Address & Contact Edit
Haldane St
Georgetown QLD 4871
Phone: +617 4079 9090
Email: N/A
Web: http://www.etheridge.qld.gov.au
Georgetown is a town on the Etheridge River in Far North Queensland, on The Gulf Developmental Road.
Cairns is 412 km to the east and
Normanton 301 km to the west.
Georgetown is the administrative headquarters of the Shire of Etheridge, a local government area encompassing the nearby settlements of
Mount Surprise,
Forsayth and
Einasleigh. At the 2016 census, the
population was about 350.
The Etheridge River was the site of a gold rush in the 1870s, and the town was established on the site of the diggings. Originally known by the name Etheridge, the town's name was changed in 1871 to honour an early gold commissioner, Howard
St George. By 1900 grazing had replaced gold mining as the region's primary source of income.
Georgetown is one of the real locations mentioned several times in the novel "A Town Like Alice" by Nevil Shute (information sourced from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgetown,_Queensland).
There are many interesting historical features in
Georgetown, from the restored Shire Hall in
St George Street (built in 1908 and restored in 1998), Savannah House, the restored ex-clerk of the Courts dwelling in the same street, the Masonic Temple, the Catholic Church (established in 1913), and the
cemetery.
Another picturesque mining relic is found 20km west of the town. The
Cumberland Chimney is all that stands of a gold crushing plant.
Georgetown is also
home to the Ted Elliot Mineral Collection which was founded by the Etheridge Shire Council in early 2003. The collection is the work of one man and houses over 4500 mineral specimens. The building has an accredited
Information centre.
The Etheridge
Heritage Park has been developed in the centre of town and has a free electric BBQ amongst shaded trees with a modern
public toilet block including a baby change station. There is also a signed walk around the town which is the ‘
Georgetown River Walk’. This walk is ideal to unwind or to take in our local flora and fauna and native bird life.
Georgetown hosts a number of regional country activities including a
Camp draft, Rodeo, Bushman’s Ball, Debutante Ball, Various Fetes and Sporting Events.
Take a break from the
Savannah Way. Visit the gemstone display at TerrEstrial, enjoy a cuppa at the shady park overlooking the Etheridge River then do the river walk up to the
Water Tank. Turn off here if going to
Cobbold Gorge.