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Mareeba - Wikipedia Mareeba, QLD a HIDDEN MUSLIM Town

Mareeba - Wikipedia

Mareeba

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This article is about the town. For the local government area, see Shire of Mareeba. For WWII freighter, see SS Mareeba.
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Mareeba
Town
Mareeba is located in Queensland
Mareeba
Mareeba
Map
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Interactive map of Mareeba
Coordinates: 16.9969°S 145.4230°E
CountryAustralia
StateQueensland
LGA
Location
Established1877
Government
 • State electorate
 • Federal division
Area
 • Total
480.3 km2 (185.4 sq mi)
Population
 • Total11,825 (2021 census)[2]
 • Density24.620/km2 (63.766/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+10:00 (AEST)
Postcode
4880
Mean max temp29.0 °C (84.2 °F)
Mean min temp16.6 °C (61.9 °F)
Annual rainfall915.3 mm (36.04 in)
Localities around Mareeba
Paddys GreenBiboohraKoah
ChewkoMareebaLamb Range
WalkaminTolgaDanbulla
Tinaroo

Mareeba /məˈriːbə/[3] is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Mareeba in Far North Queensland, Australia.[4][5] Between 2008 and 2013, it was within the Tablelands Region. The town's name is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning meeting of the waters.[6] In the 2021 census, the locality of Mareeba had a population of 11,825 people.[2]

Geography

The town is 417 metres (1,368 ft) above sea level on the confluence of the Barron River, Granite Creek and Emerald Creek.[citation needed]

The town's main street is the Mulligan Highway which branches off from the Kennedy Highway when coming in from Cairns (63.3 km; 40 miles) away passing localities such as Speewah, Kuranda and Barron Gorge.[citation needed]

The Tablelands railway line enters the locality from the north (Biboohra), passes through the town, and exits to the west (Chewko).[7] The locality is served by the following railway stations (from north to south):

The Lotus Glen Correctional Centre is located in Arriga, 14 km; 9 miles outside Mareeba.[9]

History

Prior to European settlement, the area around Mareeba was inhabited by the Muluridji people, who spoke a Guugu Yalandji dialect. They maintained a hunter/gatherer existence in the area between Mount Carbine, Mareeba, Rumula (near Julatten) and Woodville (near Canoona), mainly concentrated between Biboohra and Mount Molloy. In the local Aboriginal language, Mareeba means meeting of the waters - referring to the point at which the Barron River is joined by Granite Creek.[citation needed]

On 26 May 1875, James Venture Mulligan became the first European officially to see the future site of Mareeba when he rode up the eastern bank of the Barron River, and passed the junctions of Emerald Creek and Granite Creek.[citation needed]

The Mareeba area was first settled by Europeans in 1877 by John Atherton, who arrived with cattle at Emerald End, which is just north of the town today. Mareeba quickly became a busy coach stop for Cobb & Co on the road from Port Douglas to Herberton. When the railway arrived in 1893, Mareeba grew into a busy town.[citation needed]

Mareeba Post Office opened on 25 August 1893 (a receiving office named Granite Creek had been open from 1891). A Mareeba Diggings Post Office opened by 1893 and closed in 1905.[10]

Mareeba State School, 1916

Mareeba Provisional School opened on 28 August 1893 with 46 students under head teacher Denis Horan; by December that year, there were 96 students. It became Mareeba State School on 1 January 1899.[11] In 1940, it was designated a Rural School, meaning that it taught more practical skills needed by farming families, such as agriculture for boys and needlework for girls.[12]

St Thomas of Villanova Catholic School opened on 1 January 1909.[11] St Thomas' celebrated their centenary in 2009.[13] The Mareeba parish of the Roman Catholic Vicariate Apostolic of Cooktown (now the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns) was established in 1911.[14]

Ambulance services commenced in Mareeba in 1922 with an honorary ambulance officer issued with a first-aid kit.[15] In 1942, Mareeba acquired a rail ambulance to transport patients by train. It was one of the last rail ambulances in Queensland with its last patient transported in 1983.[16][17]

From 1942 to 1945 during World War II, up to 10,000 Australian and US service personnel used Mareeba Airfield as a staging post for battles in New Guinea and the South West Pacific theatre. The Americans referred to it as Hoevet Field in honour of Major Dean Carol "Pinky" Hoevet who was killed on 16 August 1942. Units that were based at Mareeba included No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), No. 100 Squadron RAAF, the Australian 33rd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, the 19th Bomb Group of the United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF), the 43rd Bomb Group USAAF and the 8th Fighter Group USAAF. For a period of two years during World War II, Mareeba State School was taken over by the army, so St Thomas’ Catholic School accommodated the entire school population of Mareeba.[11][12]

In 1949, Mareeba State School expanded to offer secondary schooling with an initial enrolment of 17 students. In 25 January 1960, Mareeba State High School opened as a dedicated secondary school and Mareeba State School resumed its role as a primary school.[11]

Mareeba Library opened in 1958. It underwent a major refurbishment in 1985.[18]

Mareeba is also home to an Albanian Australian community that dates from the interwar period.[19][20][21] Built by local Albanian Australians, the Mareeba Mosque was opened on Anzac Day, 1970 and is dedicated to Australian soldiers who lost their lives in war.[22][21][23]

On 24 January 2006, St Stephen's Catholic College opened after a nearly 10-year approval process regarding the provision of Catholic secondary education.[24]

In October 2011, most of the land (209 hectares; 516 acres) of the former state farm / research station at Kairi was sold by the Queensland Government, retaining only 26 hectares (65 acres). The sale of the land was to fund the establishment of the Agri-Science Hub at Peters Street in Mareeba. The hub focusses on agricultural research and development, together with education and training. James Cook University is a partner of the hub, researching tropical agriculture, aquaculture and biosecurity.[25] The hub opened on 16 December 2011.[26]

In the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum, 85% of Mareeba's residents voted No which was one of the largest proportion of No votes in the country.[27]

Demographics

In the 2006 census, the town of Mareeba had a population of 6,806 people.[28]

In the 2011 census, the locality of Mareeba had a population of 10,181 people.[29]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Mareeba had a population of 11,079 people. Mareeba included the largest Italian Australian community of any suburb in Queensland, with 1,608 people making up 10.8% of the population.[30][31]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Mareeba had a population of 11,825 people.[2]

Heritage listings

Mareeba has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Climate

Mareeba has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw), with a short, hot wet season from December to March and a lengthy, warm dry season from April to November. Due to its elevation, average minima are lowered: ranging from 14.0 °C (57.2 °F) in August to 21.5 °C (70.7 °F) in January to February. In addition, due to being in a rain shadow, average annual rainfall is only 875.9 mm (34.48 in).[35] Despite Mareeba township's tagline reading "300 sunny days a year", and its reputation as a sunny place, Mareeba only receives 86.2 clear days annually.[36] Extreme temperatures have ranged from 40.7 °C (105.3 °F) on 5 January 1994 to 0.4 °C (32.7 °F) on 28 June 1963.[37][38]

Temperature, rainfall and 3 pm conditions were taken from the new Mareeba Airport weather station, which opened in 2000. Meanwhile, extreme temperature data was combined from Mareeba's QWRC, old Airport and new Airport weather stations. In addition, sun data was taken from Walkamin Research Station, 7.1 km south of the town.

Climate data for Mareeba (17º04'12"S, 145º25'48"E, 472 m AMSL) (2000–2024 normals, 1957–2024 extremes, sun 1968–2012)

Economy

Numerous crops are grown throughout Mareeba Shire, including avocados, mangoes, lychees, longans, sugar cane, cashews, macadamias, bananas, pineapples, tea tree oil, coffee, cotton and a variety of vegetables and tropical fruits. Poultry and cattle are also common. Tobacco was once the main grown crop of the local economy, but is no longer grown within the Mareeba shire.[citation needed]

Tourism also contributes to the local economy.[citation needed]

Education

Mareeba State School, 2021

Mareeba State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at Constance Street (16.9919°S 145.4249°E).[43][44] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 866 students with 69 teachers (64 full-time equivalent) and 48 non-teaching staff (33 full-time equivalent).[45] In includes a special education program.[43]

St Thomas' School is a Catholic primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 63 Constance Street (16.9952°S 145.4254°E).[43][46] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 426 students with 33 teachers (26 full-time equivalent) and 27 non-teaching staff (15 full-time equivalent).[45]

Mareeba State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls in Jasper Street (16.9958°S 145.4163°E).[43][47] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 732 students with 70 teachers (66 full-time equivalent) and 45 non-teaching staff (33 full-time equivalent).[45] It includes a special education program.[43]

St Stephen's Catholic College is a Catholic secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 3 McIver Road (17.0176°S 145.4198°E).[43][48] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 555 students with 57 teachers (48 full-time equivalent) and 32 non-teaching staff (22 full-time equivalent).[45]

Health

Mareeba Hospital is in the Tablelands Health District. It provides 52 beds, with surgical, maternity, pediatric, outpatient, emergency and x-ray facilities.[49]

Sports

Mareeba Gladiators are the local rugby league team. The Gladiators participate in the Cairns District Rugby League competition. They last won the Premiership in 2007.[50]

Amenities

Mareeba Shire Council operates a public library at 221 Byrnes Street.[51] The library facility opened in 1958, with a major refurbishment in 1985 and minor refurbishment in 2013.[52]

The Mareeba branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the CWA Hall on the corner of Dempster Street and Wilkes Street.[53] The Cairns Aerial Outpost branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 15 Wilson Street.[53]

St Thomas of Villanova's Catholic Church is at 59 Constance Street. St Stephen's College at Lot 3 McIver Road also has a Catholic church. Both are within the Mareeba Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns.[14]

The Mareeba Mosque is at 108 Walsh Street.[54]

Media

Mareeba is serviced by the following radio stations:[citation needed]

Attractions

Tourist attractions in the Mareeba Shire include the Golden Drop Mango Winery, Jaques Coffee Plantation, Coffee Works, Mareeba Heritage Museum, Mareeba Rock Wallabies and Granite Gorge Nature Park, Emerald Creek Falls, and Davies Creek Falls.[citation needed]

Events

The Mareeba Rodeo and Festival is held annually, with the first Affiliated Mareeba Rodeo held in July 1949 (which is now the home ground of the Gladiators Rugby league team).[55] The rodeo is hosted at the Kerribee Park Rodeo Grounds, located slightly out of town on route to Dimbulah. In 2014, the attendance was 13,000, almost double the town's normal population.[citation needed] A parade through the town is held, and the Rodeo Queen is crowned (the first Princess was crowned in 1959). A ute muster is often staged over the same weekend as the rodeo. In 1999 Mareeba District Rodeo Association Inc. celebrated their 50 years Golden Jubilee of the foundation of the Association and 20 years of the opening of "Kerribee Park".[55]

The FNQ Country Music Festival and Talent Search is held annually at Kerribee Park Rodeo Grounds. The event is hosted by the Walkamin Country Music Club.[56]

Each year on the third Sunday of January, St Thomas's Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Santo Nino which celebrates Jesus as a child. The event is of special significance to the Filipino Australians. After the Mass, there is a celebratory meal of Filipino cuisine.[14]

Each year, on the second Sunday of September, St Thomas's Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Chain. The celebration begins with a procession through various streets of Mareeba and culminates in a fireworks display.[57]

  • Moved termite mounds, Mareeba
    Moved termite mounds, Mareeba
    •  
  • Coffee bean harvester, Mareeba
    Coffee bean harvester, Mareeba

Notable residents

See also

References

  1.  Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mareeba (urban centre and locality)". Australian Census 2021. Edit this at Wikidata
  2.  Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mareeba (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  3.  Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-876429-14-3
  4.  "Mareeba – town (entry 20937)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  5.  "Mareeba – locality (entry 48746)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  6.  queenslandplaces.com.au/mareeba
  7.  "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  8.  "Railway stations and sidings - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  9.  "Visitor Information" (PDF). Department of Justice and the Attorney General. Retrieved 3 February 2018.[permanent dead link]
  10.  Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Archived from the original on 13 May 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  11.  "Opening and closing dates of Queensland Schools". Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  12.  "History". Mareeba State School. 19 April 2020. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
  13.  St Thomas's Parish School (Mareeba, Qld) (2009), St Thomas's Parish School Mareeba : centenary 100 years, Rena Ceola, ISBN 978-0-646-51350-8
  14.  "Mareeba Parish". Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  15.  "Mareeba Ambulance History" (PDF). Queensland Ambulance Service. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  16.  "Mareeba Ambulance History" (PDF). Queensland Ambulance Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  17.  "Rail Ambulance". Mareeba Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 26 October 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  18.  "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  19.  Volz, Martin (2009). "Tropical tapestry - North Queensland is home to a diverse range of communities of people who choose to live amid the forests and fruit". Big Issue Australia (342): 19. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  20.  Davis, Sam (28 April 2010). "Keeping the faith". Archived from the original on 5 May 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  21.  Haveric, Dzavid (2019). Muslims making Australia home: Immigration and Community Building. Melbourne University Publishing. ISBN 9780522875829. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  22.  Carne, J.C. (1984). "Moslem Albanians in North Queensland" (PDF). In Dalton, B. J. (ed.). Lectures on North Queensland history. University of North Queensland. pp. 191–193. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  23.  Barry, James; Yilmaz, Ihsan (2019). "Liminality and Racial Hazing of Muslim Migrants: Media Framing of Albanians in Shepparton, Australia, 1930-1955". Ethnic and Racial Studies. 42 (7): 1178. doi:10.1080/01419870.2018.1484504. hdl:10536/DRO/DU:30109598. S2CID 149907029.
  24.  "History of the College". St Stephen's Catholic College. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  25.  Mulherin, Tim (24 October 2011). "$6.95 million for Mareeba agri-science hub". Media Statements. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  26.  Mulherin, Tim (16 December 2011). "$6.5 million Mareeba Agriscience Hub officially opened". Media Statements. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  27.  Dansie, Meghan; Byrne, Conor (22 October 2023). "More than 85 per cent of Mareeba voted No to the Voice. What do residents see as the future?". ABC News. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  28.  Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Mareeba (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  29.  Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Mareeba (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 25 February 2016. Edit this at Wikidata
  30.  Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Mareeba (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 July 2017. Edit this at Wikidata
  31.  "2016Census_G_QLD_SSC - Census DataPacks - General Community Profile". Australian Bureau of Statistics – Census 2016. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  32.  "Mareeba Shire Hall (former) (entry 601553)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  33.  "Assay Office & Store, Mareeba (entry 601692)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  34.  "Mareeba Uniting Church (former) (entry 602643)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  35.  "Mareeba Airport Climate (2000-2024)". FarmOnline Weather. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  36.  "Northern Tablelands- Climate". Wet Tropics Plan. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  37.  "Mareeba Airport Climate (1991-2002)". FarmOnline Weather. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  38.  "Mareeba QWRC Climate (1952-2008)". FarmOnline Weather. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  39.  "Mareeba Airport Climate Statistics (2000–2024)". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  40.  "Mareeba Airport Climate Statistics (1991–2002)". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  41.  "Mareeba QWRC Climate Statistics (1952–2008)". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  42.  "Walkamin Research Station Climate Statistics (1968–2024)". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  43.  "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  44.  "Mareeba State School". Mareeba State School. 29 November 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  45.  "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  46.  "St Thomas' School". Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  47.  "Mareeba State High School". Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  48.  "St Stephen's Catholic College". Archived from the original on 23 December 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  49.  "Mareeba Hospital Homepage". Queensland Health. 1 April 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  50.  "Sports Facilities/Clubs". Queensland Health. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  51.  "Mareeba Library". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 3 February 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  52.  "Queensland Public Library Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. November 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  53.  "Branch Locations". Queensland Country Women's Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  54.  "Mareeba Islamic Society". Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  55.  "History". Mareeba Rodeo and Festival. 2018. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  56.  "Festival". Walkamin Country Music Club. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  57.  "Special Celebrations and Feast Days". Catholic Diocese of Cairns. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  58.  Bruce, Mike (8 January 2012). "Passions on the Field". The Sunday Mail. Retrieved 20 September 2015.

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Mareeba, QLD

Important service town on the Atherton Tablelands known as the Capital of Cape York.

Mareeba, an important regional service centre, is the largest town on the Atherton Tablelands. It lies at the heart of the tableland's agricultural activities and is surrounded by coffee plantations, mango and paw paw farms, avocado farms, macadamia nut plantations as well as sugar cane fields and orchards specialising in pineapples, bananas and cashews.  

Location

Mareeba is located 1,723 km north of Brisbane, 62 km south-west of Cairns and 417 metres above sea-level.

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Origin of Name

Mareeba is located at the junction of the Barron River and Granite Creek and consequently it is believed that the name of the town is the local Aboriginal word meaning "meeting of the waters" or "place to meet". 

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Things to See and Do

Mareeba & District Memorial Mosque
Located on the corner of Lloyd and Walsh Streets one block to the east of Byrnes Street (the main street) is the Mareeba & District Memorial Mosque. Built by the town's Albanian community, it was constructed in 1970 and has been Mareeba's place of Islamic worship since then. Muslims from Albania started arriving in the district in 1930s. They worked in the sugar cane fields and later in the tobacco plantations. By 1952 they had found a place to worship and this turned into this unusual building in 1970. It is a memorial to the soldiers who have fought to defend Australia. For more information check out http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/conflict/multiple/display/105160-mareeba-and-district-memorial-mosque. In 2014 the mosque was vandalised during a time of anti-Islamic feeling. The local community apologised to the Muslim community.

Mareeba Heritage Museum
Located at 345 Byrnes Street, the Mareeba Heritage Museum & Visitor Information Centre is a modern building which was opened in 1995. The exhibits, all located in a large room behind the Information Centre, include a section on mining, another of early settlers, another on the explorers in the area, the town's role in World War I and an extensive collection of local Aboriginal artefacts. Out the back there is a blacksmith's shop, a railway ambulance, a post and telegraph exchange and, most interestingly, a Tobacco Display - a reminder of the importance that tobacco production played in the economic life of the area. At one point tobacco from the district accounted for 70% of all tobacco grown in Australia. The museum is free. For more information check out https://mareebaheritagecentre.com.au/mareeba-heritage-museum-exhibits. Tel: (07) 4092 5674. Open seven days 9.00 am - 5.00 pm.

Coffee Works
Located at 136 Mason Street and proudly describing itself as a "roastery + chocolaterie", Coffee Works celebrates the fact that 70% of coffee grown in Australia is grown in the Mareeba area. Four distinctive local coffees are offered. It is open from 9.00 am - 4.00 pm daily. Part of the cafe is Coffeeworld - a coffee museum with a collection of coffee and tea treasures which date back to the 1700s. For more information check out https://coffeeworks.com.au.

Skybury
The Skybury plantation is located 14 km west of Mareeba at 136 Ivievic Road, (off the Mareeba-Dimbulah Road) and is spread across 150 ha and is the oldest coffee plantation in Australia. It produces Arabica coffee and exports 50% of its crop. There is a cafe where both the coffee and the tropical fruit (red papaya and bananas) from the plantation are served. It is open from 9.00 am - 4.00 pm Monday to Friday. For more information check out http://www.skybury.com.au.

John Atherton Monument
Mareeba was first settled by John Atherton in 1880. There is a monument at the northern end of the town which declares: "John Atherton - 1837-1917. Pioneer of the Tableland. Founder of Mareeba. Settled at Emerald End Station on the 'Barron' 1876. Discovered tin and named locality Tinaroo. Led party to Wild River (Herberton) where he had previously discovered tin. Erected Mareeba's first house near this site 1880".
Atherton was by nature a generous man and his house, at the time the only one in the region, became a popular stopping off point for miners, teamsters and Cobb & Co. coaches on their way from Port Douglas to the Herberton and Hodgkinson River goldfields.

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Other Attractions in the Area

Granite Gorge Nature Park
Granite Gorge is a privately owned and run collection of huge granite boulder which is located 12.5 km west of Mareeba on Chewko Road. The Granite Boulders were formed by relatively recent volcanic activity which forced up these huge, dramatic and unusual balls of stone. They have slumped across the landscape and a stream (which obviously becomes a torrent during the wet season - look for the flood debris in the nearby trees) winds through the area. One of the great attractions, apart from the rock formations, is the large number of rock wallabies which are in the park. As well there are over 200 species of birds as well as possums, gliders, frilled necked lizards, quolls, turtles and echidas in the gorge. It is also has cabins and is a camping destination. For more information check out http://granitegorge.com.au, tel: (07) 4093 2259.

Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetland Reserve
Located 19 km north west of Mareeba, off the Mulligan Highway on an 8 km dirt road, the Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetland Reserve is run by the Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland. It is a wonderland with the central highlight being the 300 ha Clancy's Lagoon which can be so rich in birdlife that over 70 species have been observed in a single day. The website explains: "The Reserve, which is a designated Nature Refuge recognised by the QP&WS, is known locally as the Mareeba Wetlands and lies within the traditional Country of the Muluridji people; protecting over 5000 acres of savannas and wetlands and providing a sanctuary for much of tropical Australia's savanna and wetland flora and fauna, as well as its cultural heritage." It was established in 1996. The reserve is open from 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Wednesday to Sunday from April to December and offers guided boat trips, canoe hire and interpretative walks. There is a very detailed and informative website at https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts-maps/nature-refuge-mareeba-tropical-savanna-and-wetland-reserve-nature-refuge/

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History

* Prior to the arrival of Europeans the area was home to the Muluridji First Nation peoples.

* In 1875 the explorer James Venture Mulligan passed through the area

* In 1880 a road was built from Port Douglas to the goldfields at Herberton. At that time John Atherton built an inn and store at Granite Creek.

* In 1893 the Cairns to Kuranda line was extended to Granite Creek which changed its name to Mareeba. That year a school and the post office were opened.

* Around the time of the arrival of the railway a Jack & Newell general store was opened.

* In 1894 a hospital was opened in the town.

* In 1895 the Mareeba Express began publication.

* By 1897 the town was operating the Barron Meat Company's preserving works.

* Mareeba became an important railhead. There were rail lines to Herberton and Ravenshoe; Chillagoe and Mungana (1901).

* A sawmill began operation in 1903. The Barron High School opened that year.

* In 1909 a rail line was completed to Einasleigh.

* A branch line was constructed to Mount Mulligan in 1913.

* Tobacco was first grown in the area in 1928. 

* An irrigation weir was opened in 1937.

* From 1942 the town was used as a US and Australian military base. The airfield was used for sorties into New Guinea

* In 1958 the Tinaroo Dam was completed.

* By 1988 there were over 400 tobacco farms around the town.

* In 1995 the town's Heritage Museum was opened. 

* In 2005 the heritage centre presented a history of tobacco farming in the area.

* By 2011 the town's population was over 10,000.

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Visitor Information

Mareeba Heritage Museum & Visitor Information Centre, Centenary Park, 345 Byrnes Street, tel: (07) 4092 5674. Open seven days 9.00 am - 5.00 pm.

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Useful Websites

There is a useful, downloadable brochure on the Atherton Tablelands (Mareeba is on page 43) at http://www.athertontablelands.com.au/wp-content/themes/tropical-tablelands-tourism/sources.

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