Atherton Tableland

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Atherton Tableland
Queensland
AthertonTableland.jpg
View over the Atherton Tableland from McHugh Lookout
Population26,244 (2021) [1]
Location50 km (31 mi) SW of Cairns
LGA(s) Tablelands Regional Council
State electorate(s) Hill
Federal division(s) Kennedy

The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau, which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It has very deep, rich basaltic soils and the main industry is agriculture. The principal river flowing across the plateau is the Barron River, which was dammed to form the irrigation reservoir named Lake Tinaroo. Unlike many other rural areas, the Tablelands is experiencing a significant growth in population. [2]

Contents

Physiography

This area is a distinct physiographic section of the larger North Queensland Highlands province, which in turn is part of the larger East Australian Cordillera physiographic division. South of the Tablelands is the Bellenden Ker Range.

Geological history

Around 100 million years ago, the eastern edge of the Australian continent extended much further to the east, before tectonic forces fractured the eastern margin, pulling it apart. At the same time, slowly rising mantle material caused a doming up of the continental crust. As the eastern part of the continent broke away, it gradually sank below sea level. [3] Since that time, the uplifted western portion has been slowly eroding westwards, creating the abrupt Great Escarpment, which separates the coastal plain to the east from the uplifted tablelands to the west.

Between 4 million to less than 10,000 years ago, [4] [5] a series of volcanic eruptions occurred over the Atherton Tablelands. The oldest eruptions created large, gently sloping “shield volcanoes” that produced extensive basalt flows. These flows filled the pre-existing valleys, producing a relatively flat tableland surface, instead of the more dissected landscape that existed previously. Around one million years ago, the style of eruption changed. The lavas became more gas-charged, throwing fragmented lava into the air which built the numerous, small scoria cones, such as the Seven Sisters, near Yungaburra. Some of the rising magma interacted with groundwater, producing violent eruptions that led to the formation of maar volcanoes, such as Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine. Although all the volcanoes in the Atherton Basalt Province are regarded as being extinct and volcanism has been waning over time, given the relatively recent activity, it is possible that further eruptions could occur in the future. [6]

History

The Atherton Tableland has a long history of Indigenous occupation. [7] Aspects of traditional Aboriginal land use and culture have been documented from the period of first contact [8] to present. [9] Aboriginal people with ties to the region seek to maintain their culture today, [10] despite a long period of forced removal from their lands following European occupation in the late 19th-early 20th century. [11] [12]

Yidinji (also known as Yidinj, Yidiny, and Idindji) is a local Australian Aboriginal language. Its traditional region is within the local government areas of Cairns Region and Tablelands Region, in such localities as Cairns, Gordonvale, and the Mulgrave River, and the southern part of the Atherton Tableland including Atherton and Kairi. [13]

Dyirbal (also known as Djirbal) is a language of Far North Queensland, particularly the area around Tully and Tully River Catchment extending to the Atherton Tablelands. The Dyirbal language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of Cassowary Coast Regional Council and Tablelands Regional Council. [14]

The first European exploration of this area, was undertaken in 1875 by James Venture Mulligan. [15] Mulligan and his party were led by Aboriginal guides. [12] Mulligan was prospecting for gold, but instead found tin. [15] In 1879, John Atherton and his party settled with their cattle near the town which now bears his name. [15] Atherton Creek is also named after John Atherton.

The town of Herberton was established on 19 April 1880 by John Newell to exploit the tin find, and mining began on 9 May. [15] Later that year, Herberton had a population of 300 men and 27 women. [15] At its apogee, Herberton was the richest tin mining field in Australia, and was home to 17 pubs, 2 local newspapers and a brewery.

In the late 19th century, the Mulligan Highway was built through the hills from Herberton and passed through what is now Main Street, Atherton, before continuing down to Port Douglas. This road was used by the coaches of Cobb and Co to access Western Queensland.

In the Second World War, Australian troops were camped around the district prior to being sent to the front and then again on their return. [16] Many soldiers were interred at the war cemetery in Atherton. [16]

Industry

The construction of a dray road through the Tableland brought a secondary rush of settlement after the mining rush, this time timber cutters. [12] Redcedar cutters camps were at Rocky Creek, Prior Pocket, Oonda Swamp (Carrington) & Ziggenbein's Pocket. [12] Tree species used for the timber industry include red cedar, kauri, maple, black bean, walnut, white beech and red tulip oak. [12]

As part of the mining and timber booms a large population of Chinese-Australians moved into the Atherton Tableland region. [17] In addition to mining and timber, the Chinese population took up agriculture. [17] They grew fruit and vegetable crops and were some of the first to grow maize in north Queensland. [18] As the community grew they also built a temple to worship at, the Hou Wang Temple. [18] The temple remains standing today and was added to the Queensland State Heritage Register in 1992. [18]

Atherton Tablelands, 2006 Tableland.JPG
Atherton Tablelands, 2006
Curtain Fig Tree, Atherton Tableland Curtain Fig.jpg
Curtain Fig Tree, Atherton Tableland
Country road to the Cathedral Fig Tree in the Atherton Tablelands Road to the Cathedral Fig tree in the Atherton Tablelands.JPG
Country road to the Cathedral Fig Tree in the Atherton Tablelands

Agriculture is now the largest industry in the Tablelands Regional Council area. [19] Crops grown in and around Atherton include banana, sugarcane, corn/maize, avocados, strawberries, macadamia nuts and mangoes and citrus. [18] [19] [20] Tobacco was also grown [21] [20] until October 2006 when it was ended by a Government buyout. [22] Dairying, grazing and poultry are also present on the Tableland. [18] [19] Dairying was once the backbone of local industry in the region, with hundreds of dairy farms dotting the landscape. [23] The deregulation of the dairy industry in 2000 is blamed for the decline. [23]

Tourism

Tourism is the second largest economic driver of the Atherton Tablelands economy, with Tinaroo Dam and extensive trail network being the focal point. [19]

Towns

Atherton and Mareeba are the largest towns in the area. Herberton, Kairi, Kuranda, Malanda, Millaa Millaa, Tinaroo, Tolga, Yungaburra, Chillagoe, Walkamin and Ravenshoe are also located on the Atherton Tablelands.

Environment

The area supports an important population of sarus cranes Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) at Sultanpur I Picture 151.jpg
The area supports an important population of sarus cranes

The tableland contains several small remnants of the rainforest which once covered it, many of which are now protected in national parks. It is classified by BirdLife International as one of Australia's Important Bird Areas, supporting over 1% of the world population of the sarus crane and a significant population of the bush stone-curlew. [24] Twelve species of birds are endemic to this area and the mountain ranges immediately south: Atherton scrubwren, Bower's shrikethrush, bridled honeyeater, chowchilla, fernwren, golden bowerbird, grey-headed robin, Macleay's honeyeater, mountain thornbill, pied monarch, tooth-billed bowerbird and Victoria's riflebird.

Places of interest

Cathedral Fig Tree near Lake Barrine. Not to be confused with the Curtain Fig Tree at Yungaburra. Cathedral Fig tree, Atherton Tablelands.JPG
Cathedral Fig Tree near Lake Barrine. Not to be confused with the Curtain Fig Tree at Yungaburra.

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yungaburra</span> Town in Queensland, Australia

Yungaburra is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Yungaburra had a population of 1,239 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atherton, Queensland</span> Town in Queensland, Australia

Atherton is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Atherton had a population of 7,331 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herberton, Queensland</span> Town in Queensland, Australia

Herberton is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Herberton had a population of 855 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tolga, Queensland</span> Town in Queensland, Australia

Tolga is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Tolga had a population of 2,718 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Far North Queensland</span> Region in Queensland, Australia

Far North Queensland (FNQ) is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. Its largest city is Cairns and it is dominated geographically by Cape York Peninsula, which stretches north to the Torres Strait, and west to the Gulf Country. The waters of Torres Strait include the only international border in the area contiguous with the Australian mainland, between Australia and Papua New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tinaroo Dam</span> Dam in Far North Queensland

The Tinaroo Dam, officially the Tinaroo Falls Dam, is a major ungated concrete gravity dam with a central ogee spillway across the Barron River located on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia. The dam's purpose includes irrigation for the Mareeba-Dimbulah Irrigation Scheme, water supply, hydroelectricity generation, and recreation. Completed between 1953 and 1958, the dam creates the impounded reservoir, Lake Tinaroo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kairi, Queensland</span> Town in Queensland, Australia

Kairi is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Kairi had a population of 442 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire of Mareeba</span> Local government area in Queensland, Australia

The Shire of Mareeba is a local government area at the base of Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, inland from Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Mareeba, covered an area of 53,491 square kilometres (20,653.0 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1879 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several councils in the Atherton Tableland area to become the Tablelands Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Atherton (pioneer)</span> Australian explorer

John Atherton was an explorer of the Far North Queensland area of Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire of Eacham</span> Local government area in Queensland, Australia

The Shire of Eacham was a local government area of Queensland. It was located on the Atherton Tableland, a plateau forming part of the Great Dividing Range west of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Malanda, covered an area of 1,126.4 square kilometres (434.9 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1910 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in the Tableland area to become the Tablelands Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire of Herberton</span> Former local government area of Australia

The Shire of Herberton was a local government area of Queensland. It was located on the Atherton Tableland, a plateau forming part of the Great Dividing Range west of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Herberton, covered an area of 9,607.0 square kilometres (3,709.3 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1895 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in the Tableland area to become the Tablelands Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire of Atherton</span> Local government area in Queensland, Australia

The Shire of Atherton was a local government area of Queensland. It was located on the Atherton Tableland, a plateau forming part of the Great Dividing Range west of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Atherton, covered an area of 623.1 square kilometres (240.6 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1881 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in the Tableland area to become the Tablelands Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillies Highway</span>

The Gillies Highway is a road that runs from Gordonvale in the Cairns Region through the Gillies Range to Atherton in the Tablelands Region, both in Queensland, Australia. Its official name is Gillies Range Road, and it was originally known as the Cairns Range Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tablelands Region</span> Local government area in Queensland, Australia

The Tablelands Region is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Australia inland from the city of Cairns. Established in 2008, it was preceded by four previous local government areas which dated back more than a century. On 1 January 2014, one of those local government areas, the Shire of Mareeba, was re-established independent of the Tablelands Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tablelands railway line</span> Railway line in Queensland, Australia

The Tablelands railway line is a railway line in North Queensland, Australia. It was opened in a series of sections between 1887 and 1916. It commences at Cairns and at its maximum extent, reached Ravenshoe at the southern end of the Atherton Tableland. The rail system served by this line was unusual for Queensland in that the majority of lines that connected to it were built by private companies and later purchased by the Queensland Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malanda Falls Swimming Pool</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Malanda Falls Swimming Pool is a heritage-listed swimming pool at Malanda Falls Park, Malanda, Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1906 onwards. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 5 February 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Patrick's Church, Yungaburra</span> Church in Australia

St Patrick's Church is a heritage-listed Roman Catholic church at 1 Penda Street, Yungaburra, Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1914 to 1930s. It is also known as Our Lady of Ransom. The church is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

The Ngajanji, also written Ngadyan, and Ngadjon-Jii are an Indigenous Australian people of the rainforest region south of Cairns, in northern Queensland. They form one of 8 groups, the others being Yidin, Mamu, Dyirbal, Girramay, Warrgamay, Waruŋu and Mbabaram, of the Dyirbal tribes.

Atherton–Herberton–Longlands Gap Road is a continuous 33.5-kilometre (20.8 mi) road route in the Tablelands local government area of Queensland, Australia. It has two official names, Atherton–Herberton Road and Longlands Gap–Herberton Road. The entire route is signed as part of State Route 52. Both parts are state-controlled district roads, numbered 663 and 665, and the entire road is rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).

Atherton–Malanda–Millaa Millaa Road is a continuous 39.0-kilometre (24.2 mi) road route in the Tablelands local government area of Queensland, Australia. It has two official names, Malanda–Atherton Road and Millaa Millaa–Malanda Road. The entire route is signed as part of State Route 25. Malanda–Atherton Road is a state-controlled district road, while Millaa Millaa–Malanda Road is part regional and part district.

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