Monkland

Monkland is a small town located south-east of Gympie in Queensland.

It’s home to numerous heritage and historical buildings that certainly make it worth staying a few days to explore.

Monkland Accommodation, Restaurants, Shops, History, Attractions, Qld

Perhaps the biggest tourist attraction in town is the Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum, which is a fantastic place to go to learn all about the rich gold mining history of Gympie and how it saved Queensland from an approaching bankruptcy. Its history dates back to 1867 when James Nash was able to find 72 ounces of gold in less than a week, which spurred the beginning of the Gympie gold rush.

Gympie was rich in alluvial gold, and people came from all over for deep reef mining and reprocess tailing and reopen the mines back in 1980. However, mining was stopped though it’s believed the town is still rich in residual gold. Visit the Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum, and explore the more than 5 hectares of land with 30+ display areas in 15 buildings.

Some of the things you’ll find in the museum include a wide range of photographs, artefacts, and other documents. Each building houses a collection covering a different facet of Gympie’s history, and some of them even have parts of the No. 2 Great Eastern Gold Mine. Additionally, you’ll get to see Andrew Fisher’s personal collection, one of the early Labour Prime Ministers of the country.

There is also the Owens Gun Museum, which is the largest gun museum in the southern hemisphere. It houses an impressive collection of 3,000 firearms hailing from the Boer War, the Wild West, and Waterloo. Other nearby attractions include the Gympie Regional Gallery, Gympie Bone Museum, Lake Alford Recreational Park, and the Mary Valley Rattler.

Monkland’s many historical sites are a sure thrill for any history buff travelling here. Make sure you explore the range of accommodation choices nearby, including several hotels, holiday houses, caravan parks, bed and breakfasts, cottages and retreats.