Most people come to North Queensland expecting beaches and swaying palm trees but if you’re a history buff you might enjoy a visit to Historic Village Herberton, an old fashioned village based on Australia’s pioneering days.
If you’re road tripping around North Queenland, it is definitely worth exploring away from the coast and into the outback where you can often find some unexpected and unusual places to visit.
Historic Village Herberton is one of those places that is definitely worth visiting. It’s like stepping back in time!
[headline size=”small” align=”left”]herberton village[/headline]
Set on 16 acres of land in the Atherton Tablelands, Historic Village Herberton is the largest outdoor museum in Queensland with 50 original buildings from the town’s pioneering days.
The museum is set up like a real township so visitors can wander through the village and stop in at the old general store, bank, dentist, doctors, fire station, chemist, butchers, pub, clothing store, toy shop and more.
Each shop displays wares and memorabilia from Herberton’s foundation years with fantastic collections of everything from vintage toys, bottles and medicine tins through to old-fashioned cars, fire engines and horse carts.
Our favourite building is the old school.
It has classrooms in their original form including blackboards on the walls, old fashioned desks and bench seats, vintage hard cover books, maps on the walls and a huge school bell.
If you’re travelling with children Herberton is a good educational trip for them to see what life was like in the early days and get a chance to re-enact life from the pioneering era.
[headline size=”small” align=”left”]herberton pioneer weekend[/headline]
Historic Village Herberton is open all year round, but if you happen to be in North Queensland during the month of May, then try and time your visit to the museum with the annual Pioneer Weekend.
This fantastic two-day Herberton event provides an authentic pioneering experience.
All the staff dress in full pioneering costumes and there are blacksmith and wood chopping demonstrations and pony rides.
We dressed up and went last year as a family daytrip and we loved it. The atmosphere was very jovial with live music, cake stalls and vintage stalls.
The costume contests were a real drawcard and added a fun element to the weekend.
In fact, if you’re familiar with Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, Victoria, Historic Village Herberton is quite similar.
[headline size=”small” align=”left”]travel nq fast facts:[/headline]
• Herberton is in the Atherton Tablelands approx. 90 minutes drive from Cairns and 2-3 hours from Townsville
• Museum opening hours are 9am – 5pm in high season (mid-March to mid Oct) and 10am – 4pm in low season
• Dogs on leads are welcome at Historic Village Herberton
• The Bakerville Tearooms are open daily at the museum serving lunch, snacks, cakes and Devonshire tea
• To find out more visit their www.historicvillageherberton.com.au or call 07 4096 2002
