Childers
An historic National Trust town in the sugar growing belt of Central Queensland.
Location: 325 km north of Brisbane; 60 km north of Maryborough; 52 km south of Bundaberg; 108 m above sea level.
The Childers Historical Complex features a sugar cane locomotive imported from England in 1916, a cottage from Isis Central Mill which was once rented out to mill workers for the modest sum of 2 shillings a week, and the old Isis Central Mill School. Both buildings contain interesting collections of local artefacts and memorabilia. At the Maryborough end of the main street there is the Soldiers Room Memorial a touching memorial to the soldiers from the local area who were killed in all the wars this century. Each soldier is honoured with a bronze plaque and, where possible, a photograph
The centrepieces of Childers' charm are the Childers Pharmaceutical Museum and the Olde Butcher Shoppe, both of which are specialist museums where the history of particular trades can be explored. The Old Pharmacy is a visitor attraction overflowing with captivating pharmaceutical displays and early medicines from the last century. Discover the medicinal marvels, mineral ingredients, rare specimens and mysterious potions of the 1890 s and beyond with a guided tour of this fascinating attraction. The Old Pharmacy is located just a few doors north of the Childers Visitor Information Centre, at 90 Churchill St, Childers. Ph 0400 376 359.
Isis Central Sugar Mill
The Isis Central Sugar Mill began operations in September 1897 and has remained in continuous operation. At present, there are approximately 300 growers supplying sugar cane to the Mill and the cane is harvested from an area of approximately 13,000 hectares. All the cane is delivered to the Mill over 153 kilometres of narrow gauge (610mm) railway. The Mill has, in a single season, processed 1,505,400 tonnes of cane for the production of 223,874 tonnes of raw sugar. Location: Kevin Livingston Drive, Isis Central. Ph (07) 4126 4400.
Childers Festival
The Childers Festival, a successful initiative of the former Isis Shire Council had modest beginnings in 1996 as a Food and Wine Festival that attracted 5,000 people. Today it is simply known as the Childers Festival, and has established itself as a major cultural event on the Queensland and Australian Events Calendar. Attracting crowds of over 50,000 people, the event runs over two days in July.
Burrum Coast National Park
Burrum Coast National Park (23 100 ha) is an undeveloped wilderness area suited to those interested in bushwalking, nature photography and birdwatching. It has spectacular wildflower displays in the spring and early summer. Good National Parks and Wildlife brochures and maps are available. Access by conventional vehicle is very limited and a 4WD is recommended. Visitors need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to access camping areas. The Woodgate section, can be reached from Childers or Bundaberg (see below).
Woodgate
47 km east of Childers is the seaside resort of Woodgate with its flat 18-km beach which is ideal for fishing and sailing. It is a typical retirement village which is also a popular holiday resort for people wanting to 'get away from it all'. It has a caravan park and other accommodation, petrol and a kiosk.The Woodgate Section of Burrum Coast National Park extends from the town south to the Burrum River estuary. Access to the Burrum Point campground is 4WD only, although there is an 800-metre circuit boardwalk through a teatree swamp which departs from Acacia St (off Sixth Avenue) in Woodgate. Those wanting to see more can take the 5.2-km Banksia Track which starts from the same spot. It pases from the swamp to Livistonia palm forest, to open forest and on to a wallum heath plain decorated by wildflowers from August to October.
Access to the rest of the Woodgate section is via Walkers Point Rd which can be approached via Twelfth Avenue in the town of Woodgate. Burrum Point campground is located along a side track which runs off Walker Point Rd. It sits behind the beach and is a popular relaxing getaway, with fishing opportunities around the nearby river estuary.
Burrum Heads
Burrum Heads experiences a major influx in travellers each year as they return to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the area. Explore rivers and creeks by boat or canoe; take advantage of the clear warm water and great fishing.
Toogoom
A tiny seaside community 53 km east of Childers and 15 minutes drive from Hervey Bay, on the beautiful Fraser Coast. It is the perfect spot to indulge in a week of relaxing by the water. This picturesque area boasts unspoilt beaches, great fishing, wildlife and bird watching. Visit the nearby teagardens or waterfront restaurant. Toogoom's emergence as a residential area began in the 1970s, following the development of the Hervey Bay coast between Point Vernon and Urangan.
Mystery craters near Gin Gin
Gin Gin
The small town of Gin Gin (57 km north west) survives because of its location on the Bruce Highway, the main highway north. Gin Gin's Mystery Craters, halfway between Bundaberg and Gin Gin, are Australia's most baffling phenomenon. The origins of the 35 oddly shaped craters have remained the subject of controversy. The mottled mixture of sandstone and ochre stain have been the subject of many investigations and various theories have been offered.
Howard and Torbanlea
Nestled in the hinterland of Hervey Bay is the lovely historical village of Howard. The town has several buildings of historical significance including a beautifully restored Queenslander offering guided tours and Devonshire Teas. Coal had been mined on the eastern and western sides of the Burrum River in the 1860s, but river flooding had caused mining to be abandoned. Howard's discovery on land owned by William Whitley on the west bank of the river led to the opening of the Whitley Colliery in 1877.Located 37 km east of Childers and a pleasant 25 minute drive from Hervey Bay, Torbanlea is another small historic town in the Hervey Bay region. Coal was discovered near Torbanlea in the late 1860s, and a shaft was unsuccessfully excavated and abandoned in 1871. The Burrum Mining Museum has 11 buildings housing 4400 items of memorabilia, providing an insight into the history of the area, when coalmining was the industry driving the local economy.
The Childers area was first explored by Europeans in the 1850s. The region grew slowly as teamsters stopped in the town and the land around was taken up by pastoralists eager to raise cattle on the fertile soil. In 1902 the town was virtually wiped out by a fire which demolished nearly all the buildings on one side of the main street. Those that survived are now the interesting and important buildings in the town.
Childers is named after Hugh Culling Eardley Childers (1827-1896), public servant and politician, MLC and MLA Victoria 1852-1857, British MP 1860-92, First Lord of the Admiralty 1868-71, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1872-73, Secretary of State for War 1880-82, Chancellor of the Exchequer 1882-85 and Home Secretary 1886.
Much of the main street of Childers is heritage listed, with many of the buildings in the CBD rebuilt after a disastrous fire in 1902 resulting in some uniformity and authenticity of the architectural style of the day. The original Palace Hotel located in the centre of the main street was one of the buildings destroyed by that fire - rebuilt and reopened for business in 1903, and operated as a hotel continuously for some 85 years from that date. During its heyday in the 1930s and 1940s this was as the premier hotel in Childers; as well as serving thirsty cane cutters it also offered accommodation, a dining room and at one stage a grand ballroom, before being converted to backpacker accommodation in the early 1990s.
On 23rd June 2000 tragedy struck when the Palace Building was gutted by fire as a result of arson and fifteen backpackers, twelve visiting from overseas, were killed. In October 2002, two years and four months after the devastating fire and with countless members of the Childers community rallying together to support survivors and the families of the victims, the Palace Memorial Building was opened in a moving ceremony attended by twelve families who had relatives killed in the fire. The restored building encompassed a glass memorial wall; a portrait of the victims of the fire; the Childers Regional Art Gallery and the Childers Visitor Information Centre. Since opening in October 2002, the Palace Memorial Building has received over one million visitors.
