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Regional Information
ALMADEN
Population: Approx. 30
Standing on the verandah of the pub looking over to the old railway
station, it is hard to imagine today, that in 1907 over 1000 construction
workers were gathered for the building of the Etheridge line. Or,
that in 1929, Ernest Atherton, a former Almaden baker and butcher,
was appointed to the position of Minister for Mines in the Queensland
cabinet. He was the only cabinet minister representing the northern
interests of the State.
ATHERTON
Atherton and the Tablelands were named after John, of the legendary
Atherton Family who, as pastoralists, played an important role in
the development of the region. They opened up vast tracts of land,
paving the way for the small miners, prospectors, and the entrepreneurs.
The Tableland's link with the Cairns Outback is its volcanic geology.
Interestingly, the ghosts of the Atherton area are distinctly oriental.
The Hou Wang temple is traditional Chinese on the inside, pioneer
Australian on the outside. A glimpse into their past is truly fascinating.
BIBOOHRA
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Outback Towns
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CHILLAGOE
Imagine a mystical landscape. A place created eons ago, when a now
outback land was washed by the warm waters of an ancient sea. A
coral reef flourished; tall sea lilies swayed with the current,
and jawless fish darted in the shallows. Down through the ages,
Mother Nature carved a wondrous cave system from the limestone,
remnants of that early coral reef.
Violent volcanic eruptions thrust rich ore deposits upwards to the
surface, only to refold and thrust them downward, deep into the
earth's layers. Slowly, the land surface cooled. The climate changed.
Rainforest gave way to open savannah lands. Aboriginal people camped
under protected limestone ledges. They hunted the mega fauna, which
roamed the vast grasslands.
Discover the beauty of this ancient landscape. View world famous
caves and a specialized fossil collection. Be amazed at the myriads
of stars in the night sky and at dusk listen to the ghosts at the
old State Smelter Reserve.
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| DIMBULAH
Along The Wheelbarrow Way.
Hodgkinson Goldfield was settled in 1876. This settlement and gold
lead to the establishment of Cairns as a port. By 1900 the privately
constructed rail line from Cairns reached Dimbulah; 'long , permanent
waterhole ' in the local Aboriginal language.
Due to the ready water supply, Dimbulah became a water supply point
for Locomotives.
Branch lines/ tramlines to the mining towns of Wolfram Camp, Mt
Mulligan and Stannery Hills were later required. Town and District
prosperity really arrived for the Dimbulah Township with the event
of tobacco farming in the late 1930s and completion of Tinaroo Dam,
1963.
Today the district features a wide variety of farming activity
other than tobacco, now ceased. In 2007/8 mining is again emerging
as a valuable backdrop.
For the visitor Dimbulah offers:
- A friendly, comfortable caravan park with onsite
cabins
- Museum with tour info and daily Driver Reviver
facility
- Themed painted power poles
- Visits to Xanthin Australian Trees
- Tyrconnel Historic Gold Mine
- A Well stocked general store with internal ATM
- Bendigo Bank with ATM
- New Post Office & Chemist supplies
- Café
- Corner store with Fuel.
- Time to relax.
EMUFORD
In the mid 1890's, famous Australian painter Ellis Rowan visited
North Queensland. In her book The Flower Hunter, she describes her
adventures in a series of letters written to her husband. Included
is the Cobb & Co stagecoach trip she undertook from Herberton
via Emuford, to Chillagoe... 'Said to be the roughest road in Australia,
the coach dropped from one boulder to another, along the steep track.
' Little wonder that the passengers opted to walk |
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HERBERTON
The first town on the Tablelands
Established in 1880, Herberton has more than its fair share of legendary
"ghosts"...John Moffat, who received phenomenal returns
from his share in the Great Northern Mine and tin treatment works;
and William Jack, who invested his share of profits to establish
a chain of stores
But, there were other most unlikely "ghosts". Pack teams
played an important role in the development of the region. And the
many feats of special animals are still recounted. "Jumbo"
a mule, was one such animal. He once carried a huge mine head wheel
all the way to Irvinebank.
IRVINEBANK
Originally set up as a mining camp (1883) Irvinebank was to become
the centre of a vast empire. Legendary entrepreneur John Moffat
purchased leases and set up his headquarters in the heart of the
mining field. John Moffat's homestead was open to his staff, who
made up small dance parties, or stood around the grand piano, or
browsed among the books in the cedar lined library. (G C Bolton)
Today, Irvinebank with its old buildings still retains a certain
sense of grandeur. A visit to the Loudoun House Museum, historical
home of John Moffat, will bring the sense of yesteryear alive in
your mind. Irvinebank is famous amongst plant enthusiasts for two
species, which are found only in that area a purple flowering wattle
and an orange-red flowering grevillea.
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JULATTEN
Although included in the Cairns Outback region, Julatten is tucked
away in a pocket of rainforest, in the cool mountains just back
of Port Douglas. This location offers a milder climate and is central
to a diverse range of habitats. It is famous worldwide for it's
bird life.
MAREEBA
Driving from Cairns up the Kuranda Range, Mareeba is the gateway
to the Wheelbarrow Way. Founded by pastoralist John Atherton, it
was his son William who, in 1888, applied for pastoral leases in
the Chillagoe area, with the intent of supplying beef to the spreading
mining camps.
Mareeba played an important role during WW2; the original airstrip
was constructed for the defense of Australia. Mareeba was home base
to many American servicemen, the RAAF's 100 squadron, which conducted
bombing missions, and Australian's first parachute battalion.
Today Mareeba is a big country town, with a multicultural population.
In 1958, with the introduction of the irrigation waters from the
Tinaroo Dam, a scheme which cost $12,666,000.00 -Mareeba became
a prosperous farming community. Some of those farms welcome visitors.
MT CARBINE.
The Cairns Outback's ever changing scenery opens out into a startling
vista. The golden hues of the expansive savannah country can only
hint at the vastness and the grandeur of the landscape stretching
to the tip of Australia. Mt. Carbine is the most northerly of the
Cairns Outback region, and gateway to Cooktown and Cape York.
Mt Carbine was also a part of the fabled John Moffat empire. In
1906, Moffatt developed the wolfram deposits at Mt Carbine. (GK
Bolton) Wolfram is used to harden steel. Mt. Carbine is also home
to over 190 species of bird life.
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MT MOLLOY.
Mt. Molloy was named to honour teamster, Patrick Molloy who, in
the mid 1880's, found the copper outcrop whilst searching for stray
bullocks. For four years he worked it as a one man show, then amid
murmurs of "claim jumping," it changed hands. In 1901,
the Irvinebank Company purchased the leases and by 1903, Mt Molloy
was one of North Queensland's leading producers. However by Christmas
of 1908 production ceased due to a lack of ore.
Mt Molloy too, has its share of ghosts... James Venture Mulligan,
discoverer of gold on the Palmer River and on the Hodgkinson field,
silver at Silver Valley and tin in several locations, at age 70,
embroiled himself in a fight during the construction of the Mt Molloy
- Biboohra tramway, received an unlucky blow and died. The Irish
explorer's body rests in the Mt Molloy cemetery. (GK Bolton).
Today, Mt Molloy's fame is with its bird life. Almost 300 species
have been recorded within a 15km radius of the town. It is also
the home of the Great Bower Bird.
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MT MULLIGAN
Owned by the KuKu Djungan Aboriginal people, Mt. Mulligan is a stunning
sandstone escarpment 18km long and 300m high. Located 54 km north
of Dimbulah (25km from Tyrconnell) on unsealed road, the base of
the mountain was once home to the coal mining township of Mount
Mulligan. In 1921 a coal dust explosion killed 75 men underground,
Australia's third largest mining disaster. The mine reopened and
finally closed in 1957. Although little remains in the town, Mt
Mulligan makes for a fascinating visit with its poignant cemetery
and haunting beauty.
PETFORD
Petford is the home of Living Treasure, Mrs Doreen McGrath. Doreen's
home is located close- by the old Petford railway siding. Call in
and have a chat.
Petford is also at the junction of the Petford - Chillagoe and Petford
-Irvinebank roads. (see map)
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Web site and all contents
© Copyright 'Cairns Outback Tourism Development Association' 2008.
All rights reserved.
Web site design Carolyn
Stone 2005-8
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