Mt Surprise Qld 4871 (Pop 70)

Mount Surprise is an historic Gulf Savannah settlement located 1 714 km n-w of Brisbane. It sits halfway between Cairns (east) and Normanton (west) on the Gulf Development Rd. Pastoralists settled in 1840s and a celebration they held so startled the local Aborigines, the area became known as Mt Surprise. Fossicking gemfields surround the town accounting for one of the district’s main industries together with tin mining and cattle. The Savannahlander or ‘Silver Bullet’ train travels between Cairns and Cobbold Gorge each week taking in a number of interesting towns as well as the Chillagoe Caves and Undara Lava Tubes. It operates Mar-Dec. Enquiries Tel 1800 793 848. Undara Volcanic NP (42 km east), Tallaroo Hot Springs (48 km n-w) and Forty Mile Scrub NP (56 km east) all of great interest.

Accommodation: Mount Surprise has a hotel, lodge and caravan park. Visitor Information Centre: Bedrock Village Caravan Park, Garland St. Tel (07) 4062 3193.