Historical township expanding

GIVE me a home among the canefields, with lots of cane toads, a pub or two, a kangaroo, a mountain out the back, urban sprawl out the front and an old general store.

You can see all this in the expanding suburb of Gordonvale.

Many residents and holidaymakers who’ve stopped in have described it as the “quintessential Queensland town with astounding landscapes and various fascinating places of interest”.

About a 30-minute drive from Cairns’ city centre, Gordonvale was built at the foot of several mountains and is east of the Gillies Range and north of Innisfail. Before the city sprawled out to the south, Gordonvale was known as a small farming town with its main income relying on sugar cane.

History tells us the Blackwell and Alley families were the first settlers in the area, arriving in 1877, and from there a tiny town was built.

First named Mulgrave, the name then became Nelson and finally it was changed to Gordonvale, a tribute to local pioneer John Gordon.

Despite its rich

history,

Rising at 922m, the suburb’s famous backdrop is Walsh’s Pyramid

Gordonvale is far from stuck in time, boasting a population of more than 5000 residents – mainly older people and young families, with some farmers remaining.

New housing estates and Cairns’ expansion have resulted in Gordonvale being subsumed into the suburban extremities.

Rising at 922m, the suburb’s famous backdrop is Walsh’s Pyramid.

It’s the highest freestanding natural pyramid in the world and its natural wonder is widely celebrated every year. The Great Pyramid Race brings the community and runners from all over Australia.

Gordonvale is infamous for the introduction of the dreaded cane toad to Queensland in 1935 with the intention of eradicating the cane beetle but it quickly became a feral pest. Gordonvale has a golf course, racecourse, sugar mill, swimming pool, locally owned shops and a number of hotels.

SCHOOLS

Gordonvale has a number of schools including a state high school and primary school, a Catholic primary school and Djarragun College, specialising in indigenous education.

The population consists of mainly families, with some farmers. It has an active local community that is focused on promoting Gordonvale and its local economy.