Huge granite boulders at Granite Gorge near Mareeba

Mareeba
A major service centre on the Atherton Tablelands.
Mareeba is a functional town. The largest on the Atherton Tablelands it has a population of 6500 and a certain drabness which is only partly ameliorated by the bright displays of flowers and flowering trees which adorn the central island in the main street.

Located 64 km west of Cairns and 450 metres above sea-level, Mareeba is the centre for a number of agricultural activities including coffee plantations, mango farms, avocado farms, and, most importantly, tobacco growing. In fact, the town is the centre of the Atherton Tablelands tobacco industry and consequently is home to the Tobacco Leaf Marketing Board.

Tobacco was first grown in the area in 1928 and did much to bring prosperity to a town which had previously been little more than a stopping point. Today there are over 400 tobacco farms around the town. The Tinaroo Falls dam supplies the tobacco industry with most of its water requirements.

A field of tobacco outside Mareeba

Mareeba is supposedly a local Aboriginal term meaning 'meeting of the waters' or 'place to meet'. The town was first settled by John Atherton in 1880. A monument at the northern end of the town 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'.

His house became a kind of inn. Atherton was by nature a generous man and his house, 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 tinfields and the Hodgkinson River goldfields. Eventually Mareeba became the first town on the Atherton Tablelands.

The settlement expanded dramatically with the arrival of the railway in 1893. It came from the coast via Kuranda and eventually (albeit very slowly) moved south to Ravenshoe. The mining activities at Chillagoe led to the creation of a private branch line which ran out through Dimbulah to the Chillagoe copper smelters. It was built in 1899 and eventually taken over by the government.

Things to see:  

The Mosque
One of the town's most unusual landmarks is a mosque located on the corner of Lloyd and Walsh streets one block to the east of Byrnes Street (the main street). Built by the town's Albanian community it shows a multicultural dimension to the town which would otherwise go unnoticed by visitors.

Granite Gorge
Mareeba's one major tourist attraction is the Granite Gorge. Access is gained by turning west off the main street of town and heading through tobacco growing plantations for 12.5 km. The gorge is on privately owned land and a nominal charge is made for entry.

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 like Dali watches. A stream (which obviously becomes a torrent during the wet season - look for the flood debris in the nearby trees) winds through the area. It is well worth a visit.

	Tourist Information
	Mareeba Heritage & Information Centre 345 Byrnes St Mareeba QLD 4880 Telephone: (07) 4092 5674
	Motels
	Golden Leaf Motel 261 Byrnes St Mareeba QLD 4880 Telephone: (07) 4092 2266 Rating: **
	Jackeroo Motel 340 Byrnes St Mareeba QLD 4880 Telephone: (07) 4092 2677 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Ant Hill Hotel 79 Byrnes St Mareeba QLD 4880 Telephone: (07) 4092 1011
	Caravan Parks
	Country Club Caravan Park Emerald End Rd Mareeba QLD 4880 Telephone: (07) 4092 3281
	Granite Gorge Caravan Park Paglietta Rd Mount Abbot Mareeba QLD 4880 Telephone: (07) 4093 2259
	Riverside Caravan Park Egan St Mareeba QLD 4880 Telephone: (07) 4092 2309 Rating: **
	Tropical Tablelands Van Park Kennedy Hwy Mareeba QLD 4880 Telephone: (07) 4092 1158