HINCHINBROOK WAY WALK

Welcome To The Hinchinbrook Way Walk

Encounter the natural, cultural and heritage heart of Ingham on a looped journey of discovery along the Hinchinbrook Way Walk.

This easy and informative 1.9-kilometre return trail takes you on a leisurely stroll past some of Ingham’s most treasured attractions, offering an insightful introduction to the history and evolution of the township of Ingham and surrounding Hinchinbrook region.

Beginning at the Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre, your self-guided journey takes you out across an elevated walkway suspended above wetlands, showcasing the incredible offerings of the TYTO Parklands. Soon you’ll traverse through the lush, leafy canopies of the raintrees of the TYTO Precinct, before descending past inspiring art works and into the town centre of Ingham. Wander through the town’s boutique and gourmet shopping experiences, immersing your senses in a tantalising taste of the town’s rich Italian heritage. Don’t miss the incredible 42-metre-long Mercer Lane Mosaic that depicts the history of the sugar cane industry in Ingham. Another highlight along the way is a visit to the original “Pub With No Beer”. Drop in for a cold brew and warm hospitality, and discover the history and origin of the pub that was immortalised in the lyrics of Slim Dusty’s iconic hit. Finally, loop back through the serene TYTO Parklands to say hi to our beautiful wallabies, before returning to the Visitor Information Centre.

This audio guide steps you through the 16 points of interest along the trail, most of which feature interpretive signage. You are also welcome to pick up a Hinchinbrook Way Map from the Visitor Information Centre at the Walk’s commencement to guide you through your journey.

Birds of TYTO

Your self-guided journey begins at the Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre, located on the corner of Cooper Street and Townsville Road, just south of the quaint township of Ingham.

Once you’ve explored the intriguing interactive displays of the Centre and gained some expert local travel tips from the friendly staff, it’s time to hit the trail. Immediately behind the Visitor Information Centre you’ll enter the beautiful wooded TYTO Parklands. This serene space is threaded with elevated walkways, boardwalks and bridges, set among lagoons, eucalypt trees and lush gardens. Follow the suspended path across the lagoons of the serene TYTO parklands and you’ll soon encounter the first of 16 points of interest along the Hinchinbrook Way Walk.

The first of these stops is about the birds of Tyto, with interpretive signage specifically about the ‘Comb-crested Jacana’. Playfully referred to as the Jesus Bird, Lily Trotter or Lotus Bird, the Jacana captures the attention of passers-by with their unusual ability to seemingly walk on water. Tyto Wetlands provides an ideal environment for Jacanas to thrive. Jacanas are often spotted in this area, lightly hopping from one lily to another, foraging for aquatic seeds, insects and other small animals.

TYTO Wetlands is actually named after the Eastern Grass Owl, Tyto longimembris. This unique and majestic species is a nocturnal master of the wetlands. Their superior eyesight, flight capabilities and ability to walk through tall grasslands make them deadly hunters.

They have a wingspan from 100 to 116 centimetres, comparable to the height of an average 6-year-old child. A magnificent copper sculpture depicting this mighty bird with outstretched wings can be found at the front entrance of the Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre. For more information about what’s on offer at the centre, please check out our Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre audio guide.

The Raintrees of Hinchinbrook

Continue along the pathway and you’ll find yourself meandering along an elevated walkway through the canopies of the raintrees of the TYTO Precinct, which are our second point of interest along this picturesque trail of local treasures.

Raintrees once dominated the Ingham streetscape and can still be seen in picturesque abundance at the local Macknade Mill. They gave shade to passengers waiting to board a steam train, a hitched horse, a tired mother and her children, or a cane cutter waiting impatiently to sign-on for the cane-cutting season.

Visitors often remarked on the “magnificent raintrees,” which were said to have given Ingham “an air of quiet dignity unique in Queensland.” In later times, the removal of the raintrees was done so under community protest as they provided a backdrop to so many memories of days gone by.

The naming of Raintrees is believed to have originated from early observations concluding that the trees produced rain at night. While Raintrees don’t actually produce rain, they allow rain to pass easily through the crown by closing up their leaflets at night or when under heavy cloud cover. This trait may contribute to the frequently observed fact that grass remains green under the trees in times of drought.

However, the shading effect of the canopy, the addition of nitrogen to the soil by decomposition of litter from this leguminous tree, and possibly the sticky dropping of cicada insects in the tree all contribute to this phenomenon.

The evergreen Raintree has an impressive growth rate of up to 1.5 metres per year and within as little as 15 years can reach up to 25 metres in height with a canopy over 40 metres in width. Around the world, these attributes make the Raintree a popular choice to harvest for timber and utilise in urban settings as shade trees.

The Sugar Industry Today

The suspended metal walkway you are following over the lush Tyto Parklands was inspired by the cane bins used to haul sugar cane to the local mills. It evokes the winding historical passage of a sugar cane train, tracking through the cane fields to and fro from the mill each day of the sugar harvesting season.

Below the suspended walkway is a window into the agricultural past. The ‘Sugar Tracks’ exhibit consists of various pieces of relic farm machinery that offers a glimpse into the sugar industry of yesteryear. It’s described in more detail later in this audio guide.

The Herbert region of North Queensland, which encompasses the Hinchinbrook area, plays an important role in the Australian sugar industry.

Throughout the crushing season, which typically runs from June to November, about 4.3 million tonnes of sugarcane is harvested from 66,000 hectares of farming land in the area to produce about 543,000 tonnes of raw sugar annually.

This sugarcane is processed at the region’s two sugar mills – Victoria and Macknade. The mills are owned by Wilmar Sugar and Renewables. Macknade Mill is the oldest continuously operating sugar mill in Australia, having commenced operations in 1873. Victoria Mill was established in 1883 and is one of Australia’s largest sugar mills.

Harvested sugarcane is transported from paddocks to the mills by cane trains. The cane is then crushed to remove its sweet juice, which is processed into raw sugar. The raw sugar is delivered by rail to the Lucinda Sugar Terminal for storage, before being shipped to international and domestic customers.

The fibre leftover after the sugarcane is crushed is called bagasse. It is recycled and used as fuel for the large boilers at the mills to produce steam. The energy in this steam is either used as heat or converted into electricity to power the sugar factories. Excess electricity is exported into the national grid.

Local Love Stories

As you continue in the direction of travel for about another 20 metres, you’ll come to the fourth point of interest titled ‘A Lock of Love’. This sculpture depicting a kissing couple is inspired by a similar one in Via Dell’ Amore, a romantic path in Italy dedicated to lovers and famous all over the world. Couples walk the pathway, visit the sculpture of the kissing couple and often place padlocks on the surrounding gates and railings to symbolise their love for one another. You can add your own touch of romance to our home-grown version of this tradition by bringing your own padlock to add to the collection, symbolising your own love story.

This small country community proudly celebrates its rich Italian heritage. Many Italian migrants arrived in the area during its early colonial settlement, carving out a living working in the surrounding cane fields.

Under an Australian sun, Italian courtship and marriage traditions evolved. Early immigrants tended to marry others from their own region. Single men often returned to Italy to find a marriage partner or sent a self-portrait home for their family to arrange a marriage.

Soon however, Italian immigrants were marrying local non-Italian girls. As many more people from diverse backgrounds moved to the Hinchinbrook region, it was inevitable that new cultural values would be formed. The history of cultural adaptation and respect for traditions is one of Hinchinbrook’s greatest strengths.

Today, this warm and welcoming country town still retains its vibrant Italian influence, and is often lovingly referred to as ‘the Little Italy’ of Tropical North Queensland on account of its warm hospitality and fine Italian fare.

Kreffts Short-necked Turtle

As you continue along the path, you’ll cross the calm waters of another peaceful lagoon. This quiet sanctuary provides habitat for the Kreffts short-necked turtles – your fifth point of interest along the Hinchinbrook Way Walk.

Kreffts Short-Necked Turtles may be seen basking in the sunshine on a rock or paddling beneath the water, head popping up now and then, opportunistically hoping for passing insects. Baby Kreffts Short-necked Turtles feed on insects, larvae and small fish. However, as adults they feed on plant material but still like to eat insects and small fish.

The traditional custodians of the land included marine and freshwater turtles in their diet. The flesh was eaten roasted, and the shells were used to make fishhooks.

Kreffts Short-necked Turtles can self-regulate their body temperature by basking on logs and floating on the surface of the water with outstretched limbs. Female turtles are much larger than male turtles and can grow up to 30centimetres in length. This clever species are able to survive long periods of drought by burrowing underneath the surface in the mud. They can remain underground for months, reappearing with the first storms of the wet season.

Observation Tower

The path then leads on to the Observation Tower, stop 6 on your leisurely Hinchinbrook Way Walk.

Scale the stairs of this 11-metre tall observation tower to overlook the lush expanse of the TYTO Parklands, Wetlands and beyond. The view which unfurls before you takes in the green, leafy canopies of towering raintrees and melaleucas, and the prolific wildlife of the main lagoon. Listen for the distinctive calls of native birds, and breathe in the warm, woody scent of the wetlands, mingled with the cool sharp aroma of eucalypt leaves.

To the south-west of where you stand, the varied ecosystems of the expansive TYTO Wetlands are a peaceful place to explore and discover. This naturally low-lying floodplain is a birdwatching mecca, with a bird species diversity that rivals the Northern Territory’s famous Kakadu National Park, in a space 18,000 times smaller! This means you’ll have a greater chance of getting up close to some of its 230 permanent and seasonal bird species, including the Eastern Grass Owl, White-browed Crake, Crimson Finch, Jacana and Cotton Pygmy-geese just to name a few.

In the distance, fertile green cane fields stretch across alluvial plains to sweeping mountain ranges, creating a lush and dramatic backdrop to the daily hustle and bustle of Ingham’s town centre. The observation tower provides a great photo opportunity for a unique perspective on the region!

Mini Military Museum

The walkway then leads through the TYTO precinct, where a number of key local attractions await. The first one you’ll encounter here is the Mini Military Museum, stop 7 along the Hinchinbrook Way Walk.

World War I was fought very close to home. With danger imminent, local young men joined the Militia or Citizens Military Force. The World War I local militia was a Company of the 31st Battalion, with personnel coming from Townsville, Bowen, the Burdekin, Charters Towers and Ingham.

The 31st Battalion has had continuous associations with North Queensland since 1886. Initially established as the Kennedy Regiment, the Battalion had its first overseas involvement during the Boer War in South Africa around the turn of the 20th century. At the outbreak of World War 1, the Kennedy Regiment was the first Australian Infantry unit mobilized for service, when it was dispatched to Thursday Island for the protection of Australia’s northern Defences. Since then, the Battalion has undergone a number of significant re-organisations and amalgamations, while continuing to play a significant role in the Australian defence effort both here and abroad, receiving 47 battle honours in the course of its service.

To discover the story of the 31st Battalion, Kennedy Regiment, visit the mini Military Museum, located within the Hinchinbrook Shire Library. This fascinating collection of local history documents and artefacts was bequeathed to the Hinchinbrook Shire Library by local historian for the 31st Battalion Infantry Association, Captain Bob Burla.

TYTO Regional Art Gallery

A little further along you will find the TYTO Regional Art Gallery. The gallery is a contemporary space showcasing artists and artisans in an annual exhibition program. Find anything from the art of our young people, local art groups, local Indigenous groups, and from established artists with a range of professional skill sets.

The artworks on exhibit show off the talents of painters, drawers, print makers, ceramicists, jewellery makers, sculptors, timber artisans, paper tollers and those gifted souls who create from items left lying about.

Drop by for a little creative inspiration or to purchase a unique, locally made gift or memento of your time here in Ingham, such as pottery, glass sculptures, hand-crafted jewellery and a variety of artworks.

The gallery is open daily from 10.00am-4.00pm (excluding Christmas periods and public holidays). Entry is free.

Nature Inspired Urban Design – 185w

Cross McIlwraith Street and continue along Tully Street until you arrive at John Heard’s stunning public artwork titled ‘The Circle of Life’.

This eye-catching outdoor exhibit encapsulates the emerging nature-inspired urban design theme found throughout Tully Street, reflecting the proximity and influence of Australia’s most diverse urban wetland, TYTO Wetlands.

The sculpture delivers an intriguing interpretation of the age-old story of life, death and rebirth. It depicts a decomposing lizard sustaining new life in the form of a plant, blossoming into three flowers producing pollens and nectars that continue the circle of life. Each flower depicts the story of development and growth. The smallest flower is bent, twisted and unorganised; however, with age each flower evolves, refining its structure, reflecting the wisdom gained through acquiring knowledge and experience. This evolution also reflects the parallels of growth in wisdom and decline in sexuality, with the flower’s potency declining with age. It all comes together in perfect form with the largest flower mirroring perfection of its species and sustaining other life.

The artwork was created by award-winning metal sculptor John Heard, who lives in the Hinchinbrook Shire. John has been the recipient of numerous art awards including the winner of the Open Award at the 37th Hinchinbrook Art Awards in 2015.

Originally from the Shoalhaven district in New South Wales, John developed his skills working in the boat building industry and aircraft welding. John has lived in the Hinchinbrook region since 1992 and has been interested in art from a young age, including painting and other various art mediums. Today, John focuses on sculptures and has found his niche in the art world. Most of his sculptures are based on the natural world that he visually sees, using all types of metals, he puts his own unique spin on everything he creates.

Piazza Conzano - Piemonte to Queensland

At the next intersection, turn right down Lannercost Street for about half a block. On the median strip you’ll find the Piazza Conzano.

You may be fascinated to learn that there are villages and towns in Piemonte, Italy where virtually every family has some connection, even if distant, to Ingham.

In 1994 at an official function held in Ingham; a sister city relationship was formally forged between Ingham and the picturesque Italian hilltop city of Conzano, Piemonte, Italy. In attendance on that memorable “night filled with emotion, nostalgia and history” was a large group of Conzano visitors and Ingham residents, many of whom were, themselves, from Conzano and surrounds, or descendants of immigrants from there.

Today, as Ingham’s Lannercost Street is designated as Piazza Conzano, Conzano’s Town Hall Square is reciprocally called Piazza Australia.

Piazza Conzano is a visible reminder of, and tribute to, the fact that the Hinchinbrook Shire is home to people from every corner of the globe, including Italy from where they arrived in such significant numbers that the region quickly became known as a ‘little Italy’.

Mercer Lane

Continue crossing Lannercost Street and you’ll find yourself facing Mercer Lane – a true highlight of the Hinchinbrook Way Walk.

Mercer Lane houses an incredible 42 metres of mosaic art panels depicting the history of the local sugar cane industry. Local businesswoman Karen Venables and artist Kate Carr rallied the community together, resulting in over 1,500 locals and visitors participating in the project. The medium of mosaics was used because it can be quickly learned, and because of its association with the artwork of ancient Italy and Italians who make up a significant percentage of the local population.

The mosaic features images telling a pictorial tale of the region’s rich cane cutting history. It features images of lush fields of ripe cane, the burning of the cane fields ahead of harvest, haul outs and harvesters used to transport the cut cane to the cane trains, the locomotives that transport this cut cane to the sugar mills, and even the Mack truck used by a local transport company to move harvesting equipment from one farm to another.

It's a truly remarkable piece of artwork, and a testament to what can be produced when a community is invited to come together and make something their own.

Take a stroll along Mercer Lane to take in all the details – the texture of intricately-cut tiling, the storytelling and the spirit of cooperation within this close-knit community that has created this massive masterpiece of community art.

Lee’s Hotel

Head a little further along Lannercost Street to Lee’s Hotel – an ideal spot to stop and wet your whistle – these days!

During the World War II period, Lee’s Hotel, then known as the Day Dawn Hotel, was the first hotel encountered by troop convoys as they passed through Ingham. Upon their arrival, regardless of the hour, the bar opened for service. Because of the war, the hotels beer supply was restricted by quotas and on one hot thirsty day, the troops drank the bar dry.

Amazed at being unable to buy beer at his favourite pub that day, local poet Dan Sheahan wrote the poem “A Pub Without Beer”. Years later, the song “A Pub With No Beer”, written by Gordon Parsons and sung by multi award-winning Country and Western singer, Slim Dusty, was based upon the original verses of Dan Sheahan’s historic poem. This tune went on to become Australia’s first worldwide number one hit song in 1957.

You’ll be glad to know that these days Lee’s Hotel is well stocked with all your favourite refreshments – including ice-cold beer which hasn’t run out since that fateful day in 1943! They also offer Heritage Listed Iconic Hotel accommodation if you’re looking for a place to rest your head.

The Herbert River Canecutter

From Lees Hotel, continue along Lannercost Street for about 150 metres and cross the pedestrian crossing to find the next point of interest – the Herbert River Canecutter.

Here you’ll find a monument and interpretive signage that shares the history and pays tribute to the former workers of the area’s cane fields.

After an early origin as a staging outpost for pastoral activity, land in the area was selected for plantation cane and sugar production. Ingham is named after a young adventurer and visionary of the sugar industry, William Bairstow Ingham, who came here in the early days to buy and plant 700 acres of cane and invest in the original Gairloch Mill.

In these earliest days, labour for the plantations was all organised by indentured South Sea Islanders known as ‘kanakas’ through a process that was totally unregulated and very much akin to the slave trade in the southern United States. Conditions were harsh for the kanakas who were susceptible to European diseases and dysentery, all of which took a toll. Over time, agitation over indentured labour practices grew in the southern states of Australia, and in 1901, the kanaka labour trade ended.

European labour was encouraged, particularly from Italy, Finland and sub-regions of what is now known as Spain, to supplement the primarily British and Irish farm owners. One such brave immigrant was Mario Torrisi, who shared his story on another plaque displayed here.

After the labour shortages of World War 2, more workers were required, and as such were recruited under a scheme backed by the Australian Government whereby interested applicants were selected from Italy in 1955. Two ships then brought this new generation of workers to our shores. Mechanisation of the industry began in the 1960’s, ending the era of the manual canecutter, but their pioneering spirit and the contribution they made to the growth and prosperity of this community will not be forgotten.

A metal sculpture of canecutter bent over his labour serves as another reminder of the back-breaking work undertaken by the industry’s indentured and free workers in the early days before mechanisation.

Ingham Post Office

Back on the south side of Lannercost Street you’ll arrive at the historic Ingham Post Office.

In 1874 mail took 45 days to arrive from Brisbane, and when (or if) it arrived at the Dungeness seaport there was nobody there authorised to receive or forward it. Dissatisfaction led to a petition sent to the Post-Master General. However, it was only with the increased traffic on the stock route that the Lower Herbert Post and Telegraph Office was opened in 1875.

From then on electronic communication via Morse code was available to the district to enable news, commerce and banking to occur for the emerging settlement. However, ordinary settlers continued to look to the postal service to bring news of friends and loved ones. The original small wooden building was replaced by a purpose-built Post and Telegraph Office building in 1900 to cater for increasing local demand for postal services.

In 1935, the Department of the Interior constructed the Post Office building seen here today. This masonry building is constructed in a design typical of many Queensland interwar Post Offices. Its heritage value today is described as “one of the last generally Colonial revival post offices in Australia”.

Telecommunication with the rest of Australia emerged as an essential service during the Second World War, with Ingham’s Post and Telegraph Office fulfilling an important national role. In a move to secure telecommunication, new cable lines and well-equipped poles were installed to keep communication lines open between north Queensland and the rest of Australia.

From its humble beginnings as a telegraph and letter receiving facility, Ingham Post Office has kept pace with dramatic changes and continues to play a role in keeping the community connected with news from near and far.

Sugar Tracks

At the next intersection, cross the Bruce Highway (also known as Townsville Road) turn left and walk a little further along then turn right into Macrossan Avenue where you’ll re-enter the green expanse of the TYTO Parklands. Follow the walking path back towards the Visitor Information Centre. On your left you’ll find a farm machinery display titled ‘The Sugar Tracks’ - your penultimate stop along the Hinchinbrook Way Walk.

This series of machinery exhibits brings to life a yesteryear that shaped the great pioneering cane community of Hinchinbrook.

It demonstrates the journey of an industry as it changed over time from horse to tractor power, from manual to mechanical processes. In the days of the manual cane cutter, the sugar industry woke the Valley each June from the long sleep of the slack into the exhilarating days of the crushing season. These relics of the industry’s past evoke an enduring sense of romance and nostalgia for the pioneering days that formed the very fabric of this community’s formation, growth and sweet future prosperity.

The display contains elements of both horse-drawn and tractor-drawn machinery, reflecting the processes from working the soil and planting to harvesting and carting cane to the mill. Some pieces like the spring plough have been around since ancient times. Others like the cutter planter were, in their day, innovative pieces of technology designed and made locally and whose design has also stood the test of time.

In the shadows of this machinery unseen, yet integral to the story is the farmer walking behind his plough, the South Sea Islander (known historically as a Kanaka) woman laying setts of cane in the drill, the sweating cane cutter swinging a bundle of cut cane from his shoulder onto the truck and the barracks cook trudging along the headland bringing ‘smoko’ to the hungry, weary gang.

Agile Wallabies

Continue along the pathway through the Tyto Parklands to the final interpretive sign on the walk which highlights some interesting facts about our ‘agile wallabies’.

Agile Wallabies are the most common species of wallaby in northern Australia. They can often be spotted in town, on playing fields, in bushland surrounding local cane fields and settlements, and of course, here in the lush TYTO Parklands.

They frequent this area during early morning and late evening, feeding predominantly on succulent grasses. They often live in smaller groups of up to 10 individuals but can be seen at TYTO in much larger mobs feeding with their Joeys at foot. With a permanent water source and plenty of open grassy areas to feed upon, they are able to breed all year round.

Interestingly, the Agile Wallaby sometimes digs holes in dry creeks and billabongs to search for water, a tactic that may be used to avoid being killed by the saltwater crocodile, often found within the river systems.

If you take your time and walk through either TYTO Parklands or TYTO Wetlands you may be pleasantly surprised by the abundance of photographic opportunities these normally shy creatures provide. Move quietly to maximise your chances of a closer encounter. If you listen carefully, you may be able to hear the soft thudding as they bounce through the lush grasslands.

Accessibility

The township of Ingham is located in sunny North Queensland, approximately 100 kilometres north of Townsville and just over 200 kilometres south of Cairns.

The Hinchinbrook Way Walk commences at the Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre , located on the corner of Cooper Street and Townsville Road, just south of Ingham. To learn more about the centre’s accessibility features and opening hours please refer to our Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre audio guide. For other enquiries ahead of your visit please contact our friendly team by phoning 07 4776 4792 or emailing tourism@hinchinbrook.qld.gov.au.

Accessible parking is available out the front of the centre, within a short distance of the beginning of the trail.

Accessible bathrooms are located just outside the back door of the Visitor Information Centre, and right next to the Piazza Conzano. Standard public toilets can also be found behind the Hinchinbrook Shire Council Building on Townsville Road, on your way to the Sugar Tracks display.Registered assistance animals are welcome, and grassy areas suitable for their toileting are found behind the Visitor Centre, opposite the bottom car park.

The Hinchinbrook Way Walk is wheelchair accessible. The elevated walkway heading out across the Tyto Parklands has a cement surface, leading to cement footpaths throughout the Ingham CBD portion of the trail. The path back through the Tyto Parklands to the Visitor Information Centre has a gravel surface.

The pedestrian crossing to cross Lannercost Street to get to the Herbert River Canecutter display and on to the Post Office is an audible crossing, as is the crossing you’ll take across the Bruce Highway from the Post Office to get back to McIlwraith Street. The McIlwarith Street crossing itself also features audible indicators.