Community & Business
26 June, 2022
War tours on again
THE foremost expert on Tablelands military history has revived his historic war tours as the grey nomad season begins and brings hundreds of visitors eager to learn about the region’s vast war history.
The tours are run on a weekly basis every Wednesday by John Hardy OAM, lasting around four hours starting at 8.30am at the public car park in Railway Lane, first exploring WWII buildings in Atherton before exploring the wider Tablelands.
This includes the 13th Australian advanced ordinance depot which is the largest ordnance depot in North Queensland, with the site accommodating 18 igloos in its heyday.
Mr Hardy is a member of numerous history and war related organisations including the National Serviceman’s Association as the Tableland Branch president.
Mr Hardy said the tours first started due to the rising interest in the area’s war history, mainly driven by the visiting grey nomads.
“They are of a generation whose parents or uncles or aunties served up here during WWII,” he said.
“So that is the interest particularly from that group, and it is reflected in the ages of the people that come on the tours.”
Bookings for the tours can be made through the Atherton Visitor Information Centre on 1300 366 361.
