| CHARTERS TOWERS - QUEENSLAND - 4820 | ||||
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Population: 9,500, Latitude: 20.0200 ; Longitude: 146.1700 Location: 1,500km north of Brisbane Highway: Flinders Hwy Nearest Major Town: Townsville Nearest Airport: Townsville Touring Area: Townsville & District |
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 Main street of Charters Towers/ | |
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Mining, cattle and education are the main industries of this regional
centre in the north of the state. The town has many atrctive buildings
with verandahs and metal-lace work. Rodeo each May. When I was wee lad Charters Towers was one of those magical places in my amagination I always dreamed of visiting. Rich in a history of gold discovery, boisterous and remote it captured the imagination of the country. Gold was discovered in 1871 by an aboriginal lad, 'Jupiter' who found gold-bearing quartz while looking for lost horses and brought it back for his employer, Hugh Mosman, who rode to Ravenswood to register a claim. Over 25 million pounds ($50 million) of gold was extracted from the diggings between 1872 and 1916 and during this period it became Queensland's secong largest city with a cosmopolitan population of over 30,000 which saw it referred to as 'The World'. At its peak there were 29 ore-crushers and over 60 hotels to sate the thirst of hard working miners. Magnificent buildings were established including its own stock-exchange, now preserved by the Queensland National Trust which formed there in 1971. The building is now one of the main attractions in the town along with the attractive 19th and 20th century streetscapes. PLACES OF INTEREST: ACCOMMODATION & SERVICES: Select type, then click the button below for Maryborough Accommodation INFORMATION CENTRE: Charters Towers Visitor Information Centre 74 Mosman St. Charters Towrs. QLD 4820 Ph: 07 4752 0314 HOW TO GET THERE: By car along the Bruce or Flinders Hwys. |
© Copyright Peter W. Wilkins