



Given that Charters Towers is inland (from Townsville), behind a mountain range and in the outback, I expected a desert city. The town is filled with trees, though, a lush oasis, though the outback in this area is also dotted with trees, filled with grass and fed by a huge river (the Burdekin River), so it is not quite right to call Charters Towers an oasis either. But the trees are larger and there is a wide variety of them.
The visitor’s center is open 7 days a week and the town has preserved its historic downtown.
I think my favorite thing about Charters Towers was seeing contemporary people living in this historic town — the mix of the old and the new. It is a charming place where I could well imagine living!
We parked across the street from the visitor’s center. This is looking down the main street. Our little white rental car is in the foreground on the right.
Another street shot:
Some of the historic buildings:
The police station:
And every day life:
A tavern:
Modern stores in old buildings:
A pub:
An open lot with a park behind it, showing some of the trees.