Chillagoe in Far North Queensland is a 4WD Adventure Into the Galaxy

Far North Queensland is well known for monsoon rains, humid hot weather, and tropical cyclones – but a hop skip and a jump over the Great Dividing Range you’ll find a place that’s unrecognisable from the coast with literally thousands of hidden treasures!

We Are Explorers acknowledges that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Kuku Yalanji people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Quick Overview of Chillagoe

Chillagoe is a typically dry, quiet town several hours west of Cairns in the Mareeba Shire, Queensland. It lies west of the Great Dividing Range that separates the lush tropical rainforest along the coast from the more arid country throughout the centre of Australia. These conditions make it perfect to escape the humidity and light pollution to enjoy the stars in all of their glory.

Chillagoe left me starry-eyed

About Chillagoe

Chillagoe today is a remnant of the former bustling mining town in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nowadays, most of the traffic is from tourists looking to visit any one of its many natural attractions.

There are thousands of limestone caves, several are publicly accessible, a seasonal creek near town, and many stunning rocky outcrops.

Views at Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park

My main reason for visiting Chillagoe, apart from escaping the monsoon rain on the coast, is to marvel at the crisp clear night skies.

The drier climate out west means less clouds, less humidity, and no light pollution! The 250-odd Chillagoe residents don’t exactly have the infrastructure in place to set off a bat-signal to ruin any stargazing. The skies are so clear that the Eco Lodge in town has its own observatory!

History of Chillagoe

Chillagoe is home to the Kuku Yalanji people and has strong connections to the Yidinji people too. There are numerous rock art sites depicting stories of the lives of the Traditional Owners when they were painted. After a brief mining boom at the turn of the 20th century, Chillagoe now is home to a couple of hundred people with a zinc mine and some marble quarries.

How to Get to Chillagoe

The road out to Chillagoe from Cairns has improved out of sight in the past ten years. Once a corrugated dirt road most of the way, there’s only 3km of unpaved road left near Almaden that’s as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

There are no public transport options so you’ll need to make your own way out in a car. Though it’s 2WD accessible, a 4WD will get you around to the very best parts of what Chillagoe has to offer.

Read more: 9 Things to Think About Before Your First 4WD Trip

Where to Stay in Chillagoe

There are several cabin-style accommodation options in town that can book out quickly ahead of a long weekend. My pick in town is the Chillagoe Observatory and Eco Lodge – there are self-contained units, powered and unpowered campsites, cooking facilities, a pool, washing machines, hot showers, and even bush showers for that real outback experience.

It’s close to the weir for a swim and right next to the Tom Prior Ford Museum. Oh, and the observatory is there too (only the coolest thing in town).

Our campsite at the Chillagoe Observatory and Eco Lodge

Where to Eat in Chillagoe

There are several pubs in town, my pick is the Cockatoo Pub. You can get basic supplies at the General Store but to play it safe I’d make sure you’re well stocked before you head out there.

Best Things to Do in Chillagoe

• Take a guided tour or self-explore some of the magnificent caves in the Chillagoe-Mungana National Park
• Swim at the Chillagoe weir
• Visit Balancing Rock
• Try astrophotography or star gaze at the observatory
• Check out the Mungana Rock Art Site
• Visit the Ramparts section of the national park (listed on Google Maps nowadays)
• Visit the Tom Prior Ford Museum
• Have a yarn with Chris and Laura at Chillagoe Gallery 29 coffee shop, they’re lovely! And don’t make a bad coffee either

Over 700 caves make up Chillagoe Caves

Essential Gear for Chillagoe

• High clearance 4WD
• Recovery gear
• Extra fuel
• Food and plenty of water
• Cooking equipment
• Offline maps
• UHF radio for safety
• First aid kit and snake bite kit
• Campfire essentials
• Torch
• Camera
• Camp chair – rest those legs while watching the stars!

Read more: Remember to leave no trace!

A strong case for bringing camp chairs

What It’s Like to Visit Chillagoe

Chillagoe Station Experience

On a serious hunt to find North Queensland’s best camping spot, I scoured Google Maps following every waterway up, down, and away from the coast. Out west is tricky to pick, as river systems can range from bone dry to torrentially flooded.

This waterway was good for a swim

But one day my Irish luck came into its own over a casual conversation in the Cockatoo Pub.

An old photograph on the wall of a small creek running along the base of a massive sheer cliff face with a sandy beach caught my eye. After pointing it out to a local having a beer, it turned out not only was it close, but he could direct me exactly to it. I’d heard of an awesome campground on the station, and low and behold this was it. A carton of beer paid for over the counter and a bunch of country style directions later, I had my golden ticket.

I admit that I have no sense of direction and the several turn-left-at-the-forked-tree style instructions didn’t help, but I got properly lost on this station. Thank goodness for offline maps because it’s a network of heavily washed-out dirt roads and sandy gullies in there.

But once I finally got to the creek it was like a moment out of a movie where the main character gasps looking out of the car window at the sight of the glowing lights of Vegas. Except for me, it was the sight of a towering bluff with a huge sandy beach, a clear flowing creek lined with eucalypts and a 4WD in low range pushing through very soft sand.

A 4WD helps you access special places like this camp

I’ve tried my absolute best to go to as many campgrounds as I can in FNQ and across Australia, and I can attest that this is one of the best. Put it this way – if it was easily accessible it’d be overrun. So, at the end of a hard day swimming in the creek and cooking dinner on the campfire, you can look forward to some of the best stargazing conditions you’ll find on your own sandy beach. It doesn’t get much better than that!

To access the Chillagoe Station it’s courteous to call ahead to see if the owner is happy for you to stay. Try calling the Cockatoo Pub and they can direct you from there.

Tom Prior Ford Museum Experience

Besides the Chillagoe Observatory and Eco Lodge is one of my favourite places to test out new camera equipment – the Tom Prior Ford Museum. Here you’ll find a vast array of old rusty Fords laid out under the clear night skies of Chillagoe. On a new moon in the dry season, the Milky Way stands proud in the sky, creating an astrophotography playground at night.

I’ve been to Chillagoe maybe a dozen times and I never miss an opportunity to check out this peaceful little wonderland each time. It’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, a bunch of rusty old wrecks laying in a paddock, but if you’re a lover of surrealness and absurdity like me, you won’t be disappointed.

Ramparts Section

I like to think that the Ramparts section of Chillagoe-Mungana National Park is like a sneaky little side mission hiding in plain sight. There are plenty of exposed rocky bluffs around, but this one is literally right next to the road into town.

Until my most recent trip out, it wasn’t even on Google Maps, making the story of my original search for it age like milk in the Chillagoe sun. Regardless, go ‘down a track off the first turn out of town’ to the rocky outcrop to find yourself at nature’s theatre balcony – in a rock! This theatre can cater for Explorers looking for a quick vista, all the way to weather watchers who bring chairs to settle in and watch the clouds roll by for hours.

Tips For Visiting Chillagoe

• Check in advance what the weather is like! It took me four attempts across four years to finally get a clear night sky to watch a meteor shower. The Geminids in mid-December were always going to be a long shot but the Eta Aquariids this year came through with the goods
• If you’re hoping to enjoy the clear night skies, I recommend going just after the wet season and before things start to heat up again in October. Winter is when the Milky Way centre is visible in the Southern Hemisphere too, otherwise known as astro season!

Absolutely starstruck!

FAQs for Visiting Chillagoe

What are the must-see attractions in Chillagoe?

Some notable attractions in the area include the Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park, the Chillagoe Smelters, Balancing Rock, and the many caves – there are over 700!

The Smelters used to operate in the early 1900s and are now a heritage-listed refinery

How do I get to Chillagoe?

The best way to get to Chillagoe is by car, it’s about a three-ish hour drive from Cairns. A 4WD is highly recommended due to the remote location and sometimes rough nature of the road. If you choose to camp at one of the campsites mentioned in this article, look into 4WD-friendly storage options for your rig. Then you can stay out bush for longer!

When is the best time to visit Chillagoe?

The best time for astrophotography and activities in Chillagoe would be in the dry season (April – October). It’s cooler and you’ll have the best chance at clear skies. Winter is when you can see the Milky Way in the Southern Hemisphere!