The North Coast railway was complete except for Proserpine to Mackay once Ayr was connected to Bowen by railway, with the private line to Townsville taken over by the Government. Rail travellers crossed the Burdekin River by the low-level Inkerman Bridge, which also served to give the Merinda meatworks a larger share of the cattle industry.
The expansion of the railways in the region underlined the shortage of local coal supplies, so the Queensland government, aided by Bowen business people who formed the Bowen River Coal Prospecting Syndicate, revisited Logan Jack's boreholes at Pelican Creek. Explorations indicated a complex web of coal deposits that eventually resulted in the establishment of Collinsville.
Railway station at Bakers Creek (named Dundula) opened.
Town of Cannonvale was gazetted.
Friezland (later, Kuridala) had 1500 people, six hotels, an ice works, a printery, several storekeepers and tradespeople, a hospital, Anglican and Presbyterian churches, a school of arts and a primary school.
Seventh Day Adventist church established the Mona Mona mission just north of Kuranda.
Mirani Shire established, inland from Marian to Eungella, by severance from Pioneer Shire.