Dimbulah

47 kilometres west of Mareeba is the town of Dimbulah. Dimbulah is an aboriginal word meaning "Long Waterhole" and is possibly attributed to the fact there is a river nearby called the Walsh River.

Dimbulah is a small agricultural town in a former tobacco-growing region and mining area. The main industries today are tea tree (for oil), mangoes, sugar cane, cash crops (pumpkins, herbs etc), cashews, and cattle. The town enjoys a relatively good environment and has most amenities including an Olympic standard swimming pool, hotel, supermarket, a variety of general shops, plus a large number of businesses. Dimbulah is a very popular stop or destination for motor bike riders out for a leisurely ride.

Things to do

Mt Mulligan

Visit Mt Mulligan 50km to the north of Dimbulah. For more information see our page on Mt Mulligan

XANTHIN Australian Tree Farm and Gallery

Rare and unusual Australian Native tropical plants, Birdwatching, Art gallery & Guided walks & talks.  Using native plants from tropical Australia to create a habitat in the drier zone of the Atherton Tablelands.  Over 5000 plants now grow in land that ten years ago was neglected grass and weeds.  XANTHIN is open from 8am to 6pm daily, guided walks for groups and individuals are at 10am and 3pm.  Closed Xmas Day and Good Friday. Visits at other times are welcome by prior arrangement (07) 4093 5490.  Located before Dimbulah, 42km west of Mareeba and 3km down Bruce Weir Road.

Espanol Hotel at Lappa Junction

This legendary bush pub at Lappa Junction has the distinction of being Australias only current "pub with no beer".  At the Espanol Hotel, that dates back to 1901, you can enjoy great hospitality while admiring the display of pioneering implements such as miner’s picks, bottles and household items.  But dont forget to bring your own beer!  Lappa Junction is on the road to Chillagoe, about 43km past Dimbulah.

Picnic or Fishing

Have a picnic at Bruce Weir or Eureka Ck or go fishing on the Walsh River at Bruce Weir

Visit historic Tyrconnell Gold Mine

8km out of Dimbulah, the unsealed road commences and extends 27km to Tyrconnell. If you would like to take a tour of the mine site, call to check on tour times and availability, phone (07) 4093 5177. Allow two hours for the tour, which includes the fascinating history of the area and the gold mine, a guided walk of the site and a demonstration of the rare 120 year old quartz crushing machine in operation.

How to get here

Drive on sealed roads from Cairns or Tablelands. Dimbulah is 47 kilometres west of Mareeba.

Train - The Savannahlander departs from Cairns to Forsayth, stopping at many small outback towns, including Dimbulah. Experience colourful characters and great local hospitality. Contact Queensland Rail, ph. 13 22 32.

Map of the township

Click here  to open a map of Dimbulah as a PDF Document. This map has been kindly supplied by the Mareeba Shire Council. The file size is 586 kb.

If you do not have a pdf file reader installed on your computer, you can download a free version at Adobe Reader.

History

Dimbulah was first settled when gold was discovered on the Hodgkinson area to the north in 1876. Within a year, thousands had flocked to the area and cattle runs were established to provide food for the miners. It became the centre for miners in the wolfram fields and old goldfields  based respectively in the Wolfram Camp and Hodgkinson areas. After World War 2 tobacco became a dominant crop and remained so until Government Policies influenced Sales in recent years. This change has forced alternative crops such as Tea Trees, Navy Beans and Tropical Fruits to be introduced to help overcome the demise of the Tobacco Industry.

Services:

Fuel:
BP – (J&K Myers): 40935105
Mobil – (G&G DeLai)  :  4093 5192
Shell – (T White)  :  4093 5178

Food:
Takeaway -Golden Leaf: 4093 5212

Groceries :
Spar Supermarket, News & Bakery: 4093 5249
728 Cash Store: 4093 5178
Butchery: 4093 5377

Pubs: Junction Hotel: 4093 5206

Post Office:  4093 5304

Accommodation Styles: Pub Rooms 4093 5206, Dimbulah Caravan Park with self contained cabins: 4093 5242

Images from top:  3 images of Espanol Hotel (by F Williams)