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Top 7 Things To Do in Charters Towers

26 Jul 2018

Wander the streets of yesteryear in a little town called Charters Towers. At its peak, Charters Towers was dubbed by locals as "The World". While it's not the big bustling place it used to be, it remains a pleasant stop in the outback to explore. 

Dive straight into the history of this gold-loving town on your next holiday in Northern Queensland. 

Learn about gold mining at Venus Battery

Charters TowersImage: Venus Battery in Charters Towers; Credit: Tourism & Events Queensland

Find out more: Venus Gold Battery

The town struck gold in 1872 and up came the Venus Battery to get digging. See how the ore was processed with the original machinery, and learn the nitty gritty of Charters Towers' gold rush history. Love eerie tales? Your tour guide will fill you in on all types of stories - even those of the ghostly variety. 


Shake in your boots on a spooky evening tour

Charters Towers Blog

Find out more: Charters Towers Ghost Tours

Some of us love the thrill of a cursed house or an experience of a door slammed closed - with no one else around. If spooky stories are your bread & butter, the Charters Towers Ghost Tour is a full 90 minutes of freaky "facts". The guide will meet you in period costume carrying a flickering lantern, taking you through the town's most haunted spaces. 

 

Ride a genuine Texas Chuck Wagon

Charters TowersImage: Texas Longhorn in Charters Towers; Credit: Tourism & Events Queensland and Melissa Findley

Find out more: Texas Longhorn Wagon & Safari

It's our own slice of Texas in Australia. Go on a wagon ride to see the biggest herd of Texas Longhorns in the country (and meet JR, the Guiness World Record-breaking cow for longest horns). Or choose the safari tour and view the American Bison and water buffalo roaming the outback - like something out of a Western. Who can say no to hot damper and a peaceful couple of hours on the plains. 

 

Embark on a historical walking tours 

Charters TowersImage: City Hall in Charters Towers; Credit: Tourism & Events Queensland

Find out more: Charters Towers Guided Tours

To breathe in the history of this town, a historical tour is a must. Spend 90 minutes with a guide that really knows their stuff! There are many heritage-listed buildings throughout Charters Towers, each with their own colourful backgrounds and stories. One of our favourite parts of the tour? Visiting the original place gold was discovered in Charters Towers that kickstarted the rush.

Try gold panning at Miners Cottage

Charters Towers blogImage: Miners Cottage at Dusk; Credit: Tourism & Events Queensland

Find out more: The Miners Cottage

It's your chance to strike gold! Run by a former prospector, the Miners Cottage is an unbeatable opportunity to learn the tricks of gold panning. Hear the stories of the town's mining history and try your hand at uncovering your own gold specks (may even be enough to buy a bag of mixed lollies). 

 

Drink the local Whitbread's fizzy

Charters Towers

Find out more: Whitbread's

Since 1896, Whitbread's has brought you over a dozen flavours of fizzy bevvies and cordials for your backyard BBQ: strawberry, lime, sarsaparilla, and b-cool to name a few. Did you know that your favourite drink is also from Charters Towers? While you can't visit the factory, it'd only be right to pick up a Whitbread's drink when you're in the area. Nothing goes down quite like their lemonade on a hot day. 

 

Catch a movie at the drive-in

Find out more: Tors Drive-In

Pack your Whitbread's, then pull into one of the oldest drive-in movie theatres in Queensland. Consider yourself to be a bit of a MacGyver? You'll be happy to know that the drive-in was built almost entirely from second-hand supplies. Now in its 52nd year in operation, this nostalgic space is fun for families and couples alike to watch the latest flicks under the stars. 

 

Plan ahead for your holiday in Northern Queensland. Stay at Discovery Parks - Townsville to explore the Great Barrier Reef and nearby Charters Towers.

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