Atherton copyright Danmiles

Atherton Qld 4883 (Pop 7 000)
 

Atherton is a tropical Far North Queensland service town 1 682 km n-w of Brisbane. It is the hub of the Atherton Tableland, sitting at 752 m and located just 94 km s-w of Cairns. It was named after one of its founders, John Atherton, established in 1886 and built on the side of an extinct volcano surrounded by a number of small hills – the Seven Sisters. The area is rich in natural (waterfalls, volcanic craters, birdlife, wildlife) and man-made (museums, mining towns) attractions. Apart from tourism, dairy & beef cattle and crops (sugar cane, mangoes, avocados, macadamia nuts) are vital to the economy. Maize Festival (Aug).

Tourist Attractions & Info:
Halloran's Hill Environmental Park (off Kennedy Hwy) features a crater from an extinct volcano with a path leading to its edge. The crater is now densely vegetated and fenced off. Old Post Office Gallery (Herberton Rd) displays a host of work by local artists and potters. Chinese Temple to the Emperor Ho Wong (Herberton Rd) known locally as the Chinese Joss House, it was built in a combination of traditional Chinese architecture and local corrugated iron and exhibits historic artifacts and photos of the large Chinese population of timber cutters that originally lived here. Open (10am-4pm) Sun. 

Nearby:
Lake Tinaroo (15 km n-e) covers 200 km of shoreline and an ideal spot for most water sports with the scenic 28 km Danbulla Forest Dr skirting the perimeter. Hasties Swamp NP (3 km south) small but important wetland and home to many types of waterbirds. Tolga (5 km north) small local town with an interesting railway museum and craft shops. Wongabel Sate Forest (8 km south) wildlife and flora refuge protecting the remnant of the endangered mabi forest. Two interesting bush trails cover the area’s history and ecology.

Accommodation:
Atherton has 3 motels, 4 hotels, a B&B and 3 caravan parks. Visitor Information Centre: cnr Silo & Main Sts. Tel (07) 4091 4222.