LAURA, QUEENSLAND

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A tiny settlement on the main road to Cape York, occupied mainly by Aborigines.
Location: 314 km north west of Cairns; 2104 km north west of Brisbane.
Origin of name: the Laura River was explored by Archibald Macmillan in 1873. He named it after his wife. The settlement takes its name from the river.
Brief history: in 1873, cattle were brought into the area by James Earl and it soon became a thriving township catering for the miners who were making their way from the port at Cooktown to the goldfields at Palmer River. A railway line between Cooktown and Palmer River reached Laura in 1888, but the decline of the goldfields saw Laura becoming the terminus for the route. The final section of track was never laid. At its height the railway carried more than 20 000 passengers each year.
Natural features: Laura River; Deighton River; Split Rock; Lakefield National Park
Built features: localities of Nevins Plain, Lakeland (Lakefield National Park) and Olive Vale
Heritage features: Split Rock Gallery, a significant collection of Aboriginal rock art depicting spirit figures (Giant Horse, Split Rock and Guguyanlangi Galleries); Jowalbinna art site; Normanby diggings