The southern Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland

On 20 April 1880 tin was discovered in the southern region of the Atherton Tablelands and the town of Herberton at an altitude of 899 metres above sea level rose up here as a result. In August that year there were 70 men working in the tin fields and in December their number had grown to 300. Herberton has some magnificent wooden buildings, built in the first decade of the towns existence and there is even a steam train that runs from Atherton carrying tourists.

About 25 km further east, on an unsurfaced road, is the small town of Irvinebank, established in 1882 under the name of Gibbs Camp at another tin mining site. In 1884 the town dam was built and the Loudon Mill started operation. The town's name was changed to Irvinebank by John Moffat, Queensland's greatest mining entrepreneur: apparently the place reminded him of the place he was born, in Scotland. Nowadays the old tin mining town seems in a time warp, looking pretty much as it was in its heyday. There are still many old tin houses; the building materials were brought in by mules and packhorses in those days. John Moffat's house was in its day the first highset building in Queensland.

There are many waterfalls to be seen on the southern Tablelands; The Millaa Millaa Falls are easily accessible near the small but picturesque town of the same name; a "waterfall circuit" can be done to take in two more falls in a lush tropical setting. And 26 km south west of Millaa Millaa is Ravenshoe, at 950 m above sea level Queensland's highest town on the Great Dividing Range where the vegetation changes from the rainforests in the east to the eucalypt woodlands further west. Not far from there is Millstream Falls on the Herberton River, Australia's widest waterfall and Little Millstream Falls nearby.

	St. Patrick's, Herberton	Holy Trinity Church	Convent, Herberton	Heritage Cottage
	Old cottage, Irvinebank	Mango Cottage	Irvinebank Town Hall	Old Post Office
	Millaa Millaa Falls	Millstream Falls	Millstream Falls view	Little Millstream Falls
	NORTHERN TABLELANDS CAIRNS CAIRNS REGION GULF DEVELOPMENT ROAD