Mareeba

Mareeba is located approximately 64 km in the ranges to the west of Cairns at an elevation of 450 metres above sea-level. With a population of approximately 8,500 residents, it is the largest of the communities in the Atherton Tablelands district.

Road access to Mareeba from Cairns is via the northbound Captain Cook Highway as far as the Smithfield roundabout, where clear signage instructs motorists to take a left turn onto the Kennedy Highway and proceed up the scenic Kuranda Range. The sealed, double-laned road makes its way through dense tropical rainforest, but soon after passing the Kuranda turnoff, the countryside changes to lightly timbered open forest and grasslands, spotted here and there with the occasional large termite mound, commonly referred to as anthills. While Cairns is celebrated as "Where the Rainforest Meets the Reef", Mareeba has been heralded by some as "Where the Rainforest meets the Outback".

Unlike many of the centres on the Atherton Tablelands, which are situated in lush, green, tropical scrublands with a damp climate, the Mareeba district is more savannah like, and dry. The surrounding countryside is more open and flat, whereas many of the other centres are quite hilly.

Mareeba's European history, like most other population centres on the Atherton Tablelands, began in the late 1800s with the gold rush on the Hodgkinson River to its north-west and the discovery of tin in the Herberton district to its south-west. A rough track servicing these two mining centres was blazed from Port Douglas in 1877, with the track to Herberton passing directly through the Mareeba area. The legendary Australian transport icon, Cobb & Co, also ran a coach service along this trail.

The memorial to James Mulligan located at Mareeba Heritage Museum

and Information Centre.

In 1876, Mareeba's first white settler, the pastoralist John Atherton, arrived in the district. Soon after, he constructed the town's first building on the bank of Granite Creek. With the constant flow of miners and suppliers using the track to Herberton, John Atherton's homestead took on the role of a bush hotel, and became a popular stopping place for miners, teamsters and the Cob & Co coach crews. Cobb & Co used Atherton's site as one of their staging posts along this physically demanding track linking the outback with the coast.

John Atherton's contribution towards establishing Mareeba as a major settlement is immortalised in a monument dedicated to him on Byrnes Street at the northern end of the township.

The memorial to John Atherton on the northern end of Byrnes Street, Mareeba.

The small settlement of Mareeba grew in importance with the arrival of the railway from Cairns in 1893. A rail link to the coast gave its pioneer residents a confidence and commitment that helped in its transition from a coach changing station to a busy railway town. As the railway continued its southward push to Atherton and Herberton, the prosperity of the district increased. In 1899 a private branch line was built westward from Mareeba, through Dimbulah and Petford to link with Chillagoe, where a substantial copper mining and smelting facility was in operation. This rail link later became the responsibility of the Government.

Although timber played a part in its early development, Mareeba eventually became better known for its beef cattle and tobacco industries. With the convenience of rail facilities linking it with the coast, Mareeba attracted the cattle trade from the northern Cape York Peninsula and western Gulf of Carpentaria regions. Cattle were droved overland or hauled by trucks to this rail head where sale yards were established and the animals auctioned to the highest bidder, destined for local or southern abattoirs. The advantage of transporting the cattle by rail to their respective southern destinations greatly added to Mareeba's favour as a cattle sale centre, and this industry continues today.

In keeping with its outback or country image, the Mareeba Rodeo is held in July each year, attracting thousands of spectators to witness such things as bull-riding and buck-jumping events. After being isolated on their northern and western cattle properties during the wet season, many station people make the Mareeba Rodeo a major social occasion, a time of catching up with neighbours and friends and enjoying the competition and entertainment.

The annual Mareeba Rodeo provides a social opportunity for people of the outback.

Tobacco was introduced as a lucrative crop to the Mareeba district in 1928, quickly establishing the town as the centre of the Atherton Tablelands tobacco industry and home of the Tobacco Leaf Marketing Board. Tobacco farming provided employment and brought financial prosperity and stability to the Atherton Tablelands region for nearly eighty years, eventually producing over 6000 tonnes annually, which was reportedly 40% of Australia's total crop. However, with public awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco smoking, and pressure from Government and the anti-smoking lobby, sales dropped drastically, finally ceasing all together in February, 2004. Consequently, farmers who have grown tobacco for their livelihood to the second or third generation, have been forced into the difficult task of diversification.

In an article entitled "Tobacco's Final Crop", which appeared in the Sunday Mail on February 22, 2004, reporter Melissa Ketchell wrote, "It's been a drawn-out death, but yesterday's final sale of far north Queensland tobacco still came too soon for the region's 115 farmers...Official contract sales ended in Mareeba late last year when international tobacco company Philip Morris followed the lead of another company, British and American Tobacco Australia, and decided to no longer buy from the region."

Many farmers saw the writing on the wall and opted out of the tobacco industry well before its collapse, and now Mareeba is the centre for a number of agricultural industries including the growing of sugar cane, coffee, mangos, avocados, pawpaws, bananas, and a number of exotic fruits such as Lychee and Rambutans. With good water supplies available for irrigation, many vegetable crops are also grown, adding to the region's economic stability.

The name "Mareeba" is a local Aboriginal word which means "Meeting of the Waters", being close to the place where Emerald and Granite Creeks flow into the Barron River. Ironically, with the coming of European settlement, Mareeba has become the place where four major arterial roads also meet, linking communities to its north, south, east and west. From Mareeba, motorists have the choice of taking the Kennedy Highway east to Cairns and other coastal communities, south along the Kennedy Highway to Atherton and on to the Gulf Developmental Road to such places as Georgetown, Croydon and Normanton, west to the Burke Developmental Road which leads to such places as Chillagoe, and the cattle stations of the Gulf, or north along the Peninsula Developmental Road to places like Cooktown and Weipa.

During the Second World War, the Mareeba area had strategic military significance and played a major role in the success of the Battle of the Coral Sea campaign. The Mareeba airport was constructed at this time and was used as a refuelling and rearmament base for the Australian and American bombers. The Atherton Tablelands was home to thousands of troops from Australia's 6th, 7th and 9th Divisions, as well as to many American troops and pilots.

Information about Mareeba's wartime history can be obtained from Beck's Aviation and Military Museum a kilometre or so out of town on the highway to Atherton. Beck's Museum is the biggest privately owned collection of war machines, planes and equipment in Queensland.

Things To See And Do At Mareeba

The Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetlands Reserve is a 2500 hectare (approximately 6000 acre) sanctuary which includes 120 hectares (300 acres) of freshwater lake. Approximately 15 minutes drive north of Mareeba along the highway to Mount Molloy, the reserve is home to many animals and rare bird species, including the beautifully coloured Gouldian Finch. Walking trails, canoeing, electric boat tours and guided twilight safaris make the reserve a "must see" for those with a passion for conservation.

Beck's Aviation and Military Museum is a kilometre or so out of town on the Kennedy Highway leading to Atherton. Beck's Museum is the biggest privately owned collection of war machines, planes and equipment in Queensland. Visitors to Cairns who have a passion for restored planes, tanks and wartime memorabilia would consider the drive up to this unique museum well worth while.

Some of the military hardware the visitor can expect to view at the Beck Museum.

Warbirds Adventures Mareeba is conveniently located at the Mareeba Airport, just three kilometres south of the township. The attraction features a number of faithfully and painstakingly restored WWII aircraft which are available for adventure flights, taking in the breathtaking views of the surrounding Atherton Tablelands district. A museum and hangar feature an extensive collection of ex-military aircraft from around the world as well as wartime history and aircraft information.

You can also enjoy a relaxed meal and cup of coffee at the Kittyhawk Cafe. Children are provided with a playground. Souvenirs and memorabilia to remind you of your visit or flight are also available for purchase from the souvenir shop. An annual Warbirds Airshow is held each year with details of upcoming events available from the Warbirds Adventures web site.

Mareeba Heritage Museum and Information Centre is located at 345 Byrnes Street, Centenary Park, Mareeba, and is open 7 days a week between 8am and 4pm. Here the visitor can find detailed information on all aspects of Mareeba, including historical displays and illustrations depicting the lives of early explorers and pioneers. As well, an extensive aboriginal cultural display is included.

Mareeba Heritage Museum and Information Centre, 345 Byrnes Street, Mareeba.

The Mareeba Markets are conducted between 7am and 12 noon on every second Saturday of the month at the Mareeba Heritage Museum. Visitors are treated to a great variety of merchandise ranging from hand crafted works of art and jewellery, clothing, exotic fruit, souvenirs and Aussie mementos.

Natural attractions include Granite Gorge to the west of Mareeba, and Emerald Creek and Davies Creek Falls accessible from the highway leading back to Cairns.