General News
22 March, 2026
Tale of two towns at local museum
A RIVERSIDE township that once rivalled Cairns in 1876 is the focus of a new exhibition now open at Cairns Museum.
‘Twin Beginnings: First Colonial Settlement at Smithfield Township’ explores the short but significant story of Smithfield, established on the Barron River during the early years of settlement at Trinity Bay.
Curated by Dr Sarah Collins and presented by the Cairns Historical Society, the exhibition draws on photographs and objects from the society’s collection, alongside artefacts uncovered through archaeological field surveys, to reconstruct the rise and decline of the township and its role in the region’s early development.
A centrepiece of the exhibition is a detailed model of MacDonald Street in 1876, created by local miniature artisan Col Walter of Col’s Historical Miniatures in collaboration with Dr Collins.
The model recreates the township's centre, offering visitors a view of how Smithfield once competed with Cairns as the district's emerging centre. Dr Collins said the exhibition offered insight into a formative period in the region’s history.
“Smithfield was not a minor outpost,” she said.
“For a time, it was a serious contender. Its position near the Smith and Douglas tracks to the Hodgkinson goldfield meant goods and people were moving directly through the township.
“However, changing goldfield routes, the establishment of Port Douglas, declining gold production and a significant flood in 1879 all contributed to Smithfield’s decline.”
