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The history is just the beginning...
lakeland + laura
Laura
Historic Laura, in
Quinkan Country
, was
an important supply centre for the
Palmer
River Gold Rush
towns of
Palmerville
and Maytown in the 1870s
, and once the
terminus for the
Cooktown-Laura Railway
,
the lifeline of early settlers in the north.
If you follow the
Laura Heritage Trail
from
the centre of town, you will get a feel for those
early years,
relics from the era still remain
and you can even experience the confinement
of an original police lock up building.
Visit the old Laura Homestead at nearby
Lakefield National Park for a taste of our
pioneering past.
The
Quinkan and Regional Cultural Centre
was established with the support of the
Queensland Heritage Trails Network
.
The Centre showcases all aspects of
Quinkan country, including its Aboriginal
and non-Aboriginal heritage and the natural
environment, and ranks among Queensland’s
finest cultural and interpretive centres.
Make this your first stop in Laura for
information on the region. A select range of
Aboriginal arts and crafts
are available for
sale, and you can book
guided tours
to some
of the world famous rock art sites in the region.
The centre has several
interpretive displays
with information on the Quinkan
rock art
galleries
, local families and tribal elders,
the gold rush days and cattle stations. A DVD
showcases the Laura region and children can
even learn traditional dance steps.
There is a small cafe in the centre and the
Ang Gnarra Community Campground
is
located next to the Centre.
Aboriginal Rock Art
Today Laura is best known for its amazing
Aboriginal rock art galleries.
The Quinkan rock
art galleries are now listed by UNESCO as
being amongst the top 10 rock art sites in
the world.
The rock art of south-east Cape York Peninsula
forms some of the oldest and largest galleries
in the world, with a multitude of paintings,
stencils and engravings across the traditional
lands of the Kuku Yalanji, Guugu Yimithirr and
Kuku Thaypan people.
The
Mushroom Rock Gallery
and
Giant
Horse Gallery
are open to the public on
guided tours, and the Split Rock Gallery is
open to both guided and self guided walks
with fees payable at the Quinkan Cultural
Centre. For more information or to book a
tour contact the Quinkan Cultural Centre on
(07) 4060 3457.
aboriginal rock art