Herberton Historic Village 

This is a full day trip and the slightly longer route via the Kuranda range and Mareeba (113km) is the faster way to drive to Herberton, to visit the Herberton Historic Village. This is a must see if you are exploring the Atherton Tablelands. It is a remarkable museum quality collection of buildings and pioneer paraphernalia, collected privately over 40 years, which gives a wonderful insight into the daily lives of those who lived in North Queensland between the 1880s and 1930s. This is not another poorly presented regional museum but a brilliantly presented collection of national significance.

A visit will take at least 2hrs and you may also want to visit another brilliant museum in Herberton – the Spy and Camera Museum. If you are interested in cameras of the more unusual kind you will find the most amazing collection of devious, miniature and camouflaged cameras that the espionage boffins developed over the last century. Allowing time for lunch, you will have the whole afternoon to do the Waterfall circuit and drive back to Cairns via the Palmerstone Highway by early evening.

Herberton Historic Village

Poster in the old hotel   Poster in the old pharmacy

 There is something of great interest for everyone here in the various buildings along the main street of the village and the larger buildings, like the Bank of Australasia, off to the side. A tin miners modest dwelling, a pharmacy, a schoolroom, a butcher, a printer, a forge and ancient machinery from steam engines to early tractors.

A tin miner's modest dwelling   Main street of Herberton Historic Village

An early tractor   Pioneer kitchen & hardware items

A wagon or dray & chains   Steam engine boiler

A logging team   Enormous Kauri Pine log cut into sections by hand

The museum also has an outstanding collection of women's clothing from the late 19th and early 20th century.

Fine embroidery and jewellery   Elegant outfits   Spring fashion

Ladies hat with ostrich feathers   Summer bonnet with a veil

Tin mining and logging paid for it all

Loggers

Map of Herberton Historic Village

 Millaa Millaa Waterfall Circuit

 More things to do