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A half hour drive south of Townsville you enter the mango and sugar cane plantations of the Burdekin Shire. A district “BUILT ON LIQUID GOLD” - so called because the region is situated on a vast natural underground aquifer which is artificially replenished with water from the mighty Burdekin Falls Dam. As well as being one of the largest sugar cane producing areas, the Burdekin is also the mango and melon capital of Queensland and has a multi-million dollar horticultural industry, grazing and prawn farming.
With more than 300 glorious sunny days each year, miles of sandy beaches, unspoiled mangrove estuaries, unique wetlands, abundant birdlife, walking tracks and friendly country towns the Burdekin is a wonderful place to visit.
Take a fishing tour, catch a mighty barra or a tasty mudcrab, photograph the wetlands with its diverse birdlife, walk the “Silver Link” pedestrian pathway, see the natural beauty of the Juru Walk or play golf at the ‘Home of Karrie Webb’. If its history, art, culture, education, sport, adventure, shopping or relaxation you can see and do it all here in the Burdekin.

 

Murals - Home Hill.
Living Lagoon Sculptures - Burdekin Theatre Complex - Queen Street, Ayr.
Bi-centennial Fountain - Queen Street - Ayr.
Mausoleums - Ayr Cemetery - Bruce Highway.
Burdekin Cascades - 228 Queen Street - Ayr.
dot Zaros Cutural Gallery - Eighth Avenue, Home Hill.
Carpet snake Gubulla Munda Giant Carpet Snake Sculpture, totem of the Juru people - Plantation Park, Ayr.

Educational
Beachmount - Wunjunga - Bird Observing; Fishing; Aboriginal Middens.
Charlie’s Hill - World War II Historic Radar Site - Heritage Listed.
Australian College of Tropical Agriculture - Accommodation - Wide & Diverse Curriculum.
Prawn Farm, Trent Road, Ayr.
Capsicum Drying Plant, Industrial Estate, Ayr.
Scuba Dive at SS Yongala Wreck at Alva Beach.
Machinery Preservation Society - Ye Old Machinery Place - Heritage Centre - Brandon.
Tom’s Toy Box, Machinery Display, Kirknie Road, Home Hill.
Delta Iron Works, Brandon.
Barrier Reef College of TAFE, Home Hill.
Ashworth’s Treasures of the Earth, Rock Display & Jewellery Shop, Eighth Avenue, Home Hill.

j Hutching's Lagoon, Water Skiing, Klondike Road, Ayr.

t Alva, Lynch's Beach, Sailboarding.

t Alva, Lynch's Beach, Yongala Dive (scuba dive)

Alva at Lynch’s Beach

The 17km drive from Ayr to Alva passes several wetland sites with abundant birdlife. An excellent area for fishing, bird watching, fauna, swimming and sailboarding. The Cape Bowling Green Lighthouse site can be accessed by walking along the beach to the north. There is limited shade and no facilities at the site.

Facilities

Yongala Dive - Scuba Dive at one of the best dive sites in the world - Yongala Dive offers Dive Courses, accommodation and also a Dive Shop.
Caravan Park
Toilets/Showers
Picnic Area/Barbecues
Playground
Alva Beach Food Shack
Parking
Beach Access

Tide Times Website - Click Here

 

Beachmount - Wunjunga

The turnoff to Wunjunga is about six kms south of Inkerman. The road from the highway to Wunjunga is gravel and the drive is a bird enthusiast’s dream. The fishing, the flora, the fauna, the beach, the aboriginal middens and the houses built on huge granite boulders makes Wunjunga an interesting spot to visit.

Facilities

Toilet
Parking
Beach Access
Camping


Fishing Tours

Stenno's Fishing Tours - Ph (07) 4782 9667

Giru Fishing Tours - Ph 4782 9300 Mobile; 0407307661 E-mail girufishing@bigpond.com

Boat Ramps

WALLACE CREEK TURN LEFT AT INKERMAN STORE FOLLOW ROAD TO
(20km south of Home Hill) INTERSECTION THEN TURN RIGHT AND FOLLOW ROAD TO RAMP (SOME OF IT IS DIRT BUT GOOD). BOAT REQUIRED.

GROPER CREEK TURN AT HOME HILL RACE COURSE. GROPER CREEK
(15km from Home Hill) ROAD IS ALL BITUMEN. A CARAVAN PARK AND
CAMPING GROUND IS AVAILABLE. BOAT REQUIRED. ACCESS TO CAPE UPSTART.

PHILLIPS CAMP TURN RIGHT AT AYR FIRE STATION. FOLLOW
(24km from Ayr) NORHAM ROAD. TURN LEFT AT NUTTALS ROAD, THEN TURN RIGHT AT RITA ISLAND ROAD TILL YOU GET TO JARVISFIELD SCHOOL. BITUMEN ROAD TO WILSON’S. THEN PRIVATE PROPERTY. SHUT GATES. BOAT REQUIRED.


RITA ISLAND/HELL HOLE VIA NORHAM ROAD OR KILRIE ROAD. CROSS OVER
(20km from Ayr) RITA ISLAND BRIDGE AND GO STRAIGHT AHEAD, TURN LEFT AT SWITCHBACK ROAD. KEEP STRAIGHT ON THIS GRAVEL ACCESS ROAD AND IT CAN BE SLIPPERY WHEN WET, SHUT GATE, BOAT REQUIRED.

RITA ISLAND/KIERLES LANDING AS FOR HELL HOLE EXCEPT TURN RIGHT AT
(25km from Ayr) SWITCHBACK ROAD. SOME OF ROAD IS GRAVEL. FOLLOW TO THE LANDING.

PLANTATION CREEK TURN LEFT AT 5 WAYS GARAGE, NORHAM ROAD.
(13km from Ayr) FOLLOW AIRDMILLIAN ROAD STRAIGHT AHEAD TO OLD WHARF ROAD AND GO STRAIGHT THROUGH CATTLE PROPERTY. GOOD ROAD. BOAT REQUIRED.

OCEAN CREEK TO GET TO OCEAN CREEK, TURN LEFT AT OLD WHARF
(13km from Ayr) ROAD, THEN TURN RIGHT AT PEGGY’S BOG ROAD. SINGLE CEMENT RAMP. BOAT REQUIRED.

BARRATTA LANDING TURN OFF AT LOCHINVAR CORNER. FIVE KM FROM
PIONEER MILL. DIRT ROAD. BOAT REQUIRED. ACCESS TO THE MOUTH OF THE BARRATTA’S.

BARRATTA CREEK LANDING 3 KMS PAST JERONA STATION HOMESTEAD. DIRT ROAD.
(20km north of Ayr) COULD BE UNDER WATER AT HIGH TIDE. 4 WHEEL DRIVE AN ADVANTAGE.

HAUGHTON RIVER THE HAUGHTON RIVER IS LOCATED NEAR THE TOWN
(32km north of Ayr) OF GIRU. TRAVEL THROUGH THE TOWN, TURN RIGHT AT BARAT STREET INTO CAREY STREET, LEFT AT DRYSDALE STREET, RIGHT INTO BIRD STREET AND THEN PROCEED ACROSS THE RAILWAY LINE, TURN LEFT AND FOLLOW THE RAIL LINE FOR 1 KM TO THE TURN OFF FOR THE RAMP. FROM THIS RAMP A DEEP CHANNEL LEADS TO THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER WHICH IS BLOCKED BY SAND BARS AT LOW TIDE.

MOLONGLE CREEK TURN LEFT SOUTH OF GUMLU SOUTHERN SIDE OF MOLONGLE
(56km south of Home Hill in Bowen Shire) CREEK- BITUMEN ROAD. BOAT REQUIRED
FOR ACCESS TO CAPE UPSTART. OFFERS FOUR BOAT RAMPS WITH A DEEP ALL-TIDE ACCESS.

Tide Times

Mt Inkerman (12kms south of Home Hill)

The Lookout at Mt Inkerman offers spectacular views of the area, flora, fauna and bird watching. The road is sealed but narrow and steep and not suitable for buses or caravans. The road around Mt Inkerman is mainly unsealed through wetlands and bird watching to the fishing, camping, barbecues, picnic tables and children’s playground at Groper Creek

Facilities

Barbecues
Picnic tables
No toilets(available at Groper Creek)

Plantation Park

Situated on Plantation Creek at the southern approach to Ayr, the park features the Juru walking track which is wheelchair friendly, flora, fauna, bird watching and a flying fox colony.It is also home to the Burdekin Visitor Information Centre, Gubulla Munda.and the Gudjuda Reference Group Centre.

Facilities

Picnic Tables
Barbecues
Toilets
Visitor Information Centre
Parking

Ashworth’s Tourist Centre, Eighth Ave, Home Hill.
The Burdekin Bridge “Silver Link”- Pedestrian Walkway.
Mt Kelly Lookout.
Juru Walking Trail -Plantation Park Ayr

Mountainview Lake Holiday Park

Nestling at the foot of Mt Elliot and surrounded by Bowling Green Bay National Park this site has camping and caravan park facilities, water sports, swimming, bush walking, bird watching, flora and an abundance of fauna. In June the very popular Palm Creek Rainforest Festival is held here.

Facilities

Caravan Park
Walking Tracks

Venue
Facilities
Cape Upstart National Park Flora, fauna, bird observing
Cape Upstart Fishing
Beachmount - Wunjunga Bird Ooserving; fishing; flora, fauna, aboriginal middens, camping (Funny Dunny Park)
Mt Inkerman Lookout Spectacular view, flora, fauna, bird watching, barbecue & picnic tables.
Mt Alma Rd, Groper Ck & Groper Creek Rd Wetlands, bird watching, fishing, camping, barbecues, picnic tables, children’s playground.
Mt Kelly Lookout Great view, flora, fauna, bird watching.
The Rocks Fishing
Blue Valley Weir Fishing, bird watching, fauna, canoeing (4WD access only)
Gorge Weir Fishing, bird watching, flora, fauna, (4WD access only)
Payard’s Lagoon Bird watching
Hutchings Lagoon Picnic & barbecue facilities, water-skiing
Plantation Park Picnic & barbecue facilities, Juru walking track, flora, bird watching, flying fox colony.
Hell Hole Boat Ramp Fishing, wetlands, bird watching on access road, chitel deer
Phillip’s Camp Fishing, bird watching.
Plantation Creek Landing Fishing, bird watching.
Alva at Lynch’s Beach Fishing, bird watching, swimming, sailboarding, picnic & barbecue facilities, playground, shower & toilets, caravan park, Yongala Dive, Alva Beach Food Shack.
Cape Bowling Green Lighthouse site, fishing, walking.
Mountainview Lake Holiday Park Swimming, bush walking, bird watching, National Park, camping, flora, fauna.
Haughton River - Giru Fishing, fauna, bird watching.
Mt Elliott National Park Bird watching, flora, fauna, wetlands
Cromarty Wetlands Bird watching, flora, fauna, wetlands