Eacham
Electorate created by the 1910 Electoral Districts Act, centred on the Atherton Tableland including most of the eastern section of Woothakata.
Lake, of volcanic origin on the Atherton Tableland formed approximately 12,000 years ago. No streams flow into or out the lake and water is only lost through soakage and evaporation and only replenished through rainfall. As a result, the water level can fluctuate up to 4 metres between wet and dry seasons. The area around the lake was included in survey plans to subdivide the whole area into farming blocks in 1886, but the lake along with a narrow band of shoreline rainforest were proclaimed a scenic reserve in 1888. In 1934, the lake and immediate surrounds were proclaimed a National Park.
Shire, on the Atherton Tableland south-west of Cairns named after the crater lake of the same name, amalgamated with three other shires in 2008 to form Tablelands Regional Council.
The district, initially covered in rainforest was crossed by a racks between Cairns and the Herberton mining district before an unsuccessful attempt to start a settlement at Allumbah Pocket (Yungaburra) in 1886. Settlement meant clearing the rainforest, much of it cedar and silver ash and sthe cleared land proved to be fertile and suited to dairying and followed the extension of the railway from Tolga to Yungaburra (1910), Malanda (1910) and Millaa Millaa (1921), which encouraged sawmilling of furniture timbers, the marketing of dairy produce and excursions from the coast.
In 1910 residents petitioned for the creation of Eacham Shire from sections of the exoisting Tinaroo, Johnstone and Cairns Shires. Tourist access to Yungaburra, Lakes Barrine and Eacham improved after the opening of the Gillies Highway from Gordonvale in 1926 and during World War II military encampments on the Tableland stimulated the demand for milk and locally grown vegetables. The dairy industry ended up centred on Malanda after the factory at Millaa Millaa merged with the operation in 1973, with Malanda Milk supplying towns as far afield as Mount Isa.
Earlville
Residential suburb of Cairns, formerly the Balaclava sugar estate owned by Edward Earl, situated along Chinaman and Clark Creeks. When the estate was subdivided it was named Earlville.
East Mackay
Residential suburb east of the city centre bounded by the Pioneer River to the north and Town Beach to the east.
Edgcumbe
Bay, named by Cook on 4 June 1770. Captain G. Edgcumbe commanded the Lancaster, in which Cook served, in North American waters in 1758.
Edge Hill
Residential suburb of Cairns adjacent to the Cairns North railway station on the line to Kuranda. In the 1880s the area was dominated by Edgecliffe quarry and Eugene Fitzalan's tropical nursery which became the Cairns botanic garden in 1889.