MT MULLIGAN OLD TOWNSHIP & COAL MINE TOUR
Now a ghost town, the remains of the Mount Mulligan township are rich in history. Originally laid out in 1912 and abandoned in 1958, the once busy coal mining town now only consists of a cemetery, a single residence which was the former hospital, a chimney stack, and the electricity generator. The Mount Mulligan coal mine opened in 1915 but is sadly the site of Queensland’s worst mining disaster which took 75 workers lives in 1921. The derelict remains of the township and mine are eerie yet visually arresting and give an insight into how coal mines operated during that era.
The township and mine can be explored by foot or ATV.
MOUNT MULLIGAN CEMETERY
Mount Mulligan Cemetery was established to serve the little town that sprang up in the early 20th century following the discovery of coal. Most of the headstones at the Mount Mulligan cemetery are dated 19 September 1921, the date of the gigantic coal dust explosion that claimed the lives of all 75 men working underground at the time. Those killed in the explosion made up approximately one quarter of the town’s population, leaving women widowed and children fatherless.
TYRCONNELL GOLD MINE
Wind back time to the Australian Gold Rush era and explore the once operational Tyrconnell Gold Mine, the most famous mine on the Hodgkinson goldfield. Much of the infrastructure remains untouched, allowing visitors to uncover the history of this captivating site. Explore the site on a guided tour and view its 10-head gold stamper and a sleepy miner’s cottage. In its heyday of the 1930s around 100 people worked at the mine, earning about three pounds a week.
THE LOOKOUT
There’s nothing quite like watching the sun rise over the Hodgkinson Valley as Mount Mulligan wakes and dominates the surrounding landscape of gently rolling hills. Just a 10 to 15 minute ATV ride from the lodge, along the old railway tracks used for transporting coal from Mount Mulligan mine to Dimbulah, The Lookout is a great location to paint, photograph or enjoy a picnic from.
FLORA & FAUNA
The environment at Mount Mulligan supports a range of fauna and flora with agile wallabies often spotted around the lodge and frequent opportunities to sight rainbow lorikeets, kookaburras and noisy friar birds to name a few species. Each year more than 50 new species of plants, algae, lichens and fungi are discovered in Queensland. In 2017, a plant species was discovered on Mount Mulligan and it’s the only place it grows in the world. When discovering the property, take one of our Mount Mulligan Naturalist Charts and identify the plants and animals around you.
BARRAMUNDI FISHING
The weir at Mount Mulligan is home to Australian Barramundi. Cast your line from the riverbank or a kayak and try your luck. Mature Barramundi can be brought back to the lodge and prepared to your liking by the Chef.
SUNSET BAR
Head over to our rustic Sunset Bar and enjoy a sun-downer as you watch Mount Mulligan escarpment come alive as the sun sets. Only a short 2-minute electric buggy ride from the lodge; bring a camera, grab a drink, meet fellow travellers, enjoy the sunset and take in the magical scenery!
OUTBACK ASTRONOMY STARGAZING
As darkness falls, the outback sky turns a black velvet and a star-speckled blanket appears over the remote landscape. Our Outback Astronomy experience takes place just after sunset and takes guests on a celestial appreciation tour through the southern night sky. Guests will have the opportunity to explore the galaxy above using our resident telescope and learn about the varying constellations, stars and planets from an informative guide.
CATTLE MUSTERING
Mount Mulligan is a 28,000-hectare working cattle station. Year-round cattle roam the property and cattle mustering is conducted on the property several times per year. Ask our reservation team for cattle mustering dates as guests can enjoy the full outback Australian experience by trying their hand at cattle mustering.
ATV BRANCH TOUR
For those who love adventure, nothing beats getting behind the wheel of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) exploring boulder-strewn creeks, navigating outback tracks and meeting the bovine locals before resting at the picturesque south end of Mount Mulligan, known as The Branch, to delight in a morning tea of freshly made treats.
PADDLE BOARDING
Mt Mulligan Lodge provides stand-up paddle boards so you can enjoy some light exercise whilst taking in the scenery on the weir. You might even be lucky enough to sight a platypus!
KAYAKING
Experience the beauty of the weir from a kayak! Gently paddling at your own pace, take-in the scenery and silence of the outback. Alternatively, pack a fishing rod and ‘yak angle’ for some Barramundi from the comforts of your kayak.