How to spend 48 hours in Ingham, Queensland's Little Italy

Take the Bruce Highway 112km north from Townsville to find the Italian capital amongst the sugar cane.

The town of Ingham owes much of its multicultural flair to this sugar cane, which drew Italian immigrants to the area with the promise of work at one of the largest sugar mills in Australia. The rest, as they say in Ingham, is “storia”.

A stop at Frosty Mango will break up the drive for local ice-cream made on real fruit. There’s well over twenty different flavours to choose from – but you can't beat the classic, mango. 

7pm: dinner and a night in

Mix North Queensland mateship with Italian famiglia and you’ll find few places as friendly and hospitable as a couple of nights in Ingham. And you'll feel right at home at the Tropixx Motel. Complete with essentials – free WiFi, a pool and air conditioning – Tropixx will help you relax and recharge for the days of exploring ahead of you. For those travelling with a furry best friend, there’s even a pet-friendly room available.

Go casual for dinner tonight and pick up some takeaway goodies from Wild Local, where you can choose from a range of locally, wild-caught seafood like barramundi, coral trout, mud crab, prawns and more. 

Saturday

8am: rise and dine

If getting a taste of Little Italy is your top priority during 48 hours in Ingham, make JK's Deli your first stop today - a cafe and deli on the main drag. 

The aromatic appeal to JK’s is the first thing you’ll notice – a tantalising combination of salami, olives and freshly-ground espresso. Not only will you find the best coffee in town, there’s a glass cabinet filled with every tasty morsel you could imagine: vanilla-bean cannoli, choc-hazelnut savoiardi and a sponge cake that’s worth the drive alone.

Crowd favourites fuse Italian and Australian cuisines – like a crumbed steak wrap, bolognese burger and gourmet meat pies. Either way, bring be sure to pack your appetite, sit down for breakfast, and leave with a handful of special treats for later on.

10am: explore Ingham's historic side

Now that you’ve satisfied your stomach, take a stroll to Mercer Lane Mosaic where you can learn the deep history of this town, displayed in a beautiful array of handcrafted mosaics.

It’s one of Australia’s largest mosaic murals and another beautiful nod to the town’s Mediterranean roots. The artwork is a testament to the town’s people and neighbourhood spirit, with over 2000 people volunteering to put the mural together. You can certainly feel the community in each mottled piece, coming together to form something incredible.  

12pm onward: waterfall hop through World Heritage-listed landscapes

Only in Queensland would you find Little Italy nestled among World Heritage-listed rainforest - but that's the beauty of Ingham. Wild waterfalls and tropical swimming holes are central to any experience up north, so when you're looking for things to do around Ingham, look to Girringun National Park. Two spectacular spots steal the show here, Wallaman and Jourama Falls,  and you can hop your way from one to the other in an adventurous afternoon.

Wallaman Falls is Australia’s highest permanent single drop waterfall and has become a notoriously photographable hot spot. Camera or not, it’s worth capturing with your eyes alone. Its spray plunges over 260 metres in a clear, single drop – complete with rainbows sun-flared through the overspray. Leave yourself at least two hours to venture down the Diyinda Walk to the bottom of the falls, and be sure to pack proper walking shoes for the trek.

A little way down the road, you’ll find Jourama Falls - a popular spot for keen hikers to explore the rugged, red, Australian terrain. Like something from a storybook, these rapids cascade down rocky peaks and into rock pools below. The flow is entirely dependent on recent rainfall, but it’s always best to pack your swimmers just in case – you’d be mad to miss out on a dip amongst the World Heritage-listed landscape.

Dinner: find The Pub with No Beer

Don’t let the name fool you, there’s definitely cold beer on tap inside the legendary Lees Hotel. The sign on the outside “The pub with no beer” is a nod to Slim Dusty’s song, penned about this very establishment.

It all started in the summer of 1943, when a convoy of American soldiers left Townsville for Ingham in the morning expecting to be there by lunch time, but met a few wet season hurdles along the way. Fast forward 14 hours to 2am at Lees Hotel, where the soldiers proceeded to drink the pub dry, a story which was translated into a poem by Ingham poet Dan Sheahan and was later immortalised in lyrics by Slim Dusty.

Today, you can be guaranteed the pub is well stocked, and also home to its own steakhouse that serves up the best local produce and Herbert Valley-raised beef.

Sunday

9am: explore Tyto Wetlands

You don’t have to be an avid bird watcher to appreciate the dawn chatter of wild birds, often masked by city sounds back home. Spend your Sunday morning exploring the local botanic gardens at Tyto Information and Wetlands Centre.

Over 110 hectares of rehabilitated wetland area to explore, with over 240 species of bird to spot – 27% of all Australian bird species call this wetland home. The wetlands walk is connected with boardwalks and elevated platforms that provide optimal viewing of the wildlife.

You can explore under your own steam, or with an expert guide. Be sure to stop in at the visitor information centre to collect maps, bird lists and local tips so you can hear the insights of bird names, calls and characteristics. This is a great picnic spot too, so be sure to grab more deli delights before arriving. 

If you have a little more time up your sleeve, stop by the Regional Art Gallery nestled within the centre. 

When to visit Ingham

For more things to do in Ingham, time your visit around June each year to see the town really turn it on. The annual Italian Festival is held around this time each year and celebrates Italian wine, cuisine, music and culture – not to be missed if you’re travelling the area.