The story goes that Ezra Firth was bringing his family and livestock of sheep, cows and bullocks etc to settle in the north.

At night they decided to camp on Junction Creek some 10K west of the present day town of Mt Surprise. Over night one of his prize bullocks broke loose and went walk about. Being important to the family Ezra and his son set off to look for it.

They tracked it down at the base of a small hill quietly grazing. Tying it up ready to lead it back to camp they heard a rather loud commotion coming from further round the base of the hill. Curious they decided to investigate.

Low and behold it was a group of Aboriginals engaged in a coroborree. The Aborigine’s were truly startled beyond belief so were the Firth men. So Ezra decided to name the hill Mt Surprise.

To this day no-one knows if the Aborigines were more startled at the sight of white men or the huge 4 legged animal. To them a Kangaroo was the largest animal in the region.  Horses Cows and other large animals were introduced much later.