Clermont - Places to See

The Flood

At the town's entrance is a large cement 'tree' with a white mark far up its trunk which indicates the height of the disastrous 1916 floodwaters and the people who died in the disaster. The monument is located on Drummond St, the former main street. The remains of the old bridge, which was largely washed away, can be seen at the bottom of Capella Street (now the town's main thoroughfare). Nearby, in Lime Street, is Centenary Park with its famous traction engine which helped to move the town from its original site onto higher ground.

Buildings
Entering Clermont the visitor is immediately struck by the beautiful wooden St Mary's Roman Catholic Church which was erected in 1890. Its elevated position saved it from the floodwaters.

There is also the magnificent old Queensland home 'Carinya' at 30 Daintree Street, built in 1912. It is now a private residence and not open to the public. Beside it is the attractive 'Griffin House', built in 1947 and now used by local art groups.

The Clermont Club in Drummond Street has now been totally refurbished. One of the earliest Gentlemen's Country Clubs in Queensland it opened its doors in 1887.

Clermont Museum
Located near the junction of the Gregory and Peak Downs highways, about 3 km north of the town centre, the museum has a collection of goldrush relics, early coalmining machines and a slab timber pioneer's hut

Copperfield and Miclere
People interested in the copper and gold mining history of the region should visit the ruins of Copperfield, which are located 4 km south of Clermont, and Miclere which is located 4 km off the main road some 31 km north of the town, on the Charters Towers Road.

Copperfield has a few buildings and a solitary chimney stack whereas Miclere, the old goldfield, is still operational. This tiny settlement contains remnants of bygone mining processes including the old battery and a rare horse-drawn whim.

The Peak Range
The greatest attraction in the area is the Peak Range, a series of dramatic volcanic plugs which stand like sentinels some 50 km east of the town. The plugs are formed when a volcano cools and the molten lava melts in the volcanic pipe. Gradually the surrounding volcano erodes away leaving only the hard core protruding. One of the most dramatic examples of this is Wolfang Peak on the southern side of the road from Clermont to Mackay. It is possible to climb it, although it is on private property and permission must be obtained from Mr and Mrs Ryder on (07) 4983 1769.There is a brochure which covers the whole area in great detail titled 'Exploring the Peak Range'.