Ravenshoe
Ravenshoe is on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland. It is located 123 kilometres (76 mi) south west of the regional centre, Cairns.
At 930 metres (3,050 ft) above sea level, Ravenshoe is the highest town in Queensland, with Queensland’s highest pub and highest railway station. 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 hectares (2,200,000 acres) of surrounding rainforest world heritage listed, the main industries have been tourism, beef and dairy farming
Local Attractions
In town
Ravenshoe Visitor Centre
Located at 24 Moore Street, the Visitor Centre, which is open seven days a week, has displays about the history and wildlife of the district. The adjoining Nganyaji Interpretive Centre explores the rich culture of the Aboriginal Jirrbal rainforest people. There is also the Ravenshoe Heritage Gallery which has an extensive collection of historic photographs.
The Barn – A vibrant and unique shopping experience in Ravenshoe. A beautiful eclectic mix of clothing, jewellery, furniture, homewares, local art and craft and more.
Ravenshoe Highland Bakery – Is a Ravenshoe institution, people come from miles around for a pie, cake or loaf of bread from this iconic local business, a must try!
The Ravenshoe Hotel – Have a drink in Queensland’s Highest Pub.
Outside of town
Windy Hill Wind Farm
6 km from Ravenshoe on the Kennedy Highway, the Windy Hill Wind Farm was the first wind farm in Queensland. It has a total of 20 turbines. There is a car park and viewing area. At the viewing site there are a number of information panels which explain how the wind farm works.
The Big Millstream Falls
Located 9.5 km south-west of Ravenshoe via the Kennedy Highway and Millstream Falls Road, the Big Millstream Falls plunge over the edge of a columnar basalt lava flow and are reputedly the widest single-drop waterfall in Australia. There is a 680 metre walking track (it is sealed – and, at times, steep) which leads to a viewing area over the falls.
Little Millstream Falls
The Little Millstream Falls are located 2 km south of the town on the Kennedy Highway. The Millstream Falls are said to be the widest in Australia. The falls are located down a 700 metre (return) track (moderate difficulty – 25 minutes) with many viewpoints and vantagepoints. Platypus live in the pools below the falls.
Tully Falls
The Tully Falls are located 14 km south of Ravenshoe on the Tully Gorge Road which runs off the Kennedy Highway. The falls are regarded as some of the most dramatic and beautiful in north Queensland but they tend to be spectacular only after heavy rains. Still the site of the gorge, which is 295 metres deep, is impressive even when there is little water rushing over the falls. It is also possible, on the walk to the falls, to see golden bowerbirds and Lumholtz’s tree kangaroos which are unique to the Wet Tropics.
Mt Hypipamee National Park
27 kilometres north of Ravenshoe along the Kennedy Highway on the way to Atherton. The Park includes Dinner Falls and The Crater a huge hole created by a volcanic eruption through sheer granite. The walls walls of the crater rise 58 metres above the lake, which is 82 metres deep.