innisfail

Innisfail Agriculturally rich and proud historic town on two mighty Wet Tropics rivers.

Mourilyan Etty Bay Mourilyan Harbour Coquette Point Warrina Lakes The Coconuts Flying Fish Point Ella Bay Palmerston Highway Misty Mountains Garradunga Woopen Creek Josephine Falls

Mourilyn

Innisfail

The small town of Mourilyan, is just 10 minutes south of Innisfail. This once bustling town has an historic Queenslander pub and art deco theatre which is now part of the Australian Sugar Heritage Centre complex.

The Sugar Museum will show you how green stalks become refined white crystals for your tea. This is an ideal all-weather option (wet day or hot days) to discover history that is a major part of the region and its cultural diversity.

Historic tractors, locomotives, harvesters and a working model of a 500-horsepower driven crushing engine are on display with a collection of contemporary and historical photographs and artefacts related to Australia’s sugar industry. A new exhibit is based around the historic cane barracks which are still seen around the region.

FAST FACTS

Historical fact Est 1879 originally named Geraldton, Innisfail was renamed at a public meeting in 1910 after a ship confused towns and travelled to Geraldton, Western Australia.

Local interests A famous rugby league town, soccer, tennis, golf, swimming, Josephine Falls, Ella Bay, cricket, skydiving, fishing, hunting, outrigger canoeing, horse racing, Croc and Wildlife Tours.

Famous for Art deco buildings, built after the cyclone in 1918 which destroyed almost every building in town.

EXPLORE

Events Feast of the Senses (Mar), Innisfail Billfish Tournament (Sep), Horse Racing Annual (Oct), Innisfail Show, Concerts, Major Art competitions, Art Deco Tours and Festivals.

Swim Spots Town Pool, Warrina Lakes pool, Polly’s Creek (north of town), Josephine Falls (from here you can tackle Bartle Frere and hike to summit), Henrietta Creek (Palmerston Hwy), Etty Bay.

Taste Tropical fruits from shops and road side stalls. You must have a local banana! Local fresh caught seafood. Local vanilla and local coffee.

Innisfail art deco

Josephine Falls

Southern Cassowary

ToAtherton Tablelands The EsplanAde ToCairns & Babinda North Johnstone River Golf Train Station Warrina Lakes Botanical Gardens

Town Pool Joss House Town Centre

Flying Fish Point

Coquette Point

Palmerston Highway At the northern outskirts of Innisfail is the turnoff to the Palmerston Highway, a gateway to the Atherton Tablelands. A unique two-hour drive takes you through wonderful terrain to the top of the dividing range and the rich, fertile soils and different landscapes of the Atheron Tablelands, passing through towns such as Millaa Millaa, Ravenshoe, Malanda and Atherton. Many of the World Heritage experiences close to Innisfail are located in the Wooroonooran National Park via the highway. The picturesque mountain road features spectacular lookouts and walking tracks along the way through the Palmerston (Doongan) section of the Park. More than 500 rainforest tree species grow in this part of the Wet Tropics, and you can see many epiphytes such as basket ferns plus wildlife like the little musky rat-kangaroo, double-eyed fig-parrot and the endemic chowchilla. A little further on is Crawfords Lookout which also has views over the Gorge and is a starting point for a difficult walk into the Gorge. Gooligans picnic area and Henrietta Creek camping area are bases to walk a number of waterfall tracks, rated easy or moderate. Walk to a choice of three falls, the highlight being Nandroya Falls. There are many swimming holes in this beautiful stretch of rainforest. From Henrietta Creek, the 130km network of Misty Mountains walking tracks are accessible.

South Johnstone River CANECUTTER WAY BRUCE HWY

Etty Bay

innisfail

Sugar Museum Mourilyan

Mourilyan Harbour To Silkwood, Tully and Mission Beach

Exploring the Palmerston Highway

Mourilyn Harbour Turn off the Bruce Highway to Mourilyan Harbour, a natural deep harbour with facilities for loading bulk sugar, molasses, live cattle and wood chip. For locals and visitors it also offers excellent boat launching facilities and has a Coast Guard station. Also accessible from this road is stunning Etty Bay, an ideal place to picnic, eat or to stay. Set among the Moresby Range National Park which hugs the coastline, this special beach offers safe swimming with a stinger net and surf lifesaver patrols on weekends. It is an unspoilt holiday spot with a caravan park and general store.

AMAZING SIGHT: Resident cassowaries are a common sight emerging from the rainforest and walking without a care on the beach at Etty Bay.

Innisfail The seat of local government is found in Innisfail. The Cassowary Coast Regional Council is a major employer in the region that runs from Innisfail to Cardwell. Innisfail is built on an area where the twin rivers of the South and North Johnstone Rivers meet, mighty waterways that fall from the ancient and World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics rainforests. Stop and enjoy the waterside location of Fitzgerald Esplanade where a coffee or a stroll should be on your ‘to do’ list. For the more adventurous, try a croc and wildlife tour. Innisfail is an ideal location to base a stay, and accommodation includes motels, van parks, B&Bs and backpacker hostels.

Tropical fruit

Historic Innisfail

Queens Hotel

The town has a vibrant retail centre with some national stores and many smaller specialty shops. A highlight is Indigenous art gallery Jitta Art where you might just catch a didgeridoo workshop or a new exhibition. Innisfail has a large and diverse range of Art Deco buildings. The CBD was largely rebuilt in this style following a cyclone in 1918 which destroyed much of the town. Today you can explore the buildings on The Innisfail Town Walk where you also will find The Chinese Joss House, one of only a few still in use in Queensland. Still in town, Warrina Lakes is a 50 hectare recreational park with kilometres of walkways through open parkland, lakes, wooded areas and rainforest trails. Within the park you can visit the Bushtucker Gardens, established by the Ma:Mu traditional owners, the Bill Markwell Botanical Gardens and Anzac Grove. Ducks and geese can be seen in the lake and there is a swimming pool, barbecues, picnic tables, a playground with boccé and volleyball equipment available, or fly a kite or kick the footy in the wide open spaces. Cross the southern bridge to follow the river down to the headland at Coquette Point, a marvellous high point from which to see the district, its two rivers and the coastline. Crossing the northern bridge on Flying Fish Point Road, track the north side of the river for a pretty drive to The Coconuts where the river meets the ocean, and on to Flying Fish Point where you can throw in a line from the beach. Stop here for a picnic or meal of fish and chips, or stay in the caravan park.

Cassowary chick at Etty Bay

Hidden Gem with Cassowary Beach Patrols This is a very popular spot for locals and visitors looking for a gorgeous beach to spend the day. A family of the icon Southern Cassowary patrols the beach most days. The Etty Bay Caravan Park & kiosk has absolute beach frontage, where the cassowary roam freely. Here you can swim with confidence with the friendly crew from the Etty Bay Surf Lifesaving Club surpervising the beach.

Cowley Beach Travelling north, Cowley Beach is located further along your journey, just 20 minutes from Innisfail. Here you will find a quiet beachfront hamlet that has a kiosk and caravan park. Throw a line in Liverpool Creek for mangrove jack, barramundi, bream and flathead or use the boat ramp to head out to the Barnard Islands.

Coquette Park

LOCAL'S SECRET: Around the many country roads you will find roadside stalls offering fresh tropical fruits and vegetables. These stalls mostly rely on an honesty system for cash payment, hence the name “honesty box".

Innisfail’s annual Feast of the Senses celebrates the region’s produce with a market day extravaganza featuring farmers’ markets, cooking demonstrations and a celebrity cook-off. Various activities are held either side of the main event and include farm tours, a poet’s breakfast and gala dinner featuring local produce. Continuing your journey out of Innisfail over the North Johnstone River is the turnoff to the back roads of Garradunga and its famous pub, said to be haunted. On the highway beyond the Russell River is the turnoff to Josephine Falls, a favourite waterfall among some stiff competition along the Bruce Highway. This section of Wooroonooran National Park has a short, easy walk from the car park through lush rainforest to lookouts and a popular picnic area. It’s a great place to swim and slide down rocks, but take note of the warnings.