Atherton Tableland
The Atherton Tableland is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It is inland from Cairns, well into the tropics, but its elevated position provides a climate suitable for dairy farming. The principal river flowing across the plateau is the Barron River, which was dammed to form an irrigation reservoir named Lake Tinaroo.
The area was originally explored for its mining potential where tin deposits and a little gold were found.
Towns on the Atherton Tableland
Industry
Atherton was explored by JV Mulligan in 1875, but it was John Atherton who settled near the town which now bears his name.
Originally a pioneering pastoralist, John Atherton was the first to find tin deposits in Northern Queensland. Local legend has it that Tinaroo Creek received its name from Atherton who shouted, "Tin! Hurroo!" when he first made his discovery. Atherton and his friends, William Jack and John Newell, discovered the famous lode, which became the Great Northern Tin Mine. A rush of miners from the Hodgkinson’s Goldfields followed. The construction of a dray road through the Tableland brought a secondary rush, this time timber cutters to mine the red gold (redcedar) of the rainforest. Redcedar cutters camps were at Rocky Creek, Prior Pocket, Oonda Swamp (Carrington) & Ziggenbein’s Pocket. Although tin was a major part in the Tablelands, timber is what Atherton owes its existence to with large areas of redcedar, kauri, maple, black bean, walnut, white beech and red tulip oak being milled for buildings.
Before the town of Atherton developed, a full-blown Chinatown sprang into existence. The Chinese had moved from the Palmer River Goldfields to the Atherton area, where the big timber stands had been cleared to make way for farming. The Chinese were considered pioneers of agriculture in North Queensland as 80% of crop production on the Tablelands was grown by them and they played a vital role in opening up the area for settlement. After the crops, they turned to dairying. As the population of Chinatown increased, small shops appeared, wells were sunk to supply water, there were cooks, herbalists, doctors and merchants etc. The rough straw huts were replaced by sawn timber houses with verandahs and corrugated iron roofs. By 1909, Chinatown had become the largest concentration of Chinese on the Tablelands with a population on 1100. Today, the Hou Wang Temple remains as one of the few reminders of the former Chinese population of the Atherton Tablelands and will serve as a fitting memorial to a race of people who helped Atherton become what it is today.
The attack on Pearl Harbour changed the world for many and Atherton felt the full thrust of this event’s far reaching impact. Panic stricken coastal dwellers began to arrive in large numbers and then moved further inland. Fortunately, the only invasion to reach Atherton was by the Australian Army who considered the Tablelands an ideal staging post for the war in the Pacific.
Troops camped around the district prior to being sent to the front and then again on their return. Tragically, many patients never recovered and the war cemetery in Atherton bears rows of identical white headstones as a silent tribute to those who died for their country. The reminders of war include an old army igloo on Frazer Road and memorial plaques at the former hospital site.
Many crops are grown in and around Atherton and include sugarcane, corn/maize, avocados, strawberries, macadamia nuts and mangoes & citrus. Tobacco was also grown for many years, but not anymore. Dairying, grazing and poultry are also present on the Tableland.
Tourism also contributes to the Tableland economy, with Tinaroo Dam being the focal point. Yungaburra is also becoming a tourist destination with a number of restaurants and Bed and Breakfasts.
Places of Interest
- Lake Barrine
- Lake Eacham
- Curtain Fig Tree - turnoff is located 1km before the township of Yungaburra.
- Undara Volcanic National Park
- Hann Tableland National Park
- Mount Hypipamee Crater and Dinner Falls - are located approx 23 km south west of Atherton on the Kennedy Highway.
See also
External links
- Atherton Tableland travel guide
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