Everything you need to know about Charters Towers

With the discovery of gold in 1871, Charters Towers quickly went from a rough settlement to a rich and highly progressive city, with grand public buildings and stately homes lining almost every city street.  By the 1890s, the proud citizens of Charters Towers referred to the town as “The World”, given it provided them with everything they could possibly ever want.  

Today, you can relive Charters Towers’ rich and colourful history by visiting the city’s magnificent heritage buildings, museums and other fascinating locations associated with the gold rush era.  

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The best place to start your visit in Charters Towers is at the Visitor Information Centre.  Here you can pick up the Ghosts of Gold CD (or USB) for a self-drive tour around town and a map for a self-guided walking tour around the beautifully preserved city centre, known as ‘One Square Mile’. While you’re here, watch the Orientation film, which provides some great background information on Charters Towers.

Armed with your walking map, follow the directions to some of the town’s most magnificent heritage listed buildings. Buildings include the Stock Exchange Arcade, The World Theatre, City Hall and the Post Office Tower. Along the way, don’t miss some of the town’s fabulous murals, including the huge mural depicting the gold rush era on the wall of the Arthur Titley Centre.

The self-guided walk takes you past the Zara Clark Museum which is well worth a stop. Allow an hour or two here to poke around the various rooms, where you’ll be transported back to a bygone era as you browse the various knick knacks on display.  

The Ghosts of Gold CD (or USB) is a great way to explore the Charters Towers attractions outside the city centre. Some of the highlights on route include the foot of Towers Hill (where local Aboriginal boy Jupiter Mossman first discovered gold in 1871), Pioneer Cemetery (the resting place for the locals who died during the gold rush era) and the newer Charters Towers Cemetery (operating since 1985 and also where Jupiter Mossman is buried).

The Venus Gold Battery is another stop on the Ghosts of Gold tour, although this attraction is experienced best by joining a guided tour. On the guided tour you’ll learn how the old battery played a critical role during the gold rush, being the first mill set up in town to extract gold. Today, it’s one of the largest surviving battery relics in Australia.

Visit Towers Hill towards the end of the day where you can check out some of the old WWII Bunkers before heading up to the lookout to watch the sunset.  Better yet, book yourself into the Sunset at Towers Hill tour run by the Charters Towers Tourist Park. They’ll provide you with return transportation, a bottle of wine, glasses and a grazing platter to enjoy while watching the spectacular sunset. Stick around after sunset, as most evenings at 7 pm there’s a screening of the Ghosts After Dark film, shown in the small outdoor amphitheatre at the lookout.

Another fun way to explore the city after dark is to join the Charters Towers Ghost Tour. During the 90 minute ghost tour, guests wander the streets of Charters Towers and hear accounts of those who came to seek their fortune, including stories of hardships and the high price some paid for their greed. 

A must-do while you’re in town is the Texas Longhorn Tour. Hosts Lynda and Michael have done a marvellous job of creating a memorable experience where you’ll learn all there is to know about Texas Longhorns, as well as being transported across their 1100 acre property to get up close with some of their gorgeous longhorns. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a billy tea and homemade cakes and the opportunity to see the horns of “JR” - a Guinness World Record holder for the bull with the longest horns.

Eat and drink

If it’s pub grub you’re after, you won’t go hungry in Charters Towers, with a myriad of pubs to choose from, many dating back to the gold rush period. In the city centre you’ve got the Sovereign Tavern, the Commercial Hotel and the Court House Hotel (also known as Irish Molly’s), all offering your typical pub fare in generous proportions, with icy cold beer and live music on certain nights of the week.  

For the history buffs, grab a meal at the Park Motel & Restaurant - built in 1888, this motel has a colourful past and is said to be haunted. Have morning tea or lunch in the centre of the stunning heritage-listed Stock Arcade, at the Stock Exchange Café. The Civic Club is another heritage-listed building where you can dine - once an exclusive club for the city’s most influential men, it’s now open to all. Today visitors to the Civic Centre can drop in for a drink, play billiards on a 100-year-old table or join their famous Friday night BBQ buffets.

For great coffee, breakfast or lunch, pop into SweetLips Cafe, while for dessert, there’s Koffe & Cones. For something quick and easy, stop at Goldfield Bakery, which sells an array of homemade pastries, cakes, bread, and rolls.

Stay

If you’re travelling through town in your caravan, the Charters Towers Tourist Park is the perfect place to stay. This Charters Towers caravan park is surrounded by beautiful gardens and features a swimming pool with a BBQ area. For those caravanning with kids, the best place to stay is the Big4 Aussie Outback Oasis, which has various facilities to keep the kids busy, including a swimming pool, giant jumping pillow and playground. In addition to van sites, both parks offer a range of self-contained cabins and are pet-friendly.

For those wanting to stay in the centre of the charming old town amongst the heritage buildings, the Commercial Hotel offers good value, air-conditioned rooms. The Park Motel is also a lovely central place to stay and has a swimming pool on site.

If you don’t mind staying on the outskirts of town, there is the Charters Towers Motel or the Heritage Lodge Motel, both offering great value accommodation and offering a swimming pool. For those wanting spacious self-contained accommodation, the Heritage Lodge offers two bedroom apartments.

Need to know

Charters Towers is just 134 km or a 90 minute drive west of Townsville, making it an easy detour for those travelling along the Queensland coast. Alternatively, it’s a great stop for those heading inland to explore Outback Queensland with the Great Inland Way and the Overlander’s Way, two major tourism routes, passing through Charters Towers.

While your own vehicle is the most convenient way to reach Charters Towers, it is also possible to get there by rail with the Inlander travelling from Townsville to Mount Isa via Charters Towers twice a week.

Charters Towers weather can be extremely hot during the summer months, with temperatures in the mid-30s. The summer months are often rainy and also bring high humidity so visits are more popular during the winter months when the temperature is milder.