Lahey's Canungra Tramway Tunnel

Lahey's Canungra Tramway Tunnel is a heritage-listed tunnel on Laheys Tramway at Canungra, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1901 to 1903 by Mr Clark. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 11 April 2005.HistoryThe Laheys Canungra Tramway Tunnel represents part of a large scale, privately constructed and operated tramway used between 1903 and 1930. The tramway tunnel was cut through solid sandstone, thereby negating any requirements for lining or support structures.European settlement of the area surrounding the Coomera River commenced in 1843 with the establishment of the Tambourine holding. Early timber harvesting began in the 1860s by Hugh Mahony, who cut and hauled cedar logs to mills in Ipswich.The Lahey family emigrated from their native Ireland to Australia in 1862. Francis Lahey, his wife and eleven children arrived in Sydney, but immediately travelled north to Brisbane. The family began farming in the Pimpama region in 1870. In 1875 Francis Lahey purchased a sugar mill and sawbench at Tygum, Waterford for his sons.After being informed of the "good timber" in the region, David Lahey commenced work on the construction of the first sawmill in Canungra on 2 October 1884. During the same year David, John, Isaiah, Thomas and Evangeline Lahey all applied for and were granted selections of land around Canungra totaling over 3,000 acres.