Ravenshoe, Queensland

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Ravenshoe
state = qld
lga = Tablelands Regional Council
postcode = 4888
est =
pop = 910
pop_footnotes=
elevation= 930
maxtemp =
mintemp =
rainfall =
stategov = Tablelands
fedgov = Kennedy
dist1 = 1774
dir1 = NW
location1= Brisbane
dist2 = 123
dir2 = SW
location2= Cairns Ravenshoe (pronounced "Ravens-hoe" not "Raven-shoe") is a town on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is located 123 km south west of the regional centre, Cairns. At the 2006 census, Ravenshoe had a population of 910.Census 2006 AUS|id=UCL348400 |name=Ravenshoe (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)|accessdate=2008-08-28|quick=on]

At 930m above sea level, Ravenshoe is the highest town in Queensland, with Queensland's highest pub "The Top Pub" and highest railway station. Across from the top pub is Win's Gallery, showcasing local woodcraft and the paintings of Winsome Board. Fact|date=February 2007 It also has the Millstream Falls, the widest waterfall in Australia. Traditionally the main industry in Ravenshoe was timber, but since 1987, when the government made 900,000 ha of surrounding rainforest world heritage listed, the main industries have been tourism, beef and dairy farming.

History

Ravenshoe was founded in 1881 by John Moffat as a timber town, after the discovery of a vast amount of cedar trees by William Mazlin. It was needed to provide for the growing population in the area at the time due to the iron rush in Herberton and Irvinebank.Fact|date=February 2007 The city of Cairns was originally founded because the tableland was so prosperous at the time it needed a port to export the iron and 'hemp' from. Ravenshoe's first saw mill was built in 1899.

Ravenshoe was connected with Cairns by railway with the opening of the last section on 11 December 1916 [Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, May, 1988, pp108-117] .

Attractions

Ravenshoe is located close to waterfalls, crater lakes, swamps, bush walks, water holes, rainforests and historical landmarks. It also has a number of galleries and creative industries, reflecting the nature of the locals. The Windy Hill Wind Farm is owned by Stanwell Co. and generates enough electricity to power several towns as well as hydro electric dams koombooloomba dam to name one. Ravenshoe has an extremely diverse variety of plants and animals, with nine species of possum in the area (more than anywhere else in the world)Fact|date=August 2007 and abundant birdlife. There is a dirt bike track people come from all over the tablelands to use, and a pony club)-(horse riding trails the biggest and best horse riding club on the tablelands

Bush walking

Misty Mountain Wilderness trails are a network of extensive walking tracks that traverse Tully Gorge National Park and Wooroonooran National Park. There are bushwalks to the Millstream Falls as well as Little Millstream Falls.

Local Industries

Ravenshoe has a bakery, which is well known for its bread, two fruit and vegetable/general shopping shops, a post office, a medical centre, a video shop, a mitre 10, a Retravision, two primary schools (Ravenshoe State School and St. Teresa's Primary School) and a high school (Ravenshoe State High School).There are plans underway to build a sports and recreation centre there because the high altitude is good for professional sports and training (about 3000 feet above sea level on the Great Dividing Range). They are going to put a 50 meter pool in-doors .Fact|date=August 2007

Local myths

It is said by locals that there is a yowie in the Malaan Rainforest, known as the malaan monster. There have been many reports of people seeing him over the years.Fact|date=February 2007 There is reputed to be some sort of big cat living in the rainforest in the area as well.Fact|date=February 2007 It is believed that the billabong known as the "Army Hole" [cite news |first=1 |last=2 |title="Milstream Times |date=200-04-07 |accessdate=2008-07-27 ] due to its function as an army swimming spot in the war is haunted by the ghosts of several people who have drowned there over the years.Fact|date=February 2007

References

* [www.tablelands.org/ravenshoe www.tablelands.org/ravenshoe]
* [www.ravenshoevisitorcentre.com.au www.ravenshoevisitorcentre.com.au]