What's On Tablelands December 2017 / January 2018 | Page 9

Barron Valley Hotel, Atherton
Built a year earlier, the Yungaburra Hotel (also known as the
Lake Eacham Hotel) is the second largest timber hotel in
Australia. The Ravenshoe Hotel holds the title of the ‘Highest
Pub in Queensland’ at 920 metres. With its beginnings in
the 1880s, the Barron Valley Hotel underwent a couple of
rebuilds, with the latest in the late 1930s early 1940s in the
fancy Art Deco style of the time. It’s interior remains mostly
unchanged and utterly charming, and has been operated by
the Nasser family since 1930.
A number of pubs on the Tablelands have succumbed to
fire. The Atherton Hotel (burnt 1944), the Junction Hotel in
Dimbulah (burnt 1957), the Millaa Millaa Hotel (burnt 1998),
Carriers Arms (now Anthill Hotel) and Dunlops Hotel (now
the Gateway Hotel) in Mareeba and the Tolga Hotel (burnt
down 1929 and was replaced with a building transported
from Kureen). These were all rebuilt and continue to trade.
After the Atherton Hotel fire, only a charred light pole
remained and so it became fondly known as “The Black
Stump” – the rebuild was completed in 1954.
In the last year, the Kairi Hotel and Gateway Hotel have
both undergone significant renovations, with the Gateway
recently being recognised with a number of awards. To see
these historic buildings brought back to life so that future
generations can enjoy them is very special.
After the First World War, new gathering centres for returned
servicemen surfaced in the form of RSL Clubs which focussed
on their welfare. Whilst there are still many active branches
and halls, only a couple on the Tablelands trade as clubs –
Malanda RSL and Citizens’ Memorial Club and the Mareeba
December 2017-January 2018 What’s On & Where To Go 9