and later by car. In 1963, a new Postmaster, Mr Noonan, took over the Post Office in Fernvale after 84 years of faithful service by the Phelps family. In 1884, the Brisbane Valley railway line opened as far as Lowood, later continuing to Esk and eventually as far as Blackbutt, allowing fast efficient transport of produce to the markets in Brisbane and Ipswich. The first stage, from Ipswich to Lowood, opened in 1884 and the last train ran in 1989. There was a time when these yards buzzed with horse-drawn carts and bullock wagons bringing in the produce of the surrounding farms to be loaded on the trains for transport to the markets of Ipswich and Brisbane. The Brisbane Valley line survived for a century, until 1989. The line has been removed and the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail created over much of its length. The stationmaster’s house was in Clive Street until 2019 when it was demolished.The Brisbane River valley has always been troubled by alternating drought and flood, and Fernvale and Wivenhoe Pocket have several times been inundated, with many homes and buildings washed away. In the devastating flood of 1893 the flood reached a height of about above the 1890 flood level and occurred so rapidly that little could be saved. Work commenced on building an Anglican church in June 1895. On Friday 7 August 1895 St Mark's Anglican Church was dedicated by Bishop William Webber. The name St Mark's had a local significance as it was the name of the church at Wivenhoe Pocket which was washed away in the 1893 Queensland flood. The church was at 2 Macauley Street (corner of Erkine Street, ). It closed in 1934 and in 1936 the building was sold to the Queensland Government for £50 and it was relocated to Somerset Dam, where, after renovating and re-roofing, it was dedicated once again as St Mark's Anglican Church on 30 August 1936 by Archbishop William Wand. The £50 was given to construct a new Anglican church at Hidden Vale. Social life and sport in Fernvale were always strong. In the last years of the nineteenth century ploughing competitions were held near the river crossing. Town sports days brought people in from outlying districts, and the Fernvale cricket, tennis and football teams were keenly followed. During and between the World Wars numerous fund-raising dances and music evenings were held in the Old