Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ingham is the proud guardian of the 120-hectare
Tyto wetlands
(Tyto Wetlands Information Centre;
07-4776 4792;
www.tyto.com.au
;
cnr Cooper St & Bruce Hwy; 8.45am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat & Sun)
,
which has 4km of walking trails and attracts around 230 species of birds, including far-
flung guests from Siberia and Japan. The locals - hundreds of wallabies - love it too, con-
verging at dawn and dusk. There's an art gallery and library on-site.
The poem which inspired the iconic Slim Dusty hit 'Pub With No Beer' (1957) was
written in the
Lees Hotel
( 07-4776 1577;
www.leeshotel.com.au
;
58 Lannercost St; s/d from $88/105, meals
from $12; meals lunch & dinner Mon-Sat; )
by Ingham canecutter Dan Sheahan, after
American soldiers drank the place dry. You'll spot the pub - which today has rooms,
meals and even beer - by the mounted horseman on the roof.
Noorla Heritage Resort
( 07-4776 1100;
www.hotelnoorla.com.au
;
5-9 Warren St; s $69-169, d $79-179;
)
was once the domain of Italian canecutters. These days, Ingham's wonderful 1920s
art deco guesthouse has magnificently restored high-ceilinged rooms, plus cheaper
container-style rooms in the garden. A photo montage of local stories lines the walls,
bringing its history to life, as do the stories told around its aqua-tiled, guest-only bar.
The
Australian Italian Festival
(
www.australianitalianfestival.com.au
)
celebrates the fact that 60% of
Ingham residents are of Italian descent, with pasta flying, wine flowing and music playing
over three days. Check the website for festival dates.
Ingham is the jumping-off point for the majestic
Wallaman Falls
, the longest single-drop
waterfall in Australia at 305m. Located in
Girringun National Park
, 51km southwest of the
town (the road is sealed except for the last 10km), the falls look their best in the Wet,
though they are spectacular at any time. A steep but very worthwhile walking track (2km)
takes you to the bottom. The
camping ground
(
www.nprsr.qld.gov.au
;
per person/family $5.45/21.80)
has
barbecues and showers, plus regular wildlife visits, including - for those who can sit
quietly and still - the occasional bobbing platypus in the swimming hole. Pick up a leaflet
from the Tyto Wetlands Information Centre.
Mungalla Station
( 07-4777 8718;
www.mungallaaboriginaltours.com.au
;
2hr tour adult/child $52/30)
,
15km east of Ingham, runs insightful Aboriginal-led tours, including boomerang throwing
and stories from the local Nywaigi culture. It's worth the extra cash to experience the tra-
ditional
Kupmurri
(adult/child incl tour $102.50/60)
lunch of meat and vegies that are wrapped in
banana leaves and cooked underground in an earth 'oven'. If you have a self-contained
caravan or a campervan, you can
camp
(per van $10)
overnight.
