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Ingham

Tucked away in a lush nook of North Queensland's Great Green Way region is a quaint town known for its prosperous sugar industry, Ingham. Surrounded by beautiful mountains and valleys, Ingham is undeniably a place that will leave you in awe and admiration for Mother Nature's beauty. With its stunning panoramas, fascinating history and genial locals, Ingham is the perfect destination for anyone who is looking for something more than just the usual Australian welcome. Surprisingly, this small town is home to the biggest Italian community in Australia outside of Melbourne. Ingham exudes that distinctive European appeal that is not found in neighboring North Australian towns and villages.

A rustic yet extremely charming town, Ingham is situated 1482 and 111 kilometers away from Brisbane and Townsville, respectively. Adjacently located to the Herbert River, Ingham is the administrative seat of the Hinchinbrook Shire Council. The place was named after William Bairstow Ingham, one of the pioneers of the sugar industry in the region. During his time, William Ingham owned a 700-acre sugar plantation, which was nicknamed "Ings."

It was also the sugar industry that brought the Italians to Australia. A change in the immigration policy during the 1900's resulted in the arrival of Italian workers in 1891. The Italians who came to Ingham during the advent of 20th century have made significant contributions to the town. It is interesting to note that 60% of the Ingham residents are of Italian descent. The influence of the Italians is such that a festival is held every year to celebrate Ingham's cultural background. The colorful and fun Australian Italian Festival, which is held on the month of May, is just one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ingham.

Attractions

Speaking of tourist spots, Ingham abounds in natural attractions that never fail to astound its visitors. The Girringun National Park is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area located roughly 50 kilometers from Ingham. It was previously known as Lumholtz National Park, but the name was changed to Girringun in 2003. This vast park, which covers 1,230 square kilometers, features wet sclerophyll forests, a handful of rainforests, the Wallaman Falls, Mount Fox and the Herbert River Gorge. For this reason, Girringun National Park is unquestionably a nature-lover's paradise.

The Wallaman Falls is Australia's largest single-drop waterfall, dropping 305 meters into a big pool. The area around the waterfalls has a number of camping sites and walking trails for people who want to get closer to Mother Nature. This is where visitors can marvel at the exotic plants and animals like the platypus and the cassowary. Meanwhile, the Mount Fox is an extinct volcano approximately 365 meters high and 560,000 years old. Anybody who's up for an extreme adventure can climb Mount Fox, which features a depression at its top.

Aside from natural attractions, Ingham also boasts several fascinating places of interest. Those who want to learn more about Ingham's Italian background can visit the Ingham Cemetery. Known for its somewhat Mediterranean touch, the cemetery displays a wide array of mausoleums, chapels and sepulchers that are distinctly Italian. The Catholic section of the cemetery in particular boasts old-style mausoleums that were made of marble and white stucco with Gothic doors and windows.

Another interesting site is the Ingham Memorial Gardens. A stone's throw away from the town's major thoroughfare, the Ingham Memorial Gardens is the perfect place for people who want to spend a day outdoors. The gardens feature breathtaking landscapes, a pond and several memorials of renowned individuals such as Keith Payne and the 12 people who died in the "Texas Terror" crash.

Other noteworthy sites in Ingham are Lee's Hotel and the Victoria Mill. It was said that during World War II, the American servicemen who were in Ingham celebrated the Coral Sea victory by drinking all the beer in the hotel. Some people say that Lee's Hotel is the inspiration for the song, "The Pub with No Beer." Meanwhile, the Victoria Mill is Australia's largest sugar mill. Situated 6 kilometers away from Ingham, this mill is operational during the months of June to November. Unfortunately, the Victoria Mill is not open for public.

Ingham is certainly a unique place in Australia worth visiting particularly with it’s Italian flavor!