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Northern Queensland Ghost Towns - Irvinebank & surrounds


Cerberus1

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Bit of a spur of the moment decision today, no planning - cursory look at the map, jumped in the car and drove to Irvinebank.

Irvinebank is located 125 south west of Cairns. The town was founded in 1882 as a tin mining town and became a large province with 3,000 people living in the town and a further 3,000 in the surrounding area. Today the population is approximately 300.

 

Left - old Queensland National Bank (1905) Right - School of Arts (1900) Top Centre - now the Museum (built 1884)

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Loudoun Dam in the centre of town

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Mango Cottage - Miner's cottage built in 1906

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After leaving Irvinebank we headed to Stannary Hills which is a ghost town with virtually no trace of it remaining. Stannary Hills was founded in the late 1800's as a tin mining town. At it's peak it had a population of 724 before falling into decline and finally ceasing to exist in the mid 1950's. All that remains today is a monument/plaque marking the centre of town and various finds from the ground which have been placed near the monument. Curiously, our SatNav still showed the layout/location of the streets despite the fact they're long gone.

 

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Finally drove back past Montalbion (another ghost town)

 

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and some photos of the drive home.

 

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