Cairns Highlands - What's in a name?
In July 2003, Tropical Tablelands Tourism introduced a new marketing name to re-brand the Atherton Tablelands as being proximate to Cairns, with a mountainous airy image of cool, tropical and green, and decided upon the name Cairns Highlands. The Atherton Tablelands (as it was known) is situated 60km west of Cairns, Tropical North Queensland, Australia. It is located on a plateau (hence the name Tableland), ranging from 600 to 1100 metres above sea level.
Kuranda is a romantic village, shrouded by pristine rainforest and nestled alongside the mighty Barron River and the big boisterous Barron Falls. Tourism had its foundations in Kuranda before 1920. The Cairns Post circa 1921 had this to say about Kuranda, " no township in the world has such splendour within its environs, no wonder that journalists, authors, artists and poets have tried to express in permanent form, the emotions which it has stirred within them"; this statement remains as true today as when it was written. First settled by Europeans in 1885 and then connected to Cairns by rail in 1891, Kuranda quickly earned a well-deserved reputation as a premium visitor destination, a cool mountain retreat removed from the sweltering heat and humidity of the tropical coast. Today Kuranda is known as the "village in the rainforest" an exciting vibrant community on Cairns' doorstep. Kuranda is a pulsating township that exudes a bohemian character. Kuranda' s natural beauty, prolific wild life and embracing year round climate has mesmerised people of all ages, creeds & cultures.
An atmosphere of kinship surfaces then radiates from the picturesque village, a community united in its love of Kuranda and her tranquillity. Kuranda sees a diverse multi-cultural population come together as a bonded community; today, exhibited by all to few other places in the world. Kuranda citizenry's passion for home and habitat dominos into a generous community spirit, where neighbours sincerely care for each other in a measure from a bygone era; a return to an age of grace.
Atherton
Atherton is a historical town with an easy pace. It was the first town settled in the area, hence the reason the tablelands are named after it. Like Mareeba, Atherton serves the outlying farming communities in the highland region, but it is also a thriving town in it's own right. The CBD bustles during the day, and even McDonalds has taken up residence at one end of the town. All the services you will need can be found here: restaurants, accommodation ranging from caravan parks to motels, pubs and clubs, and even galleries. A large shopping centre is located in the middle of town, and pretty parks are scattered throughout.Atherton is built on the side of an extinct volcano, called Hallorans Hill. Surrounding the town are several small hills known as the 'Seven Sisters'.
From Atherton, a historic steam train carries passengers on a 44-kilometre journey to Herberton, travelling through wetlands and mountain ranges. The steam train stops for lunch in Herberton, where the first tin was discovered in 1880, before returning.
Malanda
Malanda is a quiet town located about 25kms southeast of Atherton. It resides in one of the wettest areas of the Atherton Tablelands, and hence is surrounded by pockets of rainforest and rolling hills covered with lush green grass. Freshwater creeks snake their way through this region, culminating in waterfalls that cascade into refreshing swimming holes. The principle reason for Malanda's existence is the Tropical North Queensland dairy industry. One of the world’s largest dairy factories provides the main source of employment here, and is supported by over 190 local dairy farmers. The dairy products sourced from this town travel along the longest milk run in the world, reaching south to Townsville, west to Alice Springs, north to Darwin and overseas to New Guinea and South East Asia.
Malanda, in keeping with its world record breaking dairy industry, also has Australia's oldest operating picture theatre called 'The Majestic'. No, this is not the theatre from the movie of the same name starring Jim Carey, but is from the same era and has remarkable similarities to the theatre from the Hollywood movie. Even the seats are canvas! For visitors to Malanda, highlights include the Malanda Environmental Centre where the geological history of the Atherton Tablelands is explained. Expert guides and interactive displays tell the story of how the cool wet climate of the Malanda region developed, and how the ecosystem supports itself. As you drive into Malanda (approaching from Atherton), you'll see a small waterfall and swimming hole on the left side of the road. This is an excellent place to stretch your legs, have a refreshing swim, or enjoy a picnic lunch. Keep your eyes peeled for the shy platypuses and the not-so-shy scrub turkeys.
Mareeba
Mareeba is less than one hour's drive west of Cairns, situated at the northern terminus of the Atherton Tablelands or Cairns Highlands if you prefer. Mareeba is a gateway town; from her hub travelers continue north to Cooktown, Weipa and the tip of Cape York, or along the Wheelbarrow Way into the Gulf Country. Others journey south to explore the towns, villages and hamlets of the southern Atherton Tablelands. Mareeba was first settled in 1877, the name is derived from an aboriginal word meaning "meeting of the waters", those waters being the mighty Barron and Granite Rivers. The Mareeba Township has been purposefully designed, with streets wide enough to turn a team of oxen. he Mareeba District's history and heritage is one of stirring deeds and colourful people; first came the intrepid explorers, then the early settlers' where survival depended on being brave, courageous and bold just to live and tell the tale of frequent forays with indigenous cannibal tribes, venomous snakes and bushrangers. The migrants and miners followed, where the search for riches in the goldfields transformed the diggers, as they were known, into a state of lawlessness, anarchy, claim jumping and murderers. The farmers, timber getters, graziers and ringers were the next to arrive. The 60's saw the appearance of hippie communes in the surrounds of Kuranda where they blossomed and mushroomed in the rainforest and became synonymous with way-out lifestyles and wacky tobaccy. The life and times of the Mareeba Shire is truly fascinating and is painstakingly interpreted at the local Heritage Museum, where the displays of artifacts and exhibits permit visitors to inspect the life and times of the region, the backbreaking work of the miners and timber getters, the blood sweat and tears of the farmers and graziers. The Mareeba Heritage Museum's collection includes an extremely rare rail ambulance. The Heritage Museum also serves as a Visitor Information Centre, making it the apt starting point to commence your Mareeba experience.
Mt Uncle Distillery is a working banana, avocado and macadamia nut farm where you sightsee the trees, view the packing sheds then audition their multi-prize winning banana, coffee and citrus liqueurs. The Golden Pride Mango Winery is the site of Australia's largest mango plantation, take a guided tour around the property, inspect the wine making process then kick back for a spot of sampling, find a bottle of something golden and delicious, buy it on the spot at better than wholesale prices. In April 2006 'The Australian Coffee Centre' a new $2 million Coffee experience will opened its doors at the Skybury Coffee Plantation
Mareeba is also the commercial center of the Cape York and Gulf Country cattle industries, each week the sale yards are filled with beasts brought in by road trains from outlying cattle stations to be auctioned, herd-by-herd to the highest bidder. In July, Mareeba overflows with jackaroos and horsemen competing in Australia's showcase rodeo, the Mareeba Annual Rodeo. Rough Riders from all over the country and overseas arrive to do battle against the region's most fearsome bulls and belligerent bucking broncos. Tourists and locals alike witness the action, up close and personal. They smell the fear, they taste the dust rising over the slip rail from the percussion of pounding hooves, they hear the wince of pain from fallen riders and they laugh at the antics of the rodeo clowns. Rodeo evenings are spent dancing to North Queensland's premier country and western artists and imbibing in something cold and refreshing, just to settle that dust.
The celebrated Mareeba Tropical Savannah and Wetland Reserve, a 5,000-acre sanctuary, is home to a vast array of animals and birds, all of which are easily accessed, viewed and photographed. Here the Mareeba Conservation Foundation is at the leading edge of an ambitious project to reintroduce the endangered Gouldian Finch, an exquisitely beautiful little bird, locally known as the 'Jewel of the Savannah'. Visitors to the Reserve may be treated to a flash of brilliance as these finches are released from their breeding aviaries. Walking trails, canoeing, electric boat tours and guided twilight safaris are all admirable activities available to the nature lover and wildlife connoisseur.
Other local wildlife hotspots include Granite Gorge, a privately operated nature park on the outskirts of Mareeba. Here the endangered Mareeba Rock Wallaby stages its last stand; it maintains a strong foothold at Granite Gorge where they congregate each afternoon to be fed, stroked, caressed and photographed by the daily throng of visitors. The mammoth strange shaped granite boulders of the gorge offers grand opportunities to explore the valley below. Picnic sites, natural swimming holes and overnight camping are all available at the gorge. Many beautiful picnic spots and bush walks are to be found nearby; these include Davies Creek National Park and Emerald Creek Falls, both just a short drive from Mareeba on your journey to Kuranda. Safari Camp provides visitors with the unique opportunity of going bush, in style! Mareeba embraces the title of being the hot air ballooning capital of Australia. An ideal climate where cool evenings, sunny days and clear arid air combine to produce thermodynamic conditions perfect to enjoy a memory making merger of an early morning hot air balloon flight and a champagne breakfast. Every morning a colourful array of balloons rise above the landscape and then go with the flow of a gentle breeze. From the air, the scenery in this part of the Atherton Tablelands is as spectacular as it is diverse. Taking a Birdseye view of Mareeba has become a truly popular pastime; scenic flights, helicopter tours, charter flights and skydiving are all on hand for guests who seek a feast for the eyes. Mareeba is also home to possibly Queensland's last drive-in theatre; don't laugh your mum, dad or even you where likely conceived at one of these!
Yungaburra
The small town of Yungaburra has a warm country charm that will draw you back time and time again. The village has remained the same for almost 100 years, and many of the original buildings are still being used. It has a relaxed and slow-paced atmosphere. Everything about Yungaburra is warm & fuzzy: the locals are friendly, the accommodation is homey, the animals are plentiful and approachable and the restaurants are romantically atmospheric. Yungaburra is a major meeting point for Atherton Tablelands artists and musicians, and as such it has several art and craft galleries and displays. Come and spot Platypus just on tyhe edge of Yungaburra..isn't that reason enough to visit?
Yungaburra is centrally located between Lake Eacham, the Curtain Fig Tree, Lake Tinaroo and the town of Atherton. It is 720 metres above sea level and located 70kms inland from Cairns.
On the 4th Saturday morning of every month, the Yungaburra Market is held in the main park opposite the Lake Eacham Hotel, from 07:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The Yungaburra markets are this regions largest and boasts some 320 regular stallholders. They have showcased the regions produce, culture and crafts for over twenty-six years, selling everything you could imagine from jams to homemade outdoor furniture. Yungaburra boasts outstanding restaurants, all have magnificent dishes which capitalise on Yungaburra's idyllic position in the farming community of the Atherton Tablelands. All restaurants use local produce, and have friendly local staff.
Herberton
Herberton is one of the few towns at the Atherton Tablelands that hasn't been swept along in the 21st century. It feels like a true country town: laid back pace, very friendly and immersed in history. Herberton was established in 1880 as a base for tin mining at the nearby Herbert River. This area was rich in the mineral, and mining activities continued until 1978. In its heyday, Herberton was the richest tin mining field in Australia supported 20 hotels, two local newspapers, 17 pubs and a brewery. Fortunately, many of the original buildings are still standing and being used by local businesses. The main tourist attractions in Herberton are the historic galleries and museums. Unfortunately, on Sunday April 27th 2003, the main historical attraction closed its doors — a victim of the Australian public liability crisis. The Herberton Historical Village and Museum, otherwise known as the Tin Pannikin, had operated for 26 years, building a collection of historical artefacts in a village of century-vintage buildings from the Cairns Highlands. This closure is a tragedy for Tropical North Queensland.This is one of the highest towns at the Atherton Tablelands, standing at 915 metres above sea level. It is 122 kms from Cairns with a population of approximately 1500. As a consequence, the forest around Herberton is dry and scrubby.
Ravenshoe
People come to Ravenshoe for its outlying areas that offer spectacular scenery and World Heritage Rainforest. The region is a mixture of lush rainforest, sub-tropical flora and rolling mountain pastures. At 930 metres above sea level, Ravenshoe outranks Herberton by 15 metres as the highest town in Queensland. It is located 147 kms from Cairns and takes approximately 2 hours drive to reach. Ravenshoe's history has been tumultuous and controversial, and many battles have been fought between lobby groups over environmental issues. The town was founded by the timber industry when William Mazlin discovered vast stands of cedar there in 1881. The first sawmill was built in 1899, and by 1910 it was a thriving economic centre. For 70 years timber felling was the primary industry in Ravenshoe and the town was a rural success. However, 1987 was the end of the line. The Federal Labor government allocated 900,000 hectares of rainforest around Ravenshoe for World Heritage Listing, which prohibited the felling of any trees in the allotment. The Ravenshoe locals protested that their livelihood would be destroyed and the town would die. Ravenshoe today is one of Queensland's charming rural towns due to its isolation and creative population. The community is a growing and vibrant one, a magnet for creative people, and well worth a visit. A stroll down the main street is an interesting glance at a town once struggling to keep afloat, and now re-invented itself. The older buildings are freshly painted, have lush gardens and attract interesting tenants. Fantastic craft shops, and a high quality art gallery (operating in the area for 7 years!) are examples of the creative talent which exists within this Australian town.From the first Saturday in October, for two weeks Ravenshoe's Festival of the Forests presents a competitive wood craft display which draws competitors and visitors from all over Australia.
Fortunately, the environmental sanctity of the Ravenshoe forests has been preserved and there are unique attractions for visitors in Ravenshoe, such as the historic Millstream Express. This genuine steam train departs Ravenshoe every Saturday and Sunday during the months of April to January for a scenic journey north to Tumoulin. The train winds through the forests surrounding the Millstream River.
Local attractions include the Millstream Falls, which is a spectacular sight especially during the wet season, when it becomes the widest waterfall in Australia, and the Little Millstream Falls. There are a number of attractive walking tracks, the most recent being the complex series of hiking tracks known as the Misty Mountain Trails. Birdwatchers, bush walkers, nature enthusiasts... Ravenshoe is a must visit for you!
The Ravenshoe Information Centre has an interesting and entertaining display of Ravenshoe settler and Aboriginal history and a display of the twelve species of possum which are found around the town. 25 kms south along the narrow but mainly sealed Tully Falls road are two magnificent views of the Tully Gorge. The Falls only flow in the wet season as the water has been diverted to generate hydro electricity. The 293 metre Tully Falls is an impressive sight. Further along the same road is the undeveloped Koombooloomba Dam where you can camp, swim and fish with only the noise of trees and birds in the background.
Just outside of Ravenshoe along the road to Millaa Millaa, are incredible wind generators. As you drive over the rolling hills, enormous white fan blades supported by huge poles emerge in front of you. This is the quintessential blending of natural country landscape with modern technology. The power generated from the wind turbines is sold to electricity companies and used to power residential houses in the area. The site is located on the aptly named Windy Hill, just off the Kennedy Highway near Glendinning Road, about 5km from Ravenshoe. The diameter of the clockwise-spinning rotors is 46 metres, with each blade 22 metres long. The speed of the blades is 43-92 metres per second at the tips.
A special thank you goes to Win Board at Win's Gallery in Ravenshoe who kindly assisted us in putting together this information. We urge you to visit Win's Gallery on your visit to Ravenshoe, as her work is well published in national and international magazines, and her gallery features many of the gifted artists in the region.
Chillagoe
Chillagoe is located 140km west of Mareeba so if you are contemplating a visit be aware that the drive can take more than 3 hours through arid landscape and remote regions; however once you arrive a sense of relief coupled with the warm feeling of discovery overcomes you
There are three reasons for visiting Chillagoe:
- Exploring the famous limestone caves and surrounding Australian scrub
- Fishing on the Walsh River
- Visiting the historic copper smelter ruins
The limestone caves of Chillagoe are the principle attraction in the area, and have kept people fascinated for many decades. There are no other places in Tropical North Queensland that offer this kind of caving treat. The caves are the remains of coral that was once lived in a sea that covered this in-land area, about 450 million years ago. As the sea levels dropped and the earth crust shifted, the limestone reefs began to concertina forming the bluffs that form the landscape in this area. Volcanic activity later heated the limestone, turning it to marble which is hard and more resistant to weathering than pure limestone. Mildly acid water dissolved the limestone into calcium bicarbonate, signalling the formation of the Chillagoe caves. Air that flowed through the caves dried the solution as it seeped through cracks, resulting in the formation of stalagmites and stalactites.
600 caves have been documented in the Chillagoe region, and some of the larger and more accessible caves are open to the public. The National Parks Authority conduct tours with experienced guides many times daily. The caves are always much cooler than the outside air temperature, remaining at a constant 23 degrees Celsius. The other significant attraction in Chillagoe is the historic copper smelter ruins. It takes approximately 4 minutes to drive to these ruins.In 1901 a huge copper smelter was built to take advantage of the rich mineral deposits in the Chillagoe area, and created 200 jobs. A railway to Mareeba facilitated the transport of the copper to the coastal shipping ports of Port Douglas and Cairns. By World War One, Chillagoe was one of the largest metallurgical developments in Queensland. In 1903 Chillagoe had a population of 723, swelling to 1,600 in 1907. At it's peak in 1917, Chillagoe had a population of about 10,000 with at thirteen hotels, two newspapers, and a hospital. In 1943 the smelters closed, plunging Chillagoe into a decline it has never recovered from. The town became over grown with an introduced plant called 'Rubber Vine' and the only source of employment was from the limited cattle and rail industries. In 1953 tobacco was unsuccessfully trailed down. Electricity and sealed roads only came to Chillagoe In 1970. Today the population of Chillagoe hovers around 150. The only industries in the town are cave tours, and a small gold mine nearby.
The smelter is a fascinating sight, and information displays are a must-read so you can understand the history of this unique place.
