First known as Gibbs Camp, the town was founded in 1884 by
John Moffat, who had purchased the mining leases from the original prospectors. From 1889 he owned the Vulcan tin mine. He built a dam, a mill, smelters and other infrastructure that attracted settlers and miners to the area. Moffat was born at
Newmilns,
Ayrshire,
Scotland, which is situated on the
River Irvine, and it is assumed he named the town Irvinebank in honour of his home town. John Moffat alerted authorities and an investigation was held. Seven troopers were later charged with murder and Sub-inspector Nichols was charged with being an accessory. At a trial in
Townsville the magistrate concluded there was no case against Nichols and he was discharged "amid considerable applause". The troopers were remanded in custody and in October 1885 they too were discharged. Nichols, however, was dismissed from the Native Police by the Queensland government and the Irvinebank massacre is regarded as a turning point away from the policy of indiscriminate killing of Indigenous people in the colony. Irvinebank Post Office opened on 1 June 1885 (a
receiving office had been open from 1884). Irvinebank Provisional School opened on 27 September 1886. On 1 August 1890 it became Irvinebank State School. Stannary Hills Provisional School opened on 18 January 1904. In 1907, it became Stannary Hills State School. It closed . Although currently and historically within the Shire of Mareeba, between 2008 and 2013, the Shire of Mareeba (and hence Invinebank) was within the
Tablelands Region) until 2014 when the shire was re-instated following a vote by the residents. == Demographics ==