CROYDON Gosh, what a great small town Croydon is. Croydon is the last town heading west to Normanton. Only 200k’s to go. Croydon is, as a town almost a living museum. Heritage buildings have come to life. Existing infrastructure likewise helps bring Croydon to be one of those towns where civic pride is at the forefront of what life may be about. The historic gold rush town of Croydon is located in the heart of the Gulf Savannah. Croydon was a large pastoral holding covering an area of approximately 5,000 km², when first settled in the 1880s. Gold was discovered in 1885 and by 1887; the town's population had reached 7,000. Gold was to be the main economic production of the area for four decades. For a time Croydon was the fourth largest town in Qld. Currently, having greatly decreased following the end of the gold rush. It was mentioned in the 1950 novel "A Town like Alice" by Nevil Shute, as an example of a largely abandoned gold rush town. The town is one of the termini for the Gulflander railway, opened for the gold rush in 1891 but now a tourist railway. The Croydon War Memorial is a modern interpretation of the ‘lest we forget’ acknowledgements. The modern concept is innovative the transference of names can be fraught with potential for omission and error. I.e. past errors are long forgotten, but new omissions/mistakes will revive and renewed dialogue. The Catholic Church is the sole remaining faith in Croydon. The Club Hotel has strong presence on the main intersection and has heritage status. As mentioned most buildings and existing commercial institutions are in fact a ‘museum in progress’ which is terrific. Croydon and Normanton are also connected by rail and to this day the rail service is operated. Allow plenty of time to enjoy Croydon.