Malanda is a medium sized town on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is Located 85 km from Cairns and 732 m above-sea level. Malanda was first developed in the 1880s when the discovery of tin and copper at Herberton saw a steady stream of miners and engineers moving over the mountains from the coast. It is the administrative centre for Eacham Shire Council. Malanda is the home town of Socceroos international footballer (currently representing Lillestrøm SK in the Norwegian Premier League) Shane Stefanutto.
| Malanda Queensland | |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,012 |
| Established | 1880s |
| Postcode(s) | 4885 |
| Elevation | 732 m (2,402 ft) |
| Location | 20 km (12 mi) from Atherton |
| LGA(s) | Eacham Shire |
| State electorate(s) | Tablelands |
| Federal division(s) | Kennedy |
Malanda Milk
The name "Malanda" is synonymous throughout North Queensland with milk and cheese. There are even places where 'Malanda' milk is slightly more expensive than 'common' milk. Typical markup is $2- AUD to $2.50 AUD It is, in the opinion of the locals, the best in the world. The local tourist promoters have seized upon the fact that Malanda milk is sold in the Northern Territory and as far north as Weipa and declared Malanda to be 'the headquarters for one of the largest and longest milk runs in the world'. In fact the milk is also exported to Indonesia and Malaysia. Malanda Milk is now apart of Dairy Farmers, but with a shorter milk run, only as far south as Mackay and as far north as Darwin.[1]
History
In 1886 a decision was made to bring a railway into the area but the problems of construction were enormous. Over 3412 km of railway was installed into the region in the next six years. By 1890 it had reached Kuranda. It pushed on to Mareeba in 1893 and Atherton in 1903 and didn't reach Malanda until 1911. The line closed in 1964.
A few persons appear to have recognised the difference the railway would make because, in 1908, James English (later the publican of the Malanda Hotel) and James Emerson both moved into the area. Both also saw the district's dairy potential. English brought cattle from Kiama and the Richmond River areas in New South Wales and Emerson had a herd of 1026 cattle overlanded from Lismore. They took 16 months to reach Malanda and only 560 survived the journey. Despite this arduous start the industry grew and by 1919 Malanda had its own butter factory. In 1973 this amalgamated with the factory in Millaa Millaa to form the Atherton Tablelands Co-operative Dairy Association.
In 1910, in response to a developing local industry, John Prince established a sawmill in Malanda. It was from this mill that the boards for the Malanda Hotel (built in 1911) were sawn.
The northern entrance to the town passes the Malanda Falls. In comparison to the spectacular gorges of the escarpment these humble falls are something of a disappointment. They fall no more than a few metres and the town's swimming pool lies at the bottom. The name 'Malanda', according to some sources, was the local Aboriginal word meaning 'waterfalls'.
Attractions
- The Malanda Environmental Park — just opposite the Malanda Falls the park offers a short walk through the rainforest and an opportunity to see a wide range of rainforest trees.
- The Peeramon Hotel — 6 km to the east of the town is the Peeramon Hotel, once a siding for the Tolga-Millaa Millaa railway. Today the solitary pub is the only reminder of a once thriving town which was surveyed in 1907. The publican has a fine collection of antique telephones. The Peeramon Hotel suffered some serious damage from Cyclone Larry in March 2006.
- Walk the Malanda Art Trail starting at the town library. Nine vibrant artworks commemorate the rich history of Malanda’s community - the Original Inhabitants, Hardships and Struggles, Transport, Commerce, Recollections, Early Settlers, the Dairy Industry, Recreation and Looking Ahead. Enjoy a stroll around the town to study each mosaic individually as many details are camouflaged in the intricate designs, revealing themselves on closer inspection, the hand made ceramic border tiles telling more about the theme of the central mosaic. See if you can locate the blue butterfly in each mosaic!
- Swim with platypus at the base of Malanda Falls in the crocodile-free Johnson river.
- Drive right over the top of Malanda Falls, don't forget to watch for tree-kangaroos crossing the road.
- The Majestic Theatre is said to be the oldest continually operating cinema in Australia and with potato sack seating. "Saturday night at the movies, who cares what picture you see!"
- The Malanda Hotel, built in 1911 is claimed to be the largest wooden structure in Australia with its grand ballroom and staircase.
- The Historical Resource Centre, Elizabeth Street Malanda, is the meeting room and archival repository for all printed and photographic collections of the Eacham Historical Society. It houses a comprehensive library of books pertaining to the history of North Queensland. These books are available for perusal and study at the centre by students and members of the general public. Books can be borrowed by Society members. The Land Settlement Registers, which contain the names of all the first settlers in the Atherton Land Agent's District, are available for perusal and research. These registers, all beautifully hand written contain a wealth of information pertaining to the early settlement of the Atherton tablelands. The Resource Centre is open Tuesday evenings 7:30 to 9:30, and Thursday mornings, 9:00 am to noon.
References
- ^ "Malanda - Queensland - Australia". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Digital. 2004-02-08. Retrieved 2006-07-31.
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External links
17°21′13″S 145°35′37″E / 17.35361°S 145.59361°E Coordinates: Extra unexpected parameters