Atherton Shire
A TABLELAND PARADISE

Atherton Shire in the heart of the Tablelands is famed for its scenic beauty and natural wonders. Atherton, the Shire’s main town, is set amongst rolling hills on the side of an extinct volcano called Hallorans Hill.

A lookout at the top of Hallorans offers sweeping views over surrounding farmlands, with Lake Tinaroo and the ‘Seven Sisters’ volcanic cones in the distance.

Picturesque Platypus Park, built on the bank of a local freshwater stream, is a popular spot to barbeque and watch for platypus. Adjacent to the park is an historic railway station, and the 100-year-old Chinese Hou Wang Temple and interpretive centre, revealing the story of a once thriving local Chinatown.

On Koci Road, Hasties Swamp offers terrific sightings of native waterbirds which can be viewed in comfort from the bird hide or along the nature walk.

Birdlife is also bountiful on the Wongabel Botanical Walk, where 190 rainforest plant species are labelled.

Walking tracks at Mt Hypipamee NP lead to the lovely Dinner Falls, and also to the Crater – a rare natural wonder. This cylindrical shaft through solid granite is 120 m deep with a 70 m lake at the bottom!

The pleasant town of Tolga is reached through a corridor of rainforest known as the Tolga Scrub. 4 km from Tolga, Rocky Creek War Memorial Park is filled with plaques in remembrance of the 100,000 troops stationed on the Tablelands in WW2. The site of the old war hospital complex, which was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, is also demarcated.

Further north near Walkamin, Nardello’s Lagoon is another of Atherton Shire’s birdwatching havens.

East of Tolga past the hamlet of Kairi is Tinaroo Falls, where Tinaroo Dam is built on the Barron River providing drinking and irrigation water to the region. Lake Tinaroo is also a huge tourist attraction, being ideal for sailing, skiing, swimming, walking, picnicking, birdwatching and fishing barramundi year-round.

From the dam there is an entrance to Danbulla State Forest scenic drive, taking in many natural and historic landmarks such as Lake Euramoo, the Old Schoolhouse, ‘The Chimneys’ and the Cathedral Fig Tree.