Atherton, Queensland

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Atherton
state = qld


caption = The main street of Atherton
lga = Tablelands Regional Council
postcode = 4883
pop = 5800
est =
rainfall = 1360
elevation = 700
stategov = Electoral district of Tablelands
fedgov = Division of Kennedy

Atherton is a town on the Atherton Tablelands of Far North Queensland, Australia.

Average temperatures

*Summer 17–35 °C
*Winter 5–22 °C

Transport

Roads

Atherton is joined by the Gilles Highway to Yungaburra, the Kennedy Highway north to Mareeba and south to Ravenshoe and Mount Garnet, the Malanda Road to Malanda and the Herberton Road to Herberton.

Public Transport

*Trans North offers a number of return services during a seven day week between Atherton, Tolga, Walkamin, Mareeba, Kuranda, and Cairns including drop-offs to airport, railway station, hospitals and bus depots. There are connections available between Ravenshoe and Herberton and along the Wheelbarrow Way to Chillagoe.
*There is an Atherton taxi service.

Economy

The land around Atherton is used to grow a variety of crops, including sugar cane, peanuts, mangoes, maize (corn), potatoes, avocados and macadamia nuts. Dairy and beef cattle are also reared in the area.

Culture

Each year towards the end of August, Atherton celebrates the Maize festival, which features a parade with decorated floats, the Maize Queen pageant, some children's amusement rides and some activities such as tug of war and wood chopping. There are also shop window display and artwork competitions as well as a prize given to the best float.

Education

Atherton has two primary schools, one secondary school, one independent Prep - Grade 12 school and a TAFE campus. There are also several day care centres in the town.

* Atherton State High School
* Atherton State School
* Jubilee Christian College
* St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
* Tropical North Institute of TAFE

Government

Atherton is in the Australian House of Representatives Division of Kennedy and the Queensland Legislative Assembly Electoral district of Tablelands.

Health

Atherton Hospital is in the Tablelands Health District. It hospital provides obstetric, medical, surgical, operating theatre, accident and emergency services.

Notable people from Atherton

* Peter Beattie, Former Premier of Queensland
* Ron Grainer, composer
* Dallas Johnson, Melbourne Storm lock forward and Queensland State of Origin representative.
* Rod Jensen, former North Queensland Cowboys player, now playing for Huddersfield Giants in the UK.

External links

* [http://www.health.qld.gov.au/hospitals/community_profiles/profile.asp?ProfileName=Atherton Queensland Government Profile of Atherton]
* [http://www.athertontableland.com/Atherton.html Travel Guide]
* [http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=200130 Historical weather of Atherton]