Capella is a rural town and locality in the Central Highlands Region, Queensland, Australia. At the the locality of Capella had a population of 974 people. Geography Capella is midway between Emerald and Clermont on the Gregory Highway. The highway, also known as Peak Downs Street, passes through Capella from north to south and is Capella's Main Street. Capella is served by the Capella railway station () on a railway line from Emerald to Blair Athol; it is a branch line of the Central Western railway line. The branch line also runs from north to south and is immediately adjacent and to the west of the highway. Capella Creek flows from east to west across the northern part of the locality to the immediate north of the town. Capella Creek is a tributary of the Nogoa River, which in turn is a tributary of the Fitzroy River which enters the Coral Sea. Despite its name, Capella airport is at Airport Road in neighbouring Hibernia but on the boundary with Capella (). It has a gravel airstrip. It has no lighting, so it is only suitable for daytime use. It is operated by the Central Highlands Regional Council. History Capella was founded on traditional Wangan land in the 1860s by graziers influenced by the good reports of Ludwig Leichhardt. The town takes its name from Capella Creek, which was in turn named after the star Capella. The Creek was probably named by surveyor Charles Frederick Gregory who, following the discovery of copper at Copperfield, about 60 kilometres to the north, surveyed three township sites in the Peak Downs area in 1862: Crinum Creek (Lilyvale), Capella, and Hoods Lagoon (Clermont). The town remained a small roadside stopping place halfway between Emerald, to the south, and Clermont, to the north, until a railway line was built connecting the two larger towns in 1882. The same year saw the establishment of a post office, which opened on 5 December. In June 1883 Mr Jorgensen was contracted to build a Presbyterian Church and school for £146, to be completed in one month. Capella Provisional School opened on 29 August 1883. In July 1884 the school had an enrolment of 35 children, and an average attendance of 28 children. In 1900 it became Capella State School. In 1978 a pre-school was added. In 1984 a secondary department was added, but it ceased when Capella State High