A True North Queensland Country Pub

Tucked away between Innisfail and Mission Beach, in the lush cane-growing country of Far North Queensland, the Silkwood Hotel is a classic Australian country pub with plenty of character and plenty of stories to tell.

Built in 1927, the hotel has been part of the Silkwood community for almost a century. With its traditional timber construction, distinctive silky-oak interiors, verandahs and relaxed country atmosphere, it's the sort of pub that makes you want to pull up the bike, grab a cold drink and stay awhile.

The hotel offers hearty meals, a bar, beer garden, live entertainment and accommodation, making it a handy stop for riders exploring the Cassowary Coast.

A Town Built on Timber, Cane and Community

Silkwood's story began in the early 1900s when Alfred James Daveson settled beside Liverpool Creek. He named his home Silkwood after the local trees, whose timber has a distinctive silky lustre. The name was eventually adopted by the growing township.

The district developed around timber, agriculture and transport. A sawmill opened in 1919, while the railway reached Silkwood in 1924, helping connect the community with the wider region.

Sugar cane became increasingly important, and Silkwood remains surrounded by the lush agricultural country that makes this part of North Queensland so distinctive.

A Pub That Has Weathered the Storms

The Silkwood Hotel has certainly experienced its share of North Queensland weather.

The original hotel was built in 1927, but was later destroyed by fire. The current building was rebuilt and reopened in 1938, with local silky oak used throughout.

Then came two of the region's most destructive cyclones.

Cyclone Larry struck the area in 2006, causing widespread damage, while Cyclone Yasi crossed the Queensland coast in February 2011 as a Category 5 system.

During Yasi, around 20 local residents reportedly sheltered in the hotel's downstairs besser-block area while the cyclone tore through the region. The hotel survived, and even some of its verandah handrails were later made from timber recovered from the roof after the storm.

It's a pretty impressive piece of North Queensland pub history.

🇮🇹 A Strong Italian Connection

Silkwood also has an important Italian heritage.

Italian migrants settled in the district during the 1940s, with many working in the sugar-cane industry. The community's Italian influence remains an important part of Silkwood's identity.

St John's Catholic School, for example, opened in 1948 with many of its students coming from Italian families whose parents worked in the local cane industry.

Every year, Silkwood also celebrates the remarkable Feast of the Three Saints, a tradition connected to the town's Italian community and three statues brought from Sicily after a local family's extraordinary story in the late 1930s and 1940s. The celebration is held on the first Sunday in May.

Things to See & Do

🏍️ Ride the Cassowary Coast

Silkwood makes a great stop for riders exploring the roads between Innisfail, Mission Beach and the Atherton Tablelands.

The combination of tropical rainforest, cane fields, winding country roads and coastal scenery makes this part of Queensland particularly rewarding on two wheels.

🌴 Mission Beach

Just a short ride east of Silkwood is Mission Beach, famous for its long stretches of tropical coastline, rainforest backdrop and relaxed coastal atmosphere.

It's also one of the best places in the region to appreciate the spectacular environment of the Cassowary Coast.

🏰 Silkwood Castle

One of Silkwood's more unusual attractions is the privately built Silkwood Castle on Margaret Street.

Construction began in 2009 by local engineer John Nielsen, who created an imposing concrete home unlike anything else in the district.

It certainly makes for an interesting addition to a ride through town.

🏦 Australia's Tiny Bank

Another quirky piece of Silkwood history is the former National Australia Bank building, which is claimed to be Australia's smallest bank building.

Opened in the 1930s, the little building continued operating until 1999 and is now a small museum.

🌿 Explore the Cassowary Coast

With rainforest, waterfalls, beaches, cane fields and mountain roads all within reach, Silkwood is an excellent base for exploring the wider Cassowary Coast.

Whether you're heading north towards Innisfail, east towards Mission Beach or inland towards the Atherton Tablelands, there are plenty of roads worth discovering.

Did You Know?

The Silkwood Hotel was rebuilt in 1938 using local silky oak — the same type of tree that gave the town its name.

Nearly a century after the original hotel was built, that connection between the pub, the timber industry and the town's name is still part of what makes the Silkwood Hotel such an interesting country-pub stop.

📖 Add Silkwood Hotel to Your Great Aussie Pub Feed Passport

If you're riding through Far North Queensland, make sure Silkwood Hotel is on your itinerary.

Pull in, enjoy a feed, have a cold drink, take in the old pub atmosphere and spend some time exploring this fascinating little North Queensland community.

And, of course, don't forget to get your Great Aussie Pub Feed Passport stamped! 📖✍️

The Great Aussie Pub Feed is about getting out on the bike, discovering Australia's country pubs and supporting the communities that make these places special.

Every pub has a story. Every ride creates a memory.

🏍️ Ride • Eat • Explore • Support