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Townships of Hinchinbrook |
Ingham is the commercial centre of the Hinchinbrook Shire. A relatively small town, Ingham has a population of only 5,075 in the town itself and approximately 13,500 in the shire. Initially established as a result of the district's rapidly growing sugar and pastoral industries, Ingham has continued to develop both economically and socially due to the expansion of these and many other industries. The latest development for Ingham is the Tyto Wetlands Information Centre located on the southern side of town, near the Tyto Wetlands. This accredited information centre has information on what to enjoy during your stay in the shire. it also has very hands on games and displays hightlighting birdwatching in the region. The Ingham community is rich in cultural heritage and has a strong Italian influence as almost sixty percent of the town's population are of Italian descent. The district's overwhelming Italian heritage is also the foundation for one of the town's most well known festivals - The Australian Italian Festival - which is celebrated annually during the month of May. Not only does the town of Ingham have a diverse range of shopping opportunities, but it also has an excellent array of restaurants and cafes that are guaranteed to tantalise the taste buds of all who visit the region. Close to the town centre there are a number of interesting attractions which celebrate the town's unique heritage. These attractions are all easily accessible and well worth a visit. | 
Lannercost & Herbert Streets, Ingham |
Ingham Cemetery - Italian Mausoleums |
The Ingham Cemetery is one of the town's many attractions and is a fascinating place to visit.
Only a five minute drive from the centre of Ingham, the cemetery houses a vast array of tile mausoleums - structures which depict the strong Mediterranean influences within the region. These mausoleums are plentiful throughout the cemetery and are certainly a sight to behold. More information about these amazing structures can be found in the Hinchinbrook Heritage Walk section of this website. The town's Sicilian Clock is another monument that celebrates the community's strong Italian heritage. The clock - a gift from the sicilian community to the Shire of Hinchinbrook - is situated adjacent to Rotary Park.
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The Ingham Memorial Gardens is an ideal place for a picnic lunch and is within walking distance of the town's main street. These beautiful gardens have an extensive range of North Queensland tropic vegetation and landscapes, including large waterlily lakes with terraced landscaped walkways. Be sure to view the beautiful collection of tropical plants and orchids in the Bicentennial Bush House, located in the Memorial Gardens grounds. The Bush House is open 8am to 3:30pm some weekdays. Toilet facilities are located near the Bush House. | 
Ingham Memorial Gardens |
The Gardens are a popular place for many of the district's wedding ceremonies and photography sessions and hold memorials to those who died at War or perished in the 'Texas Terror' crash. 
Hauling cane to Victoria Mill
| The Victoria Sugar Mill, situated on the Forrest Beach Road, is the largest sugar mill in Australia, and one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. After first crushing cane in 1883, Victoria Mill has grown from its humble beginnings to become one of the most modern and efficient producers of quality raw sugar. |
Gallery Hinchinbrook is the latest addition to the Shire and is incorporated in the new library, TAFE complex on Townsville Road. Throughout the year the gallery will house a number of spectacular travelling exhibitions as well as many local exhibitions that showcase the region's extraordinary talents. HALIFAX |
Halifax is a quaint village on the way to Lucinda and is a township with a large amount of historical value. In the early 1930s, Halifax - along with the port of Lucinda Point - constituted the main 'stepping off' place for all boating and fishing trips to the Hinchinbrook Channel, Palm Islands and the Great Barrier Reef. It was considered the Hinchinbrook region's industrial centre, providing a link with the outside through its direct rail link with the port of Lucinda. However, as the district grew and communications improved, Ingham became the main town, and Halifax's progress slowed. Today, it is a place to enjoy quiet country living with many of the services of a larger town.
The town still has a number of beautiful old hotels and buildings which were constructed when the township was first established. The Halifax Hotel and Commercial Hotel are two of these such buildings and to this day, continue to provide meals and accommodation for visitors to the area. Centred around the leafy, mango tree lined main street, Halifax meshes the history of the Hinchinbrook Shire with modern amenities such as a newsagency, postal facilities, butchery, a convenience store and hotel accommodation. Halifax is also home to the Herbert River Museum - a treasure chest of historical artifacts and displays which depict the Valley's intriguing history.
| The Museum is open 1pm - 4pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday each week. Cost - \\\\\\$2.00 adults; \\\\\\$1.00 pensioners / students / children Group enquiries welcome.
For more information, contact: Herbert River Museum
4 Macrossan Street, Halifax
Tel: (07) 4777 7490 Hinchinbrook Visitor Centre
Cnr Lannercost Street & Townsville Road, Ingham
Tel: (07) 4776 5211
Fax: (07) 4776 3039 |  |
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LUCINDA |
Lucinda, the sleepy little coastal village at the southern end of the Hinchinbrook Channel, one of the best fishing spots in all of Queensland, attracting loads of visitors to the region every year. It is the closest mainland connection to the beautiful Hinchinbrook Island and the closest access point to the renowned Hinchinbrook Channel.
The Hinchinbrook Channel was recently declared a dugong protection area, which means professional gill-netting is banned. To the uninitiated, the Hinchinbrook Channel is a protected waterway some 50 kilometres long and contains many thousands of hectares of mangrove forests interlaced with numerous streams and waterways - all of which is prime Barramundi habitat. From Lucinda, you can be taken on a conducted safari up the channel, and take part in a fishing tour to catch the famous Barramundi. People come in droves each year to try their luck in the Channel and, with the aid of commercial netting bans, the size and numbers of fish caught on lure, bait and flytackle have increased dramatically in the region over the past few years. Lucinda and Dungeness Wharf are popular fishing spots for land based anglers and in easy walking distance of amenities. 
The Lucinda Bulk Sugar Loading Jetty
Lucinda is also home to the world's largest bulk sugar loading jetty, which is 5.76km long. The jetty enables Lucinda to receive the largest ships used in the raw sugar trade. Adjacent to this amazing structure is a small service jetty which is popular with anglers who don't have their own boat. Safe swimming can be enjoyed at Lucinda during the "Stinger Season", (November through to March) as protective stinger nets are installed. Visitors are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with the dangers of stingers, as well as procedures for emergency treatment in the event of a jellyfish sting. This information is in prominent locations at all beaches. The town of Lucinda is serviced with a Hotel/Motel, holiday caravan park and a number of self-contained units. A large shady park area right on the beachfront has picnic, barbecue and toilet facilities. The area also has some fantastic seafood shops and a number of other assorted shops where essential items can be purchased. Lucinda also has its own Post Office. |
FORREST BEACH |
Situated some 20km east of Ingham, Forrest Beach (Allingham) is a great place to unwind when you need to escape from the hustle and bustle. Forrest Beach has a long sandy beach overlooking Orpheus Island, and the Palm Island Group.
It is a patrolled beach and has a stinger net installed on the beachfront for safe swimming during the summer months. Ample beachfront shady park areas with playground, barbecue, toilet and shower facilities are ideal for family picnics. A boat ramp on the beach gives access to the nearby Great Barrier Reef and islands of the Hinchinbrook region. Fishing is quite good off the beachfront, and estuary fishing is found to the south of Cassidy Creek. Forrest Beach has a Hotel/Motel and self-contained units. There are also a small number of shops where essential items can be bought. Forrest Beach offers a good mix of isolation for those wishing to get away from it all with the comforts you would normally expect to find in much busier places. |
TAYLORS BEACH |
Taylors Beach is the central beach in the Shire, located between Forrest Beach and Lucinda, approximately 24km east of Ingham. With the island and fringing reefs so close, Taylors Beach is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. An all-weather boat ramp offers access to the 17km of Victoria Creek and tributaries of mangrove waterways for crabbing, fishing or just enjoying the scenery of this tropical estuary. If you are travelling to the magnificent Orpheus Island by private boat, it can also be reached easily by leaving from the Taylors Beach boat ramp.
Fishing is very popular along the beachfront area, as well as in the sheltered waters of Victoria Creek. The wide range of fish found at Taylors Beach and in the surrounding waters is sure to keep even the keenest of anglers satisfied. Enjoy reef fishing on the nearby Lady Elliot Reef or visit the Palm Island Group for coral viewing, snorkelling, diving, fishing and beach combing. Taylors Beach also boasts ideal conditions for water skiing, windsurfing and sailing. w Visitors to Taylors Beach are well catered for with holiday units, caravan park, general store, childrens' playgrounds, barbecue and picnic areas with toilet facilities. Swimmers have excellent stinger net protection during the summer months. Nets are installed in two locations - one near the boat ramp facility, and another towards the end of John Dory Street, in the residential area. |
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