Etheridge Region

Camping and Caravanning in the Etheridge Region

The Etheridge Shire lies at the base of Cape York Peninsula over a vast area of ancient rock. It covers 38,850 square kilometres from the Great Diving Range in the east to Gregory Range in the west. The Newcastle Range runs down the centre with the Gilbert and its tributaries, the Einasleigh, Etheridge, Percy & Robertson carrying monsoonal rainfall. Within its borders lie several goldfields, base metal fields and gem fields.

Relics of the famous gold rush days can still be found throughout the district and the settlements of Mount Surprise, Einasleigh, and Forsayth, together with Georgetown, remain a fossickers dream. The Etheridge goldfield, the “poor mans” goldfield, has never been worked out. Modern day prospectors armed with metal detectors still search for specimens such as coloured topaz, agates, sapphires, smoky quartz and other precious stones as well as nuggets of gold.
(source: www.etheridge.qld.gov.au)