Highway to Tablelands haven

When the Gillies Range Road officially opened on 10 July 1926, it didn't just connect two places; it transformed an entire region.

For the first time, Cairns residents could reach the Atherton Tablelands in just two and a half hours, a journey that once took days of arduous travel.

The road's construction was no small feat.

By March 1925, about 150 workers were carving a path through challenging terrain which included clearing dense rainforest, fording mountain streams, and drilling and blasting through unmovable basalt rocks on the heights of the Goldsborough Valley.

This would create what would become a future highway and the first of four motor vehicle crossings linking Cairns to its hinterland.

A car heading down the Gillies Range Road circa 1935.

Named after Atherton Tablelands resident William Gillies, who served as the Premier of Queensland from February to October 1925, the route symbolised more than engineering prowess. It represented hope, progress, and the pioneering spirit that defined Far North Queensland.

The early days brought their own challenges.

The road was so narrow that traffic could only flow in one direction at a time, governed by a strict timetable.

Drivers waited at the Top Gate or Bottom Gate, watching the clock before they could make their ascent or descent.

Despite these constraints, the road opened up a world of wonders: the crater lakes of Barrine and Eacham, the magnificent Curtain Fig Tree, and charming towns like Yungaburra, Atherton, Malanda and Ravenshoe, which became more accessible to eager adventurers.

One can only imagine the excitement of those first travellers, perhaps stopping at the elegant Williams' Lake Eacham Hotel in Yungaburra, where silver service dining and first-class accommodation awaited those who had braved the winding mountain route.

A car waits at the Gillies Range Road Top Gate.

Driving the highway today, you can still see the watering point halfway up, where a boiling radiator could be cooled down. Motorists may also encounter an iconic cassowary feasting on fallen berries on the roadside or see a large green tree frog drawn on a rock.

Now, the Atherton Tablelands community is preparing to celebrate the centenary of this historic highway. Yungaburra, at the top of the range, will host festivities that transport visitors back to the 1920s from 10–12 July, honouring the vision and determination that created this vital link.

Visitors will have the chance to experience the sights and sounds of the era while deepening their appreciation of the region’s rich history.

This event will be much more than a celebration – it will be a vibrant gathering that connects people, honours local heritage, and strengthens community pride.

Learn more about The Gillies Centenary Celebration at www.facebook.com/gilliescentenary. Anyone interested in volunteering for the weekend can message organisers via the Facebook page or email info@yungaburra.com.

By DAVID CLIFTON (RACQ member and one of the organisers of The Gillies Centenary Celebration).

An aerial view of a section of the Gillies Range Road.

Memories from our members

Childhood recollections

We moved to the Atherton Tablelands (Kairi) in the late 1950s, when the Gillies Range Road was one-way down in the morning and one-way up in the afternoon.

We drove it, and its huge number of bends, quite a few times. When you took the bus, which was really more like an elongated car with a rounded rear, sitting in the back seat meant you were literally hanging over the drop on the curves. I was scared of heights, so it certainly wasn’t funny.

I have returned once since and travelled up the range in its present condition. It holds many memories for me.

RAE MOREY, Sippy Downs

Helping hand for travellers

My grandfather Frank Wilce, was an RACQ service provider from the 1950s to the 1980s, working from his service station in Yungaburra. He was often called out to tow or repair vehicles on the upper section of the Gillies Range.

My grandmother, Phyllis, would house stranded travellers while their vehicles were being repaired, or provide them with a warm drink and a meal if Grandad was able to get them back on the road sooner. I recall one couple staying for days and becoming firm friends.

My grandfather was a kind and generous man. I remember one day when he bundled me, some of my siblings, and his younger children into his old American Fairlane, which could fit about eight children in the back seat in those pre–seat belt days.

He stopped at the service station and grabbed enough Hava Heart ice creams for all of us to eat as we drove down the Gillies to Cairns. I was very young, but I remember that day fondly. A popsicle was a rare treat in my family, so to get a Hava Heart felt extraordinary — and to have that fun trip with Grandad was especially memorable, as he was usually always working.

NERADEENE McKENDRY, Malanda

Minties moments

I grew up on the Atherton Tablelands in the ’80s and ’90s and travelled the Gillies Range Road many times.

The range was the ultimate test of a child’s intestinal fortitude. Mum would always bring out the Minties, insisting they would help, though in reality, they only ensured those lollies would forever be associated with feeling car sick.

The winding journey was worth it, though, as it usually meant a visit to the movies, the shopping centre, the airport, or maybe even McDonald’s, all equally exciting to a child. Occasionally it meant a trip to Cairns Base Hospital, but thankfully that was rare.

Reaching my teenage years and finally being able to travel the range without getting car sick felt momentous, topped only by my first solo drive after I got my driver’s licence.

That trip took courage and a white‑knuckled grip on the steering wheel and it wasn’t one I was in a hurry to repeat.

The Gillies Range was such an important part of my childhood and features in so many of my early memories. Happy 100th birthday to the Gillies Range Road!

JODIE LOUGHLAND, Toowoomba

Challenging route

As a young 23‑year‑old, I have vivid memories of driving the regional geriatrician and a former flying doctor up that range. Both pleaded with me to pull over about three‑quarters of the way up, overcome by car sickness. The bends got the better of them that day – or perhaps it was just my driving.

If you want to see who truly suffers from motion sickness, take a drive up the range with the family sometime, but be sure to pack some sick bags for the ride, just in case.

BRIAN SHEEHAN, Trinity Beach

Downhill thrill ride

I have a fond memory of riding the Gillies Range Road during a Cycle Queensland Ride organised by Bicycle Queensland in September 2018. Hundreds of riders completed the eight‑day, 450km ride which started in Mossman.

We camped in Daintree, Port Douglas, Mount Molloy, Atherton, Millaa Millaa and Gordonvale before finishing in Cairns. One of the ride highlights was the ride down the Gillies Highway to Gordonvale.

We were very privileged to the extent that the road was closed to normal traffic during our descent, which was 16km of sheer riding joy. If you have ever ridden a bicycle there is no greater experience of two‑wheel freedom than riding fast downhill.

The ride down the Gillies Range Road provided an exhilarating experience which will be forever in my memory.

ROBIN RICHARDS, Fig Tree Pocket