This month's World Heritage Site

The historic Tropical North Queensland mining town of Chillagoe offers visitors a real taste of the Outback within coo-ee of the Great Barrier Reef.

By Fuller Posted on History

One of the world's most unique geological sites, Chillagoe sits on an ancient seabed which 450 million years ago teamed with prehistoric marine life.

 
 Today, Chillagoe offers a rare combination of relic copper mine, historic town, limestone caves and Aboriginal rock paintings, and is gearing up to win the hearts of tourists as the newest addition to the Queensland Heritage Trails Network.
 
 On July 27, Chillagoe's Hub will open right in the heart of town on the former National Australia Bank site. The Hub will be a one-stop shop for visitors, offering information, tours, and interpretive displays telling the Chillagoe story before you set off and explore.
 
 Located just 205km, or a comfortable three hours' drive from Cairns, the Chillagoe region's dramatic landscape is a stark contrast to the coast.
 
 The town's biggest attraction is the Chillagoe Caves, a mystical underground world of rare limestone caves and Aboriginal art. There are five to explore, with two - the Royal Arch and Donna Caves accessible by guided tour only, available daily at 9am and 1.30pm. Also worth a visit is the town's famous marble pits, which produced the exquisite marble floors of the Westpac Bank Headquarters in Sydney.
 
 The National Parks and Wildlife Services Office has free maps of the area with clear directions to each of the caves as well as the historic 1901 smelters, a dramatic reminder of the town's mining past. At its peak, over 1000 men were employed extracting gold, silver, copper, and lead from ores which were brought in from the surrounding area.
 
 The smelter's old chimney stack is a prominent landmark and can be seen from many kilometres away.
 
 Head to Bluffs Lookout for a breath-taking sunset and sunrise, and to Boogie Hole, where water spills over rocks into a deep pool and children can play on a sandy beach. There's great fishing along the Walsh River or try fossicking for crystals at nearby Muldiva Creek.
 
 Back in town, for a small entry fee, visit the Chillagoe Museum with its eclectic collection of local Aboriginal artefacts, mining equipment and even the manually operated silent project from the town's old cinema.
 
 Chillagoe was first settled as a pastoral property by John Atherton's son William in the 1870s, but its Aboriginal history stretches back 35,000 years. Some of the most significant ancient Aboriginal rock art sites can be found here.
 
 Also as part of the Queensland Heritage Trails Network, Chillagoe's heritage- listed School of the Arts and John Moffat House Museum at Irvinebank are being restored. The Chillagoe Caves' visitor facilities have been enhanced and the old Dimbulah railway station is being transformed into a visitor information centre with fascinating displays.
 
 Chillagoe's accommodation choices include several motels, pubs, cabins, caravan parks and an eco lodge.