Nature & Wildlife
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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Jourama Falls, Paluma Range National Park
A picturesque waterfall on Waterview Creek, lush rainforest and fragrant woodlands are nestled in the foothills of the Seaview Range and protected as part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Set up camp beside Waterview Creek and head off along the Jourama Falls track to the lookout over the awe-inspiring falls. Explore the creek on the return leg and slip into the clear water to cool off before returning to camp. If just visiting for the day, set up in the shade in the picnic area and enjoy a barbecue lunch before heading off to explore the park.
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Lake Paluma
Lake Paluma is an attractive lake surrounded by World Heritage Rainforest. It provides a water supply for approximately one third of the year. Weather proof shelters for day use with barbecues are available and camping sites for longer stays. Swimming and non-motorised vessels are allowed. If you are lucky you may see a platypus, peregrine falcon or eastern water dragon. Due to the popularity of Lake Paluma as a camping destination, there are a limited number of camp sites available and you must pre-book a permit. Access is via a 12 kilometres gravel road just past the Paluma township. All rubbish taken in must be removed, and no domestic animals are allowed.
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Lissner Park
While exploring Charters Towers be sure to take the time to discover Lissner Park. Lined with figs, jacarandas, eucalypts, tamarinds, burdekin plum, milky pines, palms and silky oaks, Lissner Park offers an ideal location to enjoy a shady picnic. Facilities and attractions include picnic tables, gas barbecues, Boer War kiosk, band rotunda, children's playground, WWI guns, Gudgal People Yarning Circle, duck pond and memorials to grazier William Hann and pioneer Jupiter Mossman. The Park was named after Isidor Siegfried Lissner who arrived in Charters Towers in 1873. During his time in Charters Towers Lissner developed a financial empire based on mining and commercial interests. He took a keen interest in community affairs and pushed for the establishment of sporting facilities and public amenities including Lissner Park.
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Little Crystal Creek
The crystal clear waters and pristine waterfalls of this freshwater creek are ideal for a refreshing swim. The mountain water cascades under a picturesque heritage-listed stone arch bridge built in the 1930s depression. It's bridge is a popular place amongst the Townsville locals on the weekend. Just above the bridge as some very spectacular waterfalls. It's also the most popular place in Little Crystal Creek and for good reasons. A perfect place to escape the summer heat by having a quick dip in refreshingly cool water. The rain forest has a good canopy so the vegetation isn't too dense.
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Pipers Lookout
Embrace magnificent views of vast blue skies and boundless green scenery from Pipers Lookout. Travel up Hervey Range Road from Thuringowa Central, past the suburbs of Rangewood and Rupertswood to find Piper's Lookout near the top of the Range. You will be rewarded with stunning views over the bushland below Hervey Range and out to the ocean.
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Texas Longhorn Tours
Australia's "Texas in the Outback" experience. To view the magnificent herd of Texas Longhorns, Texas Longhorn Tours features one of the last horse-drawn wagon ride experiences in Australia as well as the original Texas Longhorn Safari. These cattle are, without doubt, the most famous and iconic breed of cattle in history. See some of the longest horned cattle in the world that are direct descendants of the millions of Texas Longhorns that walked in the great trail herds from Texas in the late 1800s! Texas Longhorns are the old west cattle that were the salvation of Texas back in the late 1800's and as a result, the legend of the cowboy was born. Everyone has seen a cowboy or western movie and now you can see how the legend started…. Many steers have horns spanning more than 100 inches tip-to-tip and JR, who was a former Guinness World Record Holder, is on display in the JR Gallery of Horns with a horn span exceeding 10 feet 4 inches or 3.15 metres! You have heard that "Everything is bigger in Texas" so get yourself to Texas Longhorn Tours and you will see that sometimes "Things are bigger in Queensland" Located 10 kilometres from Charters Towers in North Queensland and offering two different experiences, Texas Longhorn Tours is a 'must do' when visiting the area.
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