THE EXPLORERS Loop is a journey of spectacular sights, fascinating history and – if you desire – some four-wheel driving thrown in.
The loop covers a distance of nearly 950km - and about 690km of them are unsealed. With a 4WD or high clearance vehicle, a sense of adventure and the time to make the trip, you might find that this is one of the highlights of your holiday.
The Explorers Loop starts about 260km west of Cairns at the 40 Mile Scrub. If you travel the entire loop, you’ll see the world class eco-tourist site of the Undara Lava Tubes, the quiet beauty of the Cobbold Gorge, Copperfield Gorge and fossicking areas including O’Briens Creek and Agate Creek.
You’ll find historical towns among the incredibly diverse scenery, including Georgetown, Forsayth, Mt Surprise, Einasleigh and Kidston which is the site of recent goldmining production as well as mining from yesteryear.
If you want to start your adventure from Georgetown, plan your travelling times with the thought in mind that the southern sweep of the Explorers Loop is along unsealed roads.
Head 40km south to the small community of Forsayth. Forsayth remains from the days of the gold mining boom at the Etheridge Goldfields early this century. Abandoned mines can still be seen. View the collection of agates and thundereggs at the hotel.
Forsayth is also known as the end of the line for the famous Savannahlander train, fondly known as the Silver Bullet even though its pace is more suited to a bygone era. The Savannahlander operates from March to December, travelling the picturesque line from Cairns to Forsayth. (You can organise to board the train at any of its stops, including Mount Surprise.) At Forsayth, people can organise a tour that fits in with the Savannahlander’s arrival in town by contacting the Forsayth Tourist Park.
From Forsayth, continue south to visit the unique landscape at the Cobbold Gorge. Tours and accommodation can be arranged. Keen fossickers will want to take the detour to Agate Creek. The road is fairly rough, but it’s a worthwhile trip for agate lovers.
Return to Forsayth then head for Einasleigh. Have your camera close at hand, because the drive has some spectacular sights. See the Einasleigh Gorge on the Copperfield River where the river has cut through a lava fissure. Einasleigh has pub-style accommodation at the hotel, and every Easter there’s a three-day rodeo and race meeting. It is also on the way to the historic Kidston gold mining town where the old Kidston state battery still stands.
The loop route from Einasleigh takes travellers to the Lynd Junction then onto the McBride Volcanic Province through a land of immensity and eucalypt forests to the 40 Mile Scrub. Then turn west onto the Gulf Developmental Road to see one of Australia’s most important geological wonders, the Undara Lava Tubes (45km east of Mt Surprise). Standing within one of the huge lava tubes is an unforgettable experience.
See the little railway town of Mount Surprise - the introduction to the savannah country for people who have travelled out from Cairns – and maybe go out to O’Briens Creek for a bit of fossicking before returning to Georgetown.
