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 Miner's Cottage with Gold Panning activity
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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Charters Towers Venus Gold Battery
A “must-do” experience for visitors to the Towers. The 150 years old Venus Gold Battery (Mill) crushed ore from the underground mines to extract the valuable gold. Through an amazing audio-visual experience and guided tour, discover how gold was processed during the colourful North Queensland goldrush. On the outskirts of Charters Towers is the oldest and largest surviving Battery in Queensland – the Venus Gold Battery. Built in 1872, this crushing mill provided gold extraction facilities to miners for over a century. The huge “stampers” pounded day and night extracting the precious gold from quartz up until 1973. The Venus Gold Battery can be visited for guided tour experiences, private group tours, educational experiences and as a private venue hire.
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Ghost Tours Australia - Charters Towers
Hear the haunted heritage of these sites including classic local ghost stories, urban legends and myths, true tales of tragedy, crime, murder, mystery, magic, love and death. There are no extras covered in sheets leaping from the shadows to give cheap thrills on these tours. Every Ghost Tour and Special Paranormal Tour is led by an eerie Tour Guide whose passion for history and hauntings takes you on your journey through Australia’s darker side.
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Goldtower Central Wall of History
Located at Goldtower Central, stands Australia's largest Mosaic Mural, covering over 80 metres long, and 7 metres high. This masterpiece is made up of approx. 5 million hand-crafted tiles! Goldtower Central Owner Paul McIver is the brainchild behind this concept, commissioning Australian award-winning artist Trisha Lambi to create the paintings as the base for the murals. Paul wanted to gift this masterpiece to the town, as a homage to the town's history Goldtower has been created from. The series depicts the Charters Towers Gold Rush with 8 panels lining the walls of the new building currently under construction - Poppet Head Plaza. Each panel is roughly 600,000 tiles and has been handcrafted meticulously. Once construction has been completed, each mural will have its own viewing platform where you can take a photo with your favourite mural, and learn the history behind it! Grand Opening of the site is scheduled for later in 2023.
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Peter Lawsons Mural Mosaics
Goldtower Central is paying homage to Charters Towers' history with the installation of three large-scale mosaic images of prominent Peter Lawson paintings, located on Pioneer Place. The original painting of "Saturday Morning Gill st." (circa 1900) was inspired by the historical architecture and street scenes of the gold era. The art piece has now been transformed into 701,040 meticulously handmade 10mm square ceramic tiles, giving realism to the time of the century that it depicts. Two have been selected to be installed as one-of-kind mosaics on Pioneer Place, these can be viewed at any time and are free to visit.
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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 Bell Tower - Goldtower Central
The Bell Tower located at Goldtower Central stands at over 17 meters in height, with a huge brass bell. It has been engineered to last 250+ years, serving as a signal that a new era of business has begun for the region. The unique tower roof is one of a kind - designed and built by Rod Coleman of Townsville who has been building for over 45 years in the region. The very top of the tower features a lighting strike counter, which will record how many times this tower gets hit with lightning. The tower can be accessed via Goldtower Central, free parking is available around the precinct.
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The World - Goldtower Central
Discover "The World" at Goldtower Central: A Historical Marvel! Immerse yourself in the rich history of Charters Towers by visiting the newest captivating attraction to the town known as "The World." Nestled within the heart of Goldtower Central, this remarkable site invites you to explore the town's illustrious past while celebrating its Gold Rush legacy. "The World" stands as a striking tribute to a bygone era, where the town was once known as "The World". This monument has been generously gifted to the town by the visionary owner of Goldtower Central, Paul McIver. Envision a solid car-sized Globe sculpture, elegantly poised atop gleaming marble pillars. These pillars symbolize various facets integral to the town's genesis. Step into history by engaging with "The World" like never before. By simply scanning the QR code located at the statue, you'll be bestowed with a unique citizen number—a testament to your connection with Charters Towers' vibrant heritage. This immersive experience fosters a sense of belonging, allowing you to forge a personal link with the town's golden legacy. "The World" isn't just a monument—it's a historical landmark that beckons explorers and history enthusiasts alike. Conveniently accessible through the Goldtower Central Shopping precinct and the Columbia Gold Mine rest stop, it offers a journey into the past, merging modern convenience with the charm of antiquity. Your expedition to "The World" awaits!
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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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