Georgetown
Population
Part of the Etheridge Shires total population of 898 (2006 census).Location
Located west of the Newcastle Range,Georgetown is linked by the Gulf Developmental Road to Cairns 412km to the east and Normanton 301km to the west. 1,900km north of Brisbane.
Photo:Courtesy of Tourism Queensland
General Information
Situated on the Etheridge River on the Gulf Developmental Road between Cairns and Normanton. Georgetown is the administrative headquarters of Etheridge Shire Council, a local government area comprising of the nearby settlements of Mt Suprise, Forsayth and Einasliegh.
Climate
There are two seasons in this part of Queensland, Dry/Winter (April to September)little or no rainfall with mild to warm conditions, average temperatures are maximum 24 degrees Celsius, minimum 2 degrees Celsius in July. Wet/Summer (October to March), heaviest rain falls from January onwards, average maximum temperature 45 degrees Celsius.
Points of interest
The Etheridge River was the site of a gold rush in the 1870's. Established on the site of the diggings and originaly named Etheridge, the town was renamed Georgetown in 1871 to honor an early gold commissioner, Howard St George. By 1900 grazing has replaced gold mining as the region's primary source of income.
Useful Links
Etheridge Shire CouncilGeorgetown Wiki Entry
Georgetown Primary Healthcare Centre
