Atherton
Located forty-eight kilometres southwest of Cairns in Yidinji country, within the Tablelands Regional Council local government area, Atherton sits at the intersection of the Kennedy and Gillies Highways.
With a population of around 7500 and a cooler, less humid climate than the nearby tropical coast, Atherton serves as the region's administrative hub.
Farmers in the surrounding area rear dairy and beef cattle and grow a variety of crops, including avocados, blackberries, blueberries, coffee, macadamia nuts, mangoes, maize, peanuts, potatoes, strawberries and sugar cane.
The town's name comes from pastoralist John Atherton, who settled at Emerald End (later renamed Mareeba) in 1875. The area was initially known as Priors Pocket or Priors Creek. Falconer West Hutton renamed the locality when he surveyed the township site in May 1885.
Links to add:
John Atherton
Tablelands Regional Council
