The ruins of the Old State Smelters

Chillagoe (including Mungana)
Isolated and historic mining township to the west of the Atherton Tablelands.
Chillagoe is one of the most interesting and unusual places in the whole of northern Queensland. Located 141 km west of Mareeba, 205 km west of Cairns, and 352 metres above sea level, it is a rare combination of a relic copper mine, historic town, limestone caves and Aboriginal rock paintings.

Chillagoe was first settled as a pastoral property by John Atherton's son William. He had travelled down the Walsh River looking for suitable cattle grazing land and settled at Chillagoe Creek. In 1887 two men working for the mining baron John Moffat (of Irvinebank fame) found copper and silver deposits on Chillagoe Station. Soon after Moffat began mining in the area. His problem was the difficulty of transportation. He solved this problem by building a private railway line from Mareeba to Chillagoe and Mungana. Work on the line commenced in 1897 and was completed in 1900.

The Chillagoe smelter was opened in 1901 and at its peak over 1000 men were employed extracting gold, silver, copper, and lead from ores which were brought from the surrounding area.

In 1918 the Queensland Government purchased the railway from the Chillagoe Railway and Mines Co. The mine itself closed down in 1943 having produced over 9.778 tonnes of gold, 184.36 tonnes of silver, 60 963 tonnes of copper and 5080 tonnes of lead during its period of operation.

Things to see:  

Chillagoe Museum
On Hill Street (turn left off Queen Street at the Post Office) is the Chillagoe Museum. A private collection with a very modest entry fee it includes local Aboriginal artefacts and has a good collection of pieces of mining equipment. The projectors from the town's old cinema, particularly the manually operated silent projector, are a highlight of the museum.

Old State Smelters
If you continue down Queen Street (the main street), cross the Chillagoe Creek and follow the signs to the Smelters on a road which passes the Chillagoe Limeworks and crosses the railway line, you will reach the Old State Smelters. They are a very interesting collection of ruins and it is easy to work out the scale of the smelters when they were fully operational. Copper from the surrounding area (as far south as Einasleigh) was brought here for smelting. The old chimney stack is a prominant landmark and can be seen from many kilometres away.

Royal Arch and Donna Caves
In an area which is characterised by volcanic activity it would seem surprising to find limestone caves. In fact the limestone in the area is the product of an unusual uplift of sediments (including coral) which were deposited in the ocean off the edge of the Australian continent about 400 million years ago. The sea level rose, the continental shelf moved east, and then, about 360 million years ago the sediments were compressed and uplifted. A book on the geology of the area titled Rocks and Landscapes of the Chillagoe District is available from the National Parks and Wildlife Service office in Chillagoe. Tel: (07) 4094 7163.

There are five caves open for viewing. The Royal Arch and Donna Caves are seen by guided tour only. The tours are conducted every day at 9 am and 1.30 pm. The Royal Arch is a series of 13 chambers spread along a 1.5 km passage with roots from trees and patches of light reaching into the caves. The Donna Cave, recognised as the prettiest of the caves in the area, is quite small. Visitors descend into the cave by a series of steep flights of steps.

Bauhinia and Pompeii Caves
The Bauhinia and Pompeii Caves can be seen on self-guided tours but make sure you bring a torch and you must notify the Ranger before entering the caves.

There are a number of interlocking walks which connect the caves, the lookouts and the interesting landmarks. It is possible, for example, to walk from the Balancing Rock (a precarious rock perched on the side of a hill) to the Donna, Bauhinia and Pompeii Caves (which are all in close proximity to each other). 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 smelters and the Balancing Rock.

Mungana
15 km beyond Chillagoe is the old settlement of Mungana which was once the site of the famous Lady Jane and Girofla copper mines. To the north of Mungana is The Archways, an open daylight cave system with maidenhair ferns growing in the passageways, and an Aboriginal art site with a number of interesting paintings on the cave walls.

	Tourist Information
	Chillagoe Hub Information Centre 21-23 Queen St Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7111
	Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Office Cnr Cathedral & Queen Sts Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7163
	Motels
	Chillagoe Caves Lodge 7 King St Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7106 Facsimile: (07) 4094 7178 Rating: **
	Cottages & Cabins
	Chillagoe Cabins 22 Queen St Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7206 Facsimile: (07) 4094 7206
	Hotels
	Chillagoe Hotel Motel Tower St Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7168
	Post Office Hotel 37 Queen St Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7119
	Farm & Eco Holidays
	Chillagoe Bush Camp and Ecolodge Hospital Ave Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7155
	Chillagoe Creek Homestead Airport Rd Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7160 Facsimile: (07) 4094 7160
	Caravan Parks
	Chillagoe Caravan Tourist Village Queen St Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7177 Rating: **
	Chillagoe Caves Lodge Caravan Park 7 King St Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7106
	Restaurants
	Chillagoe Caves Lodge Restaurant 7 King St Chillagoe QLD 4871 Telephone: (07) 4094 7106