▁prominent ▁South ▁Sea ▁Island ▁communities ; ▁descend ants ▁of ▁pe op les ▁black bird ed ▁from ▁their ▁native ▁homes ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁indent ured ▁labour ers ▁in ▁the ▁sugar ▁and ▁to b acco ▁plant ations ▁of ▁the ▁day . ▁ ▁Mount ▁Chal mers ▁Mine ▁Re ports ▁of ▁gold ▁finds ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁interior ▁of ▁the ▁Cap ric orn ▁Coast ▁began ▁around ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁at ▁Mount ▁Chal mers . ▁ ▁The ▁railway ▁From ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁its ▁in ception , ▁E mu ▁Park ▁was ▁the ▁h ed on istic ▁play ground ▁of ▁the ▁Rock ham pton ▁social ▁set ▁and ▁well - he e led ▁gold ▁min ers ▁from ▁Mount ▁Morgan , ▁who ▁used ▁their ▁considerable ▁influence ▁to ▁lo bb y ▁the ▁Queensland ▁Government ▁for ▁a ▁rail ▁link ▁to ▁the ▁fled g ling ▁se as ide ▁town . ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 8 8 8 , ▁they ▁achieved ▁their ▁amb itions ▁and ▁the ▁Rock ham pton - E mu ▁Park ▁railway ▁line ▁was ▁opened , ▁making ▁the ▁journey ▁far ▁less ▁ar du ous . ▁New ▁communities ▁spr out ed ▁up ▁along ▁the ▁path ▁of ▁the ▁railway , ▁and ▁new ▁stations ▁and ▁sid ings ▁were ▁established ▁at ▁N er im ber a , ▁N ank in , ▁S le ip ner , ▁T ung am ull , ▁Co ow ong a , ▁Co oro oman , ▁and ▁Tan by . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁a ▁branch ▁line ▁was ▁opened ▁at ▁S le ip ner ▁J unction ▁to ▁service ▁the