EVEN TODAY, a golden glow from the past can be seen on the streets of Croydon.

Situated in the heart of the Gulf Savannah country, Croydon has a rich heritage which started with the discovery of gold in 1885 and led to the development of a rich, booming gold mining centre.

Croydon Shire has actively retained its history through the restoration and conservation of historical sites such as the police precinct with jail, courthouse, mine museum, old hospital, Chinese temple archaeolog­ical site and the town hall.

The Heritage-listed Croydon Courthouse is a favourite with photographers and is the oldest building in Croydon. The Croydon Town Hall stores early film equipment which is still in use today.

Croydon was once surrounded by more than 30 townships, including its major satellite, Golden Gate. The Golden Gate mine produced more than 40 tons of gold in its time.

Croydon itself had factories, foundries, schools and 37 hotels. Of the original 122 liquor licences issued on the Croydon goldfields, there is only one still operational today.

Croydon is the rail depot and destination for the Gulflander train from Normanton, providing tourists with a unique trip through savannah country. The Gulflander makes its way to Croydon weekly and stays overnight, returning to Normanton the next day.

The visitor information centre, housed in the old police precinct, provides information on local sites and further afield and an internet cafe service seven days a week during the tourist season. For those seeking personal history, the centre also houses a genealogy service for Croydon’s pioneers and descendants.

The town has a range of businesses and services including cafes, hotel, child care centre, roadhouse, earthmoving contractor, mechanical repairs, general store, tour guiding, local council and a modern sport and recreation area.

The caravan park has shady grassed sites with a swimming pool and clean modern amenity blocks. Powered sites have access to cable TV and pets are welcome.

Tour guide Chris Weirman, Croydon’s award-winning Savannah Guide (pictured left), provides informative and entertaining anecdotal stories about life in Croydon’s gold mining days. Make sure you catch one of his walking tours while you’re in town. Enquire early about tour times. There is always a tour on Wednesday afternoon after the Gulflander arrives at the railway station at 4.00pm. Coach tours should be booked in advance. If you’re there when a tour is not available, you will be able to hire an audio tour and take yourself on the walking tour.

Something special later this year is the construction of a new information centre just one block from the existing centre. The new centre will be part of a four-year plan. Half a dozen buildings will be constructed over time for the preservation of heritage items.

During the goldrush, the streets were lit by gas lamps. Replicas of these lamps line the sandstone-kerbed streets around the heritage precinct area. Croydon had a large population of Chinese settlers. In recent times, archaeologists have rediscovered and interpreted the Croydon Chinese Temple site, located on the road to Lake Belmore. You will find interpretive signage, biographies of some of the Chinese families, remains of the Chinese Temple and a pig oven.

Close by you will find a mining museum with a restored stamper, miner’s hut and related mining machinery. There is also a collection of early mining machinery located next to the Croydon Shire offices in the heritage precinct.

Visit the Croydon General Store, which has traded since 1894. It is a genuine historical experience just to go inside the store and see the display there!

While in town you can fuel up, mail your postcards, stock up on ice, have a meal or book into the motel style accommodation at the Gulf Gate Roadhouse.

Visit Lake Belmore where you can swim, barbecue, ski and fish. The lake was built for the town water supply in 1995. This is an oasis in the savannah. Barbecues, toilets and showers are provided. Future plans include environmental walking tracks and facilities for birdwatching.

Events in the shire include the Croydon Poddy Dodgers Music Festival, which is an annual event featuring night rodeo, markets and sports carnival. The festival takes advantage of the ideal climate prior to the wet season and this year will be held from June 20 to 22. Other events include the Barra Bash, held the weekend before Easter every year and the Gulf Gate Train Ride on April 23.

Gulf Gate Roadhouse PO Box 3, Croydon Qld 4871 Phone/Fax (07) 4745 6169 All fuels, motel style accommodation, licensed restaurant, post office