Innisfail

Geraldton
First called Nind's Camp after an early settler; it took this name after the sugar pioneer Tom Fitzgerald but confusion with the Western Australian town of that name led to another change in 1911 when it was called Innisfail after Fitzgerald's property, Innisfallen, an ancient name for Ireland meaning isle of destiny.

Aplin, Graeme, Foster, S.G., Mckernan, Michaely, Australians Events and Places, Sydney, 1987, p.325.

Horwitz, Grahame, The Modern Encyclopaedia of Australia and New Zealand, Sydney, 1964, p.514.


Limestone
So named in 1827 when convicts began shipping lime for Brisbane for mortar. It was named Ipswich, after a town in Suffolk, in 1843. It is about 30 km south west of Brisbane.

Reader's Digest, Reader's Digest Book of the Road, Sydney, 1999, p.349.


Ninds Camp
Named after an early settler it later became Geraldton after the sugar pioneer Tom Fitzgerald but confusion with the Western Australian town of that name led to another change in 1911 when it was called Innisfail after Fitzgerald's property, Innisfallen.

Aplin, Graeme, Foster, S.G., Mckernan, Michaely, Australians Events and Places, Sydney, 1987, p.325.

Nearby Lost Names

Banyan
Now named Tully after a surveyor in Dalrymple's 1864 expedition; about 45km south of Innisfail.

Reader's Digest, Illustrated Guide to Australian Places, Sydney, 1993, p.464.


Cedar Creek
So named for the trees along the creek, now called Ravenshoe after Charles Kingsley's novel a tattered copy of which was found by the surveyors who set out the town about 60 km west of Innisfail.

Idriess, lon L, Back O'Cairns, Sydney, 1958, p.282.


Denford
Initially known as the Donald Mining Camp. This forgotten tin mining town was named after Charlie Denford, a well known local ore buyer. Surveyed in 1908 at 17°29′145°02′about 105 km west of Innisfail.

Hooper, Colin, Angor to Zillmanton stories of North Queensland's deserted towns, Townsville, 1998, p.133.


Eacham
This agricultural township was surveyed in 1888. Farms were sold with a town allotment for a home but the drawbacks of not living on the farm meant the town allotments were not used and the town was cancelled in 1908. The name, survives in a nearby lake. At 17°18'　145°38' about 40 km south of Cairns.

Hooper, Colin, Angor to Zillmanton stories of North Queensland's deserted towns , Townsville, 1998, p.135.


Gurrumbah
First known as Melaney's Pocket, this forgotten gold and tin mining town was surveyed in 1906. In 1969 it had only one inhabitant; the name survives as a local plantation at 17°31'　145°00'　about 110 km west of Innisfail.

Hooper, Colin, Angor to Zillmanton stories of North Queensland's deserted towns , Townsville, 1998, p.137.


Kirchheim
Renamed Haigslea during World War I; about 50 km south east of Brisbane.

Ramson, W.S, Australian English, an Historical Study of the Vocabulary, 1788-1898, Canberra, 1966, p.156.


Murdering Point
So named because bodies from the wrecked brig Maria were found here in 1872; now called Kurrimine, about 30 km south of Innisfail.

Reader's Digest, Illustrated Guide to Australian Places, Sydney, 1993, p.462.


Palmerston
Named after Christie Palmerston, a legendary bushman and explorer, this forgotten agricultural township was surveyed in 1936 at 17°36' 145°45', about 35 km west of Innisfail.

Hooper, Colin, Angor to Zillmanton stories of North Queensland's deserted towns, Townsville, 1998, p.359.


Return Creek
Now a township called Coolgarra, about 90 km west of Innisfail.

Levey, George Collins, Hutchinson's Australasion Encyclopaedia, London, 1892, p.74.


Richards Island
So named by Captain Cook but it now has the Aboriginal name of Bedarra, one of the Family Group of islands of which Dunk Island is the largest.

NRMA, Holiday Guide 13vols, Sydney, 1997-1999, vol.12, p.101.


Rockingham
Though surveyed in 1883, at 18°01' 145°55', about 10 km south west of Tully, Rockingham was never settled.

Hooper, Colin, Angor to Zillmanton stories of North Queensland's deserted towns, Townsville, 1998, p. 307.


Teviotsville
Now called Coulson, about 60 km south west of Brisbane.

Martin, A. E., Place names in Queensland, New Zealand and the Pacific , Sydney, 1944.


Towalla
Also known as Bartle Frere, lying close to the mountain of that name. Sir Bartle Frere was the president of the Royal Geographical Society. This forgotten gold mining town, was surveyed in 1893 at 17°28′145°44′, about 15 km north west of Innisfail.

Hooper, Colin, Angor to Zillmanton stories of North Queensland's deserted towns, Townsville, 1998, p.361.