Tablelands - Yungaburra trail

Yungaburra, on the Atherton Tableland, evokes memories of the early timber days. The place was originally known as Allumbah Pocket. When the railway arrived here in 1910, the name was changed to Yungaburra, a local Aboriginal name meaning; place of enquiring. This avoided confusion with the town of Aloomba near Gordonvale. 

The Eacham Sawmill was established close to the railway station. The train was a boon to the timber industry, particularly when roads became boggy in the wet season. The high quality timbers found in the district can be seen in the interiors of the Lake Eacham Hotel, completed in time for the 1910 Christmas holidays. The hotel was substantially enlarged in 1926 accommodating the visitors who flocked to the Tablelands’ beautiful crater lakes and rainforest. The construction of the Cairns Range Road in 1926 made it an easy drive from the coast. The railway closed in 1964. Maud Keogh Park, on the old railway station reserve, hosts a monthly market.

Remnants of the sawmill machinery may be found at the top end of town. The mill closed as a result of the UNESCO World Heritage Listing of the Wet Tropics Rainforests in 1988.

This laid back historic village has many café’s, restaurants, boutiques and accommodation options for travellers. Don’t forget to stop at the platypus viewing platform on Peterson’s Creek, near the big bamboo. A short drive to the south will bring you to the Curtin Fig Tree which has been part of the grand tour of the Atherton Tablelands since the 1950s. Lookout for the tree kangaroo warning signs as you head out of town.