Fields of sugar cane surround Proserpine

Proserpine
Historic sugar cane township.
There are a number of towns along the Queensland coast which came into existence specifically to serve the sugar industry in the region. They are, by any conventional definition, functional towns characterised by dozens of small railway tracks all leading towards the sugar crushing mills. It is an accident of their existence that in modern times they have missed out on the tourism boom which has converted so much of the Queensland coast into a tropical paradise. Such is the case with Proserpine.

Located only 20 km from the new 'town' of Whitsunday it enjoys none of the scenic riches or tourist dollars of the coastal resort centre. In recent times the local Shire Council has gone to some trouble to convert Proserpine from a sugar town into a potential place of interest to tourists. The Main Street has been upgraded and made more attractive.

Proserpine is located about 8 km from the mouth of Repulse Bay and stands 12 m above sea-level. It is 1099 km north of Brisbane and is distinguished by the endless fields of sugar which surround the town and the dominant sugar mill which is the town's raison d'etre.

The first European in the vicinity was Captain Cook who explored the Whitsunday Islands and named Repulse Bay.

The explorer George Dalrymple, who passed through the area in 1859 on his way north, named the whole area Proserpina, the Roman name for the Greek goddess of fertility, Persephone. It was his way of declaring the richness and fertility of the area which he was eager to develop.

The region was first settled by Europeans in 1861 when the Proserpine sugar mill was opened in 1897. The mill became a co-operative in 1931 and is now recognised as one of the most modern sugar mills in the world.

If one looks around the area Dalrymple's decision to name it after the goddess of fertility seems vindicated. Every part of the countryside is covered with sugarcane, from private gardens to boundary fences which frequently consist of swaying walls of sugarcane.

Things to see:  

Proserpine Historical Museum
Located at the end of Main St it is open from 9.30 am - 4.00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It has an interesting collection of historical memorabilia from the local area.

St Paul's Anglican Church
St Paul's Anglican Church in Main Street is an interesting rounded A-frame building.

Freshwater Activities
There are a number of attractive freshwater destinations around Proserpine including the Peter Faust Dam which is popular with water skiers and sailors. It also has picnic facilities on the shoreline. The Cedar Creek Falls, set in a natural rock amphitheatre, has a cool swimming hole.

	Tourist Information
	Whitsunday Information Centre Bruce Hwy Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 3711, 1800 801 252 Facsimile: (07) 4945 3182
	Motels
	A & A Motel Main St Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1888 Rating: **
	Astro Motel Bruce Hwy Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1288 Rating: **
	Laguna Quays Resort Kunapipi Springs Rd Repulse Bay Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4947 7777 Rating: ****
	Proserpine Motor Lodge Main St Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1788 Rating: ***
	Whitsudnay Anchor Motel 32 Herbert St Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1200 Rating: **
	Whitsunday Palms Motel Bruce Hwy Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1868 Rating: **
	Hotels
	Grand Central Hotel 69 Main St Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1021
	Metropole Hotel 82 Main St Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1167
	Prince of Wales Hotel 34 Main St Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1912
	Proserpine Hotel Mill St Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1030
	Caravan Parks
	Conway Beach Whitsunday's Caravan Park Conway Beach Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4947 3147 Facsimile: (07) 4947 3147 Rating: ***
	Earlando Tourist Resort Dingo Beach Rd Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 7133 Rating: **
	Proserpine Caravan Park 55 Anzac Rd Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1554 Rating: ***
	Whitsunday Tourist Park Bruce Hwy Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4947 5148 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	Pioneer Bistro 140 Main St Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 3637
	Proserpine Motor Lodge Restaurant Bruce Hwy Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1588
	Proserpine Village Chinese Restaurant 13 Mill St Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 2589
	Whitsunday Anchor Restaurant 32 Herbert St Proserpine QLD 4800 Telephone: (07) 4945 1200