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This is a companion book to Herberton Hotels published 2024.
Our journey of discovery of hotels moves to the hills west of Herberton Queensland. After the establishment of the township of Herberton in 1880, discovery of minerals further west spawned the towns of Watsonville, Bakerville, Irvinebank, Montalbion, Stannary Hills, Orient Camp, Hales Siding, Rocky Bluff and Boonmoo.
Some of the hotels were bush shanties, others quite substantial two storey structures. When a town declined whole hotels were dismantled and moved to another town. Towns with small populations had a more than generous number of hotels to quench the thirst of the resident and transient miners of the day.
The area was also known for growing tobacco in the 1930's, having farms in Watsonville, Montalbion, Hales Siding and Boonmoo.
Although most of these towns have disappeared, the history of mining magnates, financial collapses and disgraced premiers remains. Visitors to the area come to discover the history and enjoy the outback camping experience.
The Stannary Hills tramway played an important part in connecting these towns. The tramway construction commenced in 1901 at Boonmoo with the Stannary Hills connection opening in 1902. It was extended to Rocky Bluffs and then connected to Irvinebank in 1907. This tramway was used to transport firewood and ore to the Irvinebank smelters, ore to Rocky Bluffs from Stannary Hills, goods for the towns and provided a connection at Boonmoo to the main line to Chillagoe, Mareeba and Cairns.
