Founded in 1876, Atherton is a traditional Queensland town with a rich history of farming and dairying. These days, nestled in the Atherton Tablelands, the town is known as a good base for experiencing the region’s gourmet food and wine trails. With many heritage-listed buildings dating back to before World War II, there are numerous interesting sites including the Atherton Post Office, which is over a century old - built in 1903! The town hosts an annual Gem and Maize Festival, which falls in August each year.
Atherton is 1700 km (19 hr drive) north of Brisbane and 80 km (1.5hr drive) south of Cairns.
View the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships online portal to identify the Indigenous language group/s for Atherton.
- Population:
- 7287
- Arts & Culture:
- Australia Council Profile - Kennedy
- Local Electorate:
- Tablelands Regional Council
- State Electorate:
- Dalrymple
- Federal Electorate:
- Kennedy
- Weather:
- 21°C broken clouds
