Dimbulah
Situated in Mareeba Shire, Dimbulah is a small agricultural town located:
- 47km west of Mareeba
- 150km west of Cairns
- 98km east of Chillagoe
Population
- 500 - Dimbulah (including outlying farms)
- 17,500 - Mareeba Shire
Economy
This is a former tobacco-growing region and mining area. The main industries today are tea tree (for oil), mangoes, sugar cane, cash crops (pumpkins, herbs etc), cashews, and cattle.
Climate
There are two seasons in this part of Queensland:
Dry/Winter (April to September):
- Little or no rainfall with mild to warm conditions
- Average temperatures are maximum 26°C, minimum 6°C
- Humidity levels are low, averaging between 45% - 55% in July
Wet/Summer (October to March):
- Heaviest rain falling from January onwards, average 903mm falling January to April
- Average temperatures are maximum 33°C, minimum 18°C
- Humidity levels average between 55% - 65%
Current weather forecast for Mareeba (47km east).
Environment
The Dimbulah area is predominantly dry sclerophyll, with iron bark and bloodwood dominant species. Geology is largely sandstone and granite, with some volcanic zones further to the east and south, and limestone to the west.
Fossils are concentrated in the western area around Chillagoe. Few gems are found in the area, but gold was discovered in 1876 by the Irish explorer James Venture Mulligan on the Hodgkinson goldfield north of Dimbulah.
The subsequent goldrush led to the establishment of towns such as Cairns, Port Douglas, and Mareeba.
Flora And Fauna
Seasons and appearances of flowers and birds vary markedly from year to year. A diverse range of orchids is found in the region, including the black and tea tree orchids.
Birds in the area are many and varied. They include the Gouldian and black-throated finches, channel billed cuckoos, great bowerbirds and blue-faced honeyeaters.
Some of the mammals you might encounter include eastern grey kangaroos, wallaroos, wallabies, and rufous bettongs.
History
The area around Dimbulah is the traditional homeland of the Kuku Djungan Aboriginal people.
- 1870s - Influx of miners to the Palmer and Hodgkinson goldfields, following the discovery of gold by James Venture Mulligan.
- 1876 - Town of Dimbulah established to service Tyrconnell Gold Mine, one of the richest mines on the Hodgkinson goldfields. The name Dimbulah is thought to have come from a local Aboriginal word meaning 'Long Waterhole', referring to the nearby Walsh River.
- 1940s - Tobacco becomes a major crop in the area.
Things To See And Do
- Take a tour of historic Tyrconnell Gold Mine, 35km north of Dimbulah. The last 27km to Tyrconnell is unsealed but graded annually around May. Call (07) 4093 5177 (Tyrconnell Mine) for road conditions.
- Visit Mount Mulligan, a stunning sandstone plateau 17km long and 300m high, 60km north of Dimbulah. Great for birdwatching, historical ruins of the old coal mining town, tragic cemetery. The mountain itself is Aboriginal owned and not accessible.
- Look back in time at Thornborough cemetery, 30km north of Dimbulah. Of the 250 people buried originally in this historical pioneer cemetery since 1879, only 50 marked graves remain. Photo of Thornborough Cemetery
Services
The following services are available in Dimbulah:
- Mobil and Shell service stations, ice (available at Shell station)
- Medical clinic, ambulance, chemist
- Post office (agent for the Commonwealth bank)
- Hardware shop, supermarket, butchery, take away, gift shop, video store, Aboriginal souvenir shop
- 1 hotel, 1 caravan park
- Olympic-size public swimming pool
- Public Internet access is available at the video store.
Access
- Air: There is an airstrip at Mareeba.
- Train: The Savannahlander departs from Cairns to Forsayth via the Savannah Region southwest of Cairns. This is the real Australian outback with colourful characters and great local hospitality. Sit up front with the driver and listen to great stories from the past and present. The train services Mareeba for Mareeba Wetlands, Dimbulah for Tyrconnell Mine, Lappa, Almaden, Mt Surprise for Bedrock Village Tours, and Undara Experience for Lava Tube tours, Einasleigh, Forsayth for Cobbold Gorge Tours. For connections to any of the Savannah Guides sites mentioned above, contact the individual operator.
- Bus: A daily service operates from Cairns to Kuranda, Mareeba, and Atherton.
- Whitecar Coaches - Phone: 07 4092 1030. Fax: 07 4091 2467
- Self Drive: The road is sealed from Cairns to Dimbulah. During the dry season (May to Oct.), unsealed roads are passable with conventional vehicle (but more comfortable in 4WD or high clearance vehicle due to possible corrugations). In the Wet season (Nov to April), 4WD is essential on unsealed roads. For conditions and closures during the wet season around Dimbulah, call the RACQ's 24 hour information service on 1300 130 595 or check online.
Further Information
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