Tag: Innisfail

Innisfail is a town located in the far north of the state of Queensland, Australia, which until 1910 was known as Geraldton. It is the major township of the Cassowary Coast and is well renowned for its sugar and banana industries, as well as for being one of Australia’s wettest towns. In March 2006 Innisfail gained worldwide attention when severe Tropical Cyclone Larry passed over causing extensive damage.
Prior to European settlement the Innisfail area was occupied by five separate societies of the Mamu people. These Aboriginal people followed migratory lifestyles in the rainforest and transversed rivers in string-bark canoes.
The first arrival of European people came in 1872 when survivors of the shipwreck, the “Maria” arrived on the coastal areas surrounding what is now the Johnstone River. Sub-Inspector Robert Arthur Johnstone’s search party came with the intention of rescuing remaining survivors. The crew would later venture up river between what is today Flying Fish and Coquette…