A SENSE of heritage is an integral part of the inland city of Charters Towers.

In fact, the city has such a depth of Australian history that most visitors make sure at least part of their visit is spent admiring heritage buildings like the City Hall (pictured), Post Office, Stock Exchange Building and the World Theatre. The Zara Clark Museum, owned by the National Trust, is worth a visit to browse among the photographs, equipment and memorabilia. Take a tour of Ay Ot Lookout, an Englishman’s private home built in 1896.

The city also has an Ambu­ance Museum which has a wealth of artefacts from a century past.

History tours are very popular too. People can take a town tour or a walking tour. It’s a great way to soak in the city’s atmosphere.

But for a growing number of visitors, history of a more personal kind is proving to be of fascination. It’s not surprising so many come to Charters Towers as part of their research for their family history when you realise that a lot of people have been associated with Charters Towers over the years - you just have to think about the gold mining and the three boarding schools here to realise just how many people have spent at least part of their lives in Charters Towers.

Charters Towers has a very active family history group that has put out one book and is doing a second one, so family history has a large following here.

While you’re in town, stay at the Charters Towers Tourist Park. New owners Steve and Maxine Thomas have been doing a lot since their arrival and are planning a full upgrade of all park facilities.

Stage one sees four new en suite cabins arriving in February, with future stages to include a new amenities block, pool, camp kitchen upgrade and refurbishment of the en suite sites.

The park operates on the slogan, “clean, green and quiet”. For years there has been an ongoing tree-planting program to put in shrubs that have certain flowers and berries to attract the birds within the 1.8ha park - so you’re sure to hear birdsong!