The suburb is called Pioneer because many European pioneer names are used as street names in the area. Kalkadoon State High School opened on 2 February 1953. It closed on 31 December 2002. In 2003 it amalgamated with Mount Isa State High School to create Spinifex State College with two campuses, a junior campus at the former Mount Isa State High School and a senior campus at the former Kalkadoon State High School. Mount Isa School of the Air opened on 22 June 1964. Mount Isa Special School opened on 29 January 1973. St Kieran’s Christian Brothers College opened on 25 January 1960 in Menzies with an initial enrolment of 132 boys in Years 4 to 7 with Brother Tom Higgins as the first principal. By 1967 the school had an enrolment of over 300 boys in Years 4 to 10. Increasing enrolments put pressure on the classroom space and in 1970 the school ceased to offer Year 4. The school closed on 7 December 1984 as part of a rationalisation and amalgamation of the various Catholic schools in Mount Isa, resulting in St Kierans opening as a new primary school on 4 February 1985 in Pioneer. At the, Pioneer had a population of 2,621.
Education
Spinifex State College is a government secondary school for boys and girls In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 817 students with 77 teachers and 71 non-teaching staff. The senior campus is at 145 - 163 Abel Smith Parade. It includes a special education program. Mount Isa Special School is a special primary and secondary school for boys and girls at 116 Marian Street. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 27 students with 9 teachers and 11 non-teaching staff. St Kieran's Catholic School is a Catholic primary school for boys and girls at Short Street. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 150 students with 15 teachers and 12 non-teaching staff. Mount Isa School of the Air is a government primary and secondary school for boys and girls at 137-143 Abel Smith Parade. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 153 students with 26 teachers and 13 non-teaching staff.
