Chillagoe is approximately 200 km west of Cairns via the Kennedy Highway, Mareeba, Dimbulah and Petford

Chillagoe
BACK
Chillagoe is approximately 200 km west of Cairns via the Kennedy Highway, Mareeba, Dimbulah and Petford. The road is sealed, except for a couple of small sections of gravel before Chillagoe. An unsealed road runs from the Savannah Way (21km west of Mt. Garnet) through to Almaden and into Chillagoe. West from Chillagoe is the Bourke Development Road (unsealed, 4WD) to Normanton. Chillagoe's history goes back a mere 410 million years when sea levels were much higher and volcanic activity was intense, earthquakes shook the ground and rearranged the landscapes. The waters subsided over millions of years and nature formed amazing caves, spectacular limestone outcrops and huge deposits of marble all of which are quite visible today and well worth exploring. The Chillagoe Caves will hold you spell bound with nature's beautiful limestone formations and magnificent coloured features on display. A guided tour will envelope you with awe as your guide explains the geophysical forces that formed the caves millions of years ago. Evidence of Aboriginal habitation is to be seen in the rock art found in the surrounding lime stone outcrops. It is here that the people lived, hunted kangaroo and painted ochre figures in sacred places to keep alive the Dream Time. Huge copper deposit were discovered at Chillagoe in the early 1900's and the Queensland government built a full scale copper smelter plant to process the ore. Hundreds were employed and the town prospered together with Mount Mulligan and Tyrconnell where coal was mined to feed the hungry furnaces of the smelter plant. Rail lines connected the main towns and other townships developed along the line as the region opened up to the pioneering frontier. The area was rich in copper, coal, tin, gold, marble and other minerals. The remains of this era can still be felt with a visit to the old State Smelter site at Chillagoe, where the tall broken chimney's and weathered, clay brick walls of the State Smelter plant stand sentinels to the past. Photographic displays and information boards are well located around the site to enhance your visit. The quiet life of this outback town will settle the busiest city-slicker with great camping and accommodation facilities, country hospitality, good swimming holes and plenty to discover on a journey back into time.
BACK

Chillagoe is approximately 200 km west of Cairns via the Kennedy Highway, Mareeba, Dimbulah and Petford. The road is sealed, except for a couple of small sections of gravel before Chillagoe. An unsealed road runs from the Savannah Way (21km west of Mt. Garnet) through to Almaden and into Chillagoe. West from Chillagoe is the Bourke Development Road (unsealed, 4WD) to Normanton.

Chillagoe's history goes back a mere 410 million years when sea levels were much higher and volcanic activity was intense, earthquakes shook the ground and rearranged the landscapes. The waters subsided over millions of years and nature formed amazing caves, spectacular limestone outcrops and huge deposits of marble all of which are quite visible today and well worth exploring. The Chillagoe Caves will hold you spell bound with nature's beautiful limestone formations and magnificent coloured features on display. A guided tour will envelope you with awe as your guide explains the geophysical forces that formed the caves millions of years ago.

Evidence of Aboriginal habitation is to be seen in the rock art found in the surrounding lime stone outcrops. It is here that the people lived, hunted kangaroo and painted ochre figures in sacred places to keep alive the Dream Time.

Huge copper deposit were discovered at Chillagoe in the early 1900's and the Queensland government built a full scale copper smelter plant to process the ore. Hundreds were employed and the town prospered together with Mount Mulligan and Tyrconnell where coal was mined to feed the hungry furnaces of the smelter plant. Rail lines connected the main towns and other townships developed along the line as the region opened up to the pioneering frontier. The area was rich in copper, coal, tin, gold, marble and other minerals. The remains of this era can still be felt with a visit to the old State Smelter site at Chillagoe, where the tall broken chimney's and weathered, clay brick walls of the State Smelter plant stand sentinels to the past. Photographic displays and information boards are well located around the site to enhance your visit. The quiet life of this outback town will settle the busiest city-slicker with great camping and accommodation facilities, country hospitality, good swimming holes and plenty to discover on a journey back into time.