Things to do in Charters Towers

Charters Towers Things to do

One Square Mile

Money flowed in 1800s Charters Towers and much of it found its way into the city heart as palatial homes and buildings.  This high-value heritage area is restored and beautifully presented in the magnificent One Square Mile city precinct.  The best way to enjoy the Mile is on foot using the Heritage Walking Map.

Stock Exchange and the Royal Arcade

Charters Towers Stock Exchange began in 1890 and is one of the Australia’s first few regional Exchanges.  The telegraph brought the world to Charters with three calls a day, six days a week.  Witness a re-enactment of the calling of the card as it happened in the Arcade, way back then.

Towers Hill

Charters Towers gold was discovered in 1872 at the foot of Towers Hill.  The discovery was said to be made by an Aboriginal boy named Jupiter.  Since then this three peaked hill has been mined,  used as part of the telegraph route and played a part in our war effort.

The local scenery is beautiful and the Hill’s history is well told over a number of large storyboards. Watch the Hill and its history come to life in the evening with a film screening in the Amphitheatre.

The Venus Battery

The Venus Battery sprang to life in 1872 along with the Towers’ first discovery of gold. It is where small miners had their ore crushed, from those first days of discovery through to 1973, long after competing mills had closed.

Now daily tours of the Battery tell its story with the clever use of a holographic film to highlight how the gold was once extracted.

Folk Museum

Come and hear the stories and see the treasures of days gone by.  This National Trust own and run the Folk Museum and its large collection of photographs, equipment and other memorabilia reflecting Charters Towers golden past.  Ask for a demonstration of the flying fox, also know as the Lampson Aerial Cash System.  It comes from the old Pollards building, and is always a favourite.

The World Theatre

The World Theatre offers heritage architecture and state of the art entertainment. Browse at your own leisure and simply enjoy the beauty of the building. This operating theatre offers live shows, movies and free local and touring exhibitions of art, sculpture, photography and more. (Ask about the Murder on Mosman.)