History & Culture
Centenary Park
Step back in time to the days of the gold rush when you visit Centenary Park in Charters Towers. This popular park space features a gold discovery monument and a collection of sculptures created by Queensland Artist, Hugh Anderson. Make sure you take a picture of the Bat Statue created and designed as part of the 2013 LATTE Exhibition. Centenary Park features an interesting history, with the area first announced for public purposes in 1888. In 1941 the last Gazette Order in Council set aside the area as a reserve for park purposes and named it "Sayers Park" after Robert John Sayers. From the city's very early days, Centenary Park was called "Harvey's Reserve", no doubt because Joseph Harvey, a local butcher, built and lived in "Tower Villa", an old Queenslander style home that still faces out over the north east corner of the Reserve. During 1972 the Park was re-named "Centenary Oval" as part of the city's centenary celebrations. Centenary Park features picnic tables, toilets, gas barbecues, a children's playground, liberty swing, lit walking tracks and is always cool and shady.
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Charters Towers Cemetery
Charters Towers Cemetery was established in 1895. It is the resting place for a number of interesting local characters including Jupiter Mosman who, as local lore has it, was part of the party that discovered gold at Charters Towers; Doctor Leonard Redmond who discovered Australian dengue fever; Fredrick Pfeiffer owner of the rich Day Dawn PC Mine and James Knenniff who was the last bushranger in Queensland. The Charters Towers Visitor Information Centre has the cemetery records for both the Pioneer and Charters Towers cemeteries. If it is family history you are seeking, why not contact the Charters Towers and Dalrymple Archives Group or the Charters Towers Family History Association Incorporated? These groups aim to promote and preserve research into local and family history for the benefit of the community.
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Charters Towers Memorial Cenotaph
Queenslander's loved their soldier statue, known as the 'Digger', symbolising innocence, youth, heroism, courage and mateship. When Charters Towers' war memorial was refurbished and rededicated on 11 November 2005, the cenotaph included a solemn soldier, head bowed and rifle pointing downwards. It was originally unveiled to honour those who fought in WWI and WWII, in November 1955. At that time it included an electric light in the shape of a flame, burning continually atop the nine metre tall stone pillar. Memorials were rare in Australia before WWI. The outpouring of grief at the loss of 60,000 young Australian men, buried where they fell in Europe, the Middle East and northern Africa, created a wave of monuments, from soldier statues to memorial parks, rolls of honour to empty tomb-like pavilions. The roll of honour provides an insight into local patriotism of the day, all who enlisted were volunteers willing to fight for the British Empire.
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Pioneer Cemetery
Entrenched in a deep history from the days of the gold rush, Pioneer Cemetery located in Charters Towers, gives an interesting insight in the hardships faced by the pioneers of the time. Containing graves from those who were buried between 1872 and 1895, mining accidents, fires, murders, child birth and general hardship are some of the reasons that there are more than 5000 people buried in the early cemetery. Cemetery records are available for viewing at the Charters Towers Visitor Information Centre.
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Stock Exchange Arcade
Imagine back to the days of the 1800s, when the gold rush was at its prime and the township of Charters Towers was the second largest city in Queensland. An arcade was designed by Sydney architect Mark Day and built by Sandbrook Brothers of Sydney in 1888 for local civic leader and businessman Alexander Malcolm. Known then as the Royal Arcade, it housed one of Australia's first regional stock exchanges, the Charters Towers Stock Exchange from 1890. At one time the price of gold was set in that very Arcade, an indication of the importance of the Charters Towers' economy at the time. Today, the stockbroker's offices have been converted into shops and make for an interesting insight into the buildings history. Wander through the Don Roderick Gallery, enjoy the building's magnificent architecture and don't miss the "Calling of the Card," a ghostly reminder of Charters Towers' golden days.
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The Miner's Cottage
The Miner's Cottage is located in the historic precinct of old Charters Towers. Established in 1992 by the current owner, this quaint little cottage has become a "must see" attraction when visiting the city. Every year, over a thousand school children participate in the popular "gold panning" activity. for REAL alluvial gold. The cottage houses a private collection of unique curios from the district. Recently, a fully functioning blacksmith shop has been added to the range of things to experience. Handmade items are available for sale to help fund the enterprise. Bus groups are treated to a fascinating insight into the collection by the owner. Highly regarded on TripAdvisor due to the personal nature of the tours. The cottage is available for group bookings all year round. Opening hours vary depending on the time of year. The building itself is of historical significance, being a workers cottage with connections to early pioneering families. The tour guide is an experienced gold prospector with extensive knowledge in where to find gold. Gold Detectors are available for hire - on request, and training is part of the hire. This year, the blacksmith's shop has been commissioned to create a replica steam train/tram.
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The World Theatre
Explore the World Theatre, a cultural complex where the unique blend of heritage architecture and state of the art technology meet. Browse at your own leisure and check with the friendly staff for details of the live shows, movie times, morning melodies and the free local and touring exhibitions of art, sculpture, photography and more. For an interesting insight into the past ask the staff to tell you the story of the 'Murder on Mosman'.
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Towers Hill Lookout and Amphitheatre
Local legend has it that an Aboriginal boy named Jupiter first discovered gold at the foot of Towers Hill in December 1871. Today you can find a monument which depicts the location of the first gold sighting at the base of the hill. From there follow the road and uncover the stories of the Hill from the interesting and informative storyboards along the way which feature "Jupiter's Luck," "The Seismograph Station," and "Clark's Gold Mine." Discover 30 different World War II bunkers, one of which is a restored bunker located approximately half way up the Hill. Another track at the summit leads off to the ruins of the Pyrites Works. Early morning is the best time to discover the wildlife living on and around Towers Hill. You will see several species of macropods such as the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, the Whiptail and the Allied Rock Wallabies. Watch as the Wedge-tailed Eagles hunt their prey. Towers Hill comes to life in the evening with the Ghosts after Dark film screened in the Amphitheatre. Admission fees apply. Tickets can be purchased at the Visitor Information Centre.
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Venus Gold Battery
Located on the outskirts of Charters Towers, the Venus Gold Battery offers an insight into an amazing real life gold rush of the late nineteenth century. The Battery is of national cultural significance as the largest surviving Battery relic in Australia and the oldest surviving Battery in Queensland. Constructed in 1872, it was a public or custom mill in its prime and became a State Battery in 1919 to provide ore crushing facilities for small miners long after other mills had closed. It ceased commercial operations in 1973 after a century of service. Guided tours are available daily. One of the highlights is a fascinating film presentation that shows not only the process of extracting gold from ore, but also the story of the Battery's working life and some of its ghosts.
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Zara Clark Museum
This National Trust museum houses a large collection of photographs, equipment and other memorabilia that reflects Charters Towers' golden and military past. Their friendly volunteers are only too willing to share their special stories and demonstrate some of the equipment that is housed in the historic Burns Philp building, built in 1888. Ask for a demonstration of the flying fox (the Lampson Aerial Cash System from the old Pollards building). There are many other items too that will pull you into the drama and excitement that was Charters Towers 130 odd years ago. History buffs and collectors can put themselves to the test with the Museum's display of objects that so far have defied efforts to identify or date and the volunteers are delighted to show them off. Charters Towers has a proud military history from the Boer to Vietnam wars, housed in the Charles Wallace Military display. One of the more poignant pieces from World War I is a pair of half knitted socks, abandoned when a mum received news that her son had been killed, they are displayed exactly as she left them 100 years ago. Allow half an hour at least.
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