Council) operates a public library at 7 Burridge Road ([23.42°S 147.6998°E](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=-23.4200_147.6998&title=Rubyvale%20library)).[13] ## Education There are no schools in Rubyvale. The nearest government primary school is [Anakie State School](/source/Anakie_State_School) in [Anakie Siding](/source/Anakie_Siding,_Queensland) to the south. The nearest government secondary schools are [Emerald State High School](/source/Emerald_State_High_School) in [Emerald](/source/Emerald,_Queensland) to the east and [Capella State High School](/source/Capella_State_High_School) in [Capella](/source/Capella,_Queensland) to the north-east.[4] ## Climate The area can get up to 40 °C (104 °F) during summer, and can reach 0 °C (32 °F) in winter.[citation needed] ## Heritage listings Rubyvale has a number of [heritage-listed](/source/Heritage-listed) sites, including: - [Tomahawk Creek Huts](/source/Tomahawk_Creek_Huts)[14] ## References 1. Retrieved 17 July 2020. 1. Retrieved 17 July 2020. 1. ["Sapphire Gemfields"](https://centralqueenslandhighlands.com.au/about/interactive-map/sapphire-gemfields-queensland/). *Central Queensland Highlands*. Retrieved 2026-03-28. 1. ["The State's mystery town of wealth"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50044996). *[The Courier-mail](/source/The_Courier-mail)*. 18 November 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 23 April 2020. – via Trove. 1. Queensland Family History Society (2010), *Queensland schools past and present*, Version 1.01 ed., [Queensland Family History Society](/source/Queensland_Family_History_Society), ISBN 978-1-921171-26-0 1. ["Recent place name decisions: Job number 18-115: The Gemfields"](https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/title/place-names/proposals-decisions/decisions#18-115). [Queensland Government](/source/Queensland_Government). 17 April 2020. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200717022359/https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/title/place-names/proposals-decisions/decisions#18-115) 17 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 July 2020. 1. ["Proposed Locality Boundaries and Names: Anakie Siding, Argyll, Emerald, Gindie, Lochington, Minerva, Rubyvale and Sapphire Central"](https://www.dnrme.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/1457327/18115-qpn1401-proposed.pdf). [Queensland Government](/source/Queensland_Government). 2019. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200717023517/https://www.dnrme.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/1457327/18115-qpn1401-proposed.pdf) 17 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 July 2020. 1. ["Locality Boundaries and Names: Anakie Siding, Argyll, Emerald, Gindie, Lochington, Minerva, Rubyvale and Sapphire Central"](https://www.dnrme.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/1478741/18115-qpn1401-decision.pdf). [Queensland Government](/source/Queensland_Government). 17 April 2020. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200717024018/https://www.dnrme.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/1478741/18115-qpn1401-decision.pdf) 17 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 July 2020. 1. ["Locations"](http://www.centralhighlands.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/libraries/locations/). *[Central Highlands Regional Council](/source/Central_Highlands_Regional_Council)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180131041006/http://www.centralhighlands.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/libraries/locations/) 31 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 31 January 2018. 1. Retrieved 7 July 2013. ## Further reading - ((Anakie State School.)) (1984). *And then there was one : Anakie 1885-1985.*. Anakie State School. — via [State Library of Queensland](https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/tqqf2h/alma997643424702061). Includes Sapphire State School, Rubyvale State School, Bogantungan State School, Lochington State School, Taroborah Provisional School, and Withersfield State School. ## External links - ["Rubyvale"](http://queenslandplaces.com.au/rubyvale). *Queensland Places*. University of Queensland. - [Map and facilities list](http://cqgemfields.nqld.net/Rubyvale.htm) - [A Gemfields home page](http://www.gemfields.com/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rubyvale, Queensland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubyvale%2C_Queensland) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubyvale%2C_Queensland?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.