Located on the Bruce Highway, the small north Queensland town of Proserpine is a convenient stopping-off point for grey nomads heading up or down the east coast … and there are plenty of compelling reasons to linger a day to two.
The attractive main street boasts some fine examples of historic art deco buildings, and the settlement has a fascinating story to tell … and some superb natural attractions to explore.
With a population of around 4,000, the friendly town sits on the Proserpine River, which was named by Scottish explorer George Dalrymple in 1859.
Impressed by the fertile land here, Dalrymple thought of Proserpina, the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess of vegetation, Persephone.
People fishing on stunning Lake Proserpine. PIC: Tourism and Events Queensland
The floodplains that surround Proserpine proved ideal for sugar cane growing and cattle, and pastoralists began arriving in the early 1860s. The sugar industry was then established in the 1880s, and the settlement grew.
A school opened in 1897, and shops, hotels, churches, and a rail line, soon followed. In 1950, an airport was built here to cater to the surge in holidaymakers heading out to the Whitsundays … Airlie Beach is just 20 minutes to the north east.
While it may not have the same glamorous appeal as the Whitsundays, Proserpine is increasingly being appreciated by tourists … especially not-in-a-hurry travellers like grey nomads.
Tourists spot a salty on a Proserpine River cruise. PIC: Tourism and Events Queensland
As previously mentioned, the centre boasts some lovely buildings – including the heritage-listed St Paul’s Anglican Church – but this is also a modern town with some lovely cafes, shops and pubs, and a spectacular 18-hole golf course.
The Proserpine Holiday Park is here in town, and there is also a scenic caravan park out at Lake Proserpine.
Most visitors begin their adventure at the impressive Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre which is actually in the Whitsunday Gold Coffee Plantation just north of town.
A good second stop is the Proserpine Historical Museum with its exhibits, displays and artefacts telling the story of how the town was built.
The town is still surrounded by sugar cane fields, and the historic ‘cane railway’ services the Proserpine Mill to the north of town which crushes some 1.7 million tonnes of sugar cane a year, to manufacture about 240,000 tonnes of sugar.
There are plenty of attractions out of town, too.
Located about 30 minutes from Proserpine, Peter Faust Dam, also known as Lake Proserpine, is a great place to fish for barramundi. There is no closed Barra season here, and the lake is restocked with 20,000 barramundi fingerlings annually.
Some travellers might also be tempted by an excursion to the estuaries and wetlands of the Whitsundays with Whitsunday Crocodile Safari. The company promises the opportunity to watch estuarine crocodiles – and a variety of other creatures – in their natural habitat.
Another spot well worth a visit is Cedar Creek Falls, 20 minutes east of town, where a cascading waterfall plunges into a pool surrounded by cedar trees and a towering rock wall.
So much to see and do … and we’re just scratching the surface!
Are you a Grey Nomad member yet? Click here to find out about the discounts, competitions and other benefits on offer
