Community & Business
26 May, 2026
Mareeba founder’s obelisk revamped
A LOVE of local history and a strong familial link have made for a marked improvement to the appearance of an obelisk dedicated to the first settler in the Mareeba area, John Atherton.
After recently observing the local monument, Atherton’s great grandson and well known Mareeba identity, Denis McKinley, his wife Pauline and son Damie set to cleaning the sizeable granite monument and its mounted marble commemorative plaque and repainting the white plinth upon which it is mounted.
Officially unveiled on August 17, 1957, the construction of the obelisk was funded by John Atherton’s descendants and Mareeba Shire Council to honour the town and area’s founder.
The timely tribute is located at the northern end of Byrnes Street (formerly named Herberton Road in the late 1870s and early 1880s), and situated on the eastern bank overlooking what was once the Granite Creek Teamsters Camp and later the original Cobb and Co coach change station.
The location, providing fresh water and plenty of space, was located at the northern and eastern areas of the present-day Granite Creek bridge. Atherton was later to build a hotel/Cobb and Co change station above the creek near the conjunction of Byrnes and Eccles Streets.
A keen interest in local and regional history, Mr McKinley said: “If we don’t record and protect our history, it is soon lost and/or discarded in these modern times when opinions are confused with recorded facts.
“As the Atherton family contributed generously to the erection of this tribute to our founder, it seems only fair that the generations following attempt to work with our community to preserve and protect it.”
Mr McKinley’s mother Catherine (Cath) was John Atherton’s granddaughter and continued the female christian name of Catherine, which followed on in descendants of the region’s founder.
“Around 15 years ago, a small group of local history enthusiasts joined with me in cleaning and revitalising the Atherton family graveyard that lies on private property,” Mr McKinley said.
“Hopefully through the generosity of the current property owner, we can undertake the same clean up action and repainting in time for Mareeba’s 150th anniversary which happens next year.”
