Yungaburra, Queensland

Yungaburra Queensland
File:Yungaburra.JPG St Patrick's Catholic Church (1914)
Yungaburra Location in Queensland
Coordinates
Population	932 (2006 census)
Established	1886
Postcode(s)	4884
Elevation	750 m (2,461 ft)
Location	67 km (42 mi) from Cairns 13 km (8 mi) from Atherton
LGA(s)	Tablelands Regional Council
State electorate(s)	Dalrymple
Federal Division(s)	Kennedy
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 27.7 °C 82 °F 10.4 °C 51 °F 1,274 mm 50.2 in

Yungaburra is a town located on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia, not far from Cairns. At the 2006 census, Yungaburra had a population of 932.

History

Prior to European settlement the area around Yungaburra was inhabited by about sixteen different indigenous groups, with the custodians being Yidinji people and neighbouring Ngadjoni people. In the early 1880s the area around Allumbah Pocket was used as an overnight stop for miners travelling west from the coast. In 1886 the land was surveyed, and in 1891 settlers moved in.

In 1910 the railway arrived, and the town was renamed Yungaburra, to avoid confusion with another town called Allumbah. By 1911 indigenous numbers had fallen to 20% of the pre-settlement population due to disease, conflict with settlers and loss of habitat.

Cyclone Larry

Main article: Cyclone Larry

In 2006, The Atherton Tableland region was devastated by the Category 4 (on the Australian scale) Cyclone Larry. The roofs of the community hall, police station and one of the bush cottages were badly damaged or removed by the weather, as was the front of the Yungaburra Butchery and the sign on the Gem Gallery. As well as the above, many trees, sheds, caravans and gardens were blown away or ruined.

Heritage listings

Yungaburra has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• 27 Atherton Road: 27 Atherton Road, Yungaburra
• 6-10 Cedar Street: Court House, Police Station and Residence
• 7-9 Cedar Street: 7-9 Cedar Street, Yungaburra
• 12 Cedar Street: Residence, 12 Cedar Street, Yungabuura
• 15-17 Cedar Street: Yungaburra Post Office and residence
• 16-20 Cedar Street: Residence 16-20 Cedar Street
• 19 Cedar Street: Community Centre, Yungaburra
• 32 Cedar: Special Glass Co. Shop
• 34 Cedar Street: Burra Inn Restaurant
• Curtain Fig Tree Road: Curtain Fig Tree
• 7 Eacham Road: St Marks Anglican Church
• 25-33 Eacham Road: Cairns Plywood Pty Ltd Sawmill Complex
• 20 Gillies Highway: Eden House Restaurant
• 2 Kehoe Place: Butchers Shop
• 6-8 Kehoe Place: Lake Eacham Hotel
• 7 Mulgrave Road: Allumbah
• 4 Oak Street: Residence, 4 Oak Street, Yungaburra
• 1 Penda Street: St Patricks Catholic Church

• CurtainFig.jpg

  Curtain Fig Tree

• StateLibQld 1 117728 Williams' Lake Eacham Hotel, 1912.jpg

  Lake Eacham Hotel

• The Afghanistan Avenue of Honour, on the Shores of Lake Tinaroo

Present day

Yungaburra's economy today revolves around tourism, and the town contains a primary school, post office, library/telecentre and a range of businesses and services for the use of residents and visitors. Other facilities include a tennis court and a bowling club.The town has 18 Heritage Listed buildings, and is the largest National Trust village in Queensland. The Yungaburra Markets, held on the fourth Saturday of each month, are one of the largest in Far North Queensland, and each year around the end of October, Yungaburra holds the two-day Yungaburra Folk Festival, featuring concerts from Australian (and sometimes international) folk musicians. Yungaburra is also the site of the war memorial to soldiers lost, opened 22 June 2013. The popultation of Yungaburra is 1,034 persons as of 30 June 2009. There is a network of walking tracks around the town including Peterson's Creek.

Geography

The landscape around Yungaburra has been shaped by millennia of volcanic activity. The most recent eruptions were approximately 10,000 years ago. Notable geological features nearby include:

• Seven Sisters and Mount Quincan are volcanic cones.
• Lake Eacham (Yidyam) and Lake Barrine are lakes inside volcanic craters.
• Mount Hypipamee Crater is a diatreme (crater).
• Tinaroo Dam is a man-made dam.
• The Tinaburra Dam has a cricket pitch on the bottom of it from having the old town based from there.

Tourism

Allumbah Pocket is a picnic area on Petersons Creek which runs past Yungaburra. It is the centre for a series of walking tracks along the creek. Tracks lead to Frawley's Pool, a popular swimming hole and picnic area, then further to Yungaburra's historical train bridge. In the opposite direction there is a track to the platypus viewing deck. Aside from this all of the tracks are relatively easy and short enough for anyone to do. The site is dedicated to Geoff Tracy, a local renowned environmentalist who died in 2004.

Yungaburra has access to the southern arm of Lake Tinaroo which is popular for fishing, canoeing, sailing, swimming, water-skiing and camping. The other main places to get to Tinaroo are Kairi and the township of Tinaroo.

The Curtain Fig Tree, which is just out of Yungaburra, is a giant rainforest fig tree with roots hanging down, giving it the appearance of curtains. There is a short boardwalk around the tree.

Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham are crater lakes, formed from volcanoes. Lake Eacham is popular for swimming and Lake Barrine has a teahouse and gift shop as well as cruises around the lake however is unsuitable for swimming due to the cruise boats. Both lakes have walking tracks around them. Lake Barrine's track is 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) and Lake Eacham's is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi).

There are a number of places to dine, from Takeaway to fine dining.

External links

• Yungaburra.com
• Atherton Tablelands Travel Guide
• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Yungaburra