Innisfail North Queensland – On The Cassowary Coast…
The township is built on the junction of the North and South Johnstone rivers and is approximately 5 klms from Gladys’s Inlet on the coast and at the base of Queensland’s Highest Mountain, Mount Bartle Frere with easy access to the Atherton Tableland via the Wooroonooran /Palmerston Highway.
Innisfail makes a perfect base for your tropical paradise adventure. This bustling centre is in closer, combined proximity to the Barrier Reef, Tropical Rain Forest, and The Tablelands, than most other North Queensland coastal towns, and the beaches in the area are second to none with reef fishing, diving and snorkelling, all major attractions.
Approximate Travelling time via the Bruce Highway
Innisfail – Cairns 1 hour 15 minutes.
Innisfail – Townsville 2 hours 59 minutes
Coach Service from Cairns International/Domestic Airport.
Innisfail “Green like you’ve never seen”
Innisfail is a major service hub for the Cassowary Coast with shopping outlets including national retail and local businesses, government services and regional health and educational facilities. With access to two world heritage areas the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics rainforest. The town is surrounded by natural attractions and pristine beaches Flying Fish Point, Heath Point, Ella Bay, Etty Bay, Cowley Beach, Kurrimine Beach, Bernard Islands, Wongaling Beach, Garners Beach, Bingle Bay, North and South Mission Beach, Dunk Island, Beddara Island, Hull Heads, Garden Island and Cardwell by the sea. Etty Bay and South Mission Beach are patrolled by Surf Life Saving Clubs during the summer. Tropical Rainforests Wooroonooran National Park and the Mumu Canopy Walkway, and easy access to walking trails through the Misty Mountains. A self-guided town walk brochure is available from the information centre for visitors to marvel at one of the best collections of Art Deco buildings in Australia. Picnic and Barbecue spots are located at Warrina Lakes, along the riverfront and at Anzac memorial park.
Paronella Park:
Early Pioneer Jose’ Paronella’s Spanish Castle. Paronella Park is only an 18 minute drive from the town centre. Paronella Park is a recipient of Queensland’s Tourism Awards and Voted R.A.C.Q #1 Must Do. The Park features a Spanish castle, waterfall, a lush rainforest with over 7,000 tropical plants and trees and is the home of Queensland’s first privately owned Hydro Electric plant built by Jose’ Paronella in 1933 the plant has been fully restored and is operating today
The Australian Sugar Heritage/Museum is located at Mourilyan a 6 minute drive from the town centre. The Museum depicts the history of the Sugar Industry in Innisfail and houses The Barracks Café a post office and newsagent. The Innisfail Historical Society Museum has a rich history of the region and is located in Edith Street.
The Innisfail Temple (Chinese Joss House) “all well-meaning persons whether they be local residents or travellers, are welcome as worshippers at the Innisfail Temple irrespective of personal beliefs and ethnicity”, The temple is unique and a must see it is situated in Owen Street, both are in the centre of town.
The warm tropical climate and an annual rainfall of around 3500mm assures Innisfail the title “Green like you’ve never Seen” Average daytime temperatures in Australia’s winter range from 24 and 28 degrees Celsius in the dry season from May to October and in the wet season November to April around 30 degrees. A tropical Rainforest Climate with no month with a mean temperature below 18 C (64.4 F) or with less than 60 millimetres (2.4 in) of Rainfall.
An agricultural town Innisfail has well-established banana, sugar and tropical fruit industries. Regional port Mourilyan harbour exports sugar from its bulk sugar terminal and recently timber from the area. The South Johnstone Sugar Mill is located in the small township of South Johnstone a unique feature of the town is the cane train (Locomotive) hauling fully loaded cane bins through the main street to the mill at the southern end of the town. Sugar Mill Tours are available during the Cane Crushing Sea
Innisfail is incredibly multi-cultural, with prominent populations of indigenous Australians, Mamu, and Europeans approximately 10,000 people today, the beginnings of the town started in the 1920’s with settlements by Italian immigrants and later with populations from Spain, Greek, Malta, Yugoslavia, China, India, Philippines, and more recently East Asia and Hmong’s who also settled in the area.
Annual Festivals to celebrate the cultural diversity are Kultural Karnival, Festival Innisfail, Feast of the Senses, and Feast of the Three Saints.
Early History:
Early History of the town reveals Innisfail was originally called Geradlton after pioneer Thomas Henry Fitzgerald who started the first sugar plantation in 1880.When a Russian steam ship arrived in 1910 and found they had sailed to the wrong Geraldton their destination was Geraldton Western Australia a special town meeting was called and on a suggestion from Fr Clancy the town was renamed “Innisfail” an ancient term for Ireland and it still lives up to its namesake to this day. “Green like you’ve never seen”