Did you know… Gold was discovered around the Collinsville district by Richard Daintree around the same time he examined the coal seams in the Bowen River area.
Mt Wyatt was the first official gold mine in the area, opening in January, 1867. In 1883 Sunbeam mine opened, producing gold and silver. Between the years of 1883 and 1934, Sunbeam produced 21 tonnes of silver.
Several other gold and mineral deposits are known around the district and there is still alluvial gold found there today. The old workings of the mines are still visible as you drive past.
Hi,
Andy here,I am a new operator at the Proserpine Airport doing airport shuttle to Airlie Beac.
I was contacted by Mark who owns a pub/hotel in Collinsville.
He suggested that it could be viable to organise tours out to Collinsville from Airlie as this may be a viable day trip (possibly something our Chinese tourists may be interested in).
Can you tell me, What is offered on the Pit Pony experience , and what would you suggest I could include to attract potential customers to visit Collinsville on a day trip? do you have organised guide? etc..
I would see this as possibly being an alternative for tourists, I just don’t have enough info ; I am happy to consider this as an option which we could both benefit from.
I would also personally find this an interesting venture as my grand parents and great grand parents were ‘hard core miners’ who operated out of Cardowan Pit just outside Glasgow on my mothers side and Bothwell in Lanarkshire from my fathers side (Scotland) Given that both my parents would be in there 90’s if still alive you can imagine the era I’ve grown up listening about.
Anyway, enough of my rabble ..
I have the idea of a visit to the Bowen River Hotel as a part of the daily excursion, Bowen 360 for photos (something that is highly undersold in Airlie), the Big and Little mango, and maybe a stop at a tomato/mango farm … my small bus can carry eleven passengers so I’m going to have any huge impact on anyone however ‘every little bit helps’
I look forward to hearing from you, you can call anytime on 0476 233 717 , thanks in advance Andy