Tieri, a dormitory rural town for the Oakey Creek open cut coal mine, is 220 km west of Rockhampton. The nearest other towns are Emerald (southwards) and Capella (westwards).

The Oakey Creek coal reserve, considered to be the richest seam in the coal underlying most of the eastern half of Peak Downs Shire, was developed by a joint venture comprising Mt Isa Mines and three European steel companies. The mining town, Tieri, was begun in 1981 for an initial workforce of 400, and is 15 km west of Oakey Creek.

Named after a nearby cattle station, Tieri was designed around a shopping centre, school and health care centre. Mine wages provided for affluence. The downside was long work shifts, workplace danger and boredom.

The scrubby landscape has been softened by home garden improvements, and the town has a civic centre and a social club. There are also bowls and golf clubs, a swimming pool, a sports and recreation centre, a primary school (1983) and a hotel-motel.

Tieri's census populations have been:

Census DatePopulation


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