Drake

A one-time boom-and-bust town, Drake is a sleepy village straddling the Bruxner Highway that offers a tranquil lifestyle.

INTRODUCTION

RECENTLY LISTED

AGENTS

STREETS

Mexican hot bread potato and Happy Hour are the order of the day at Lunatic Hotel, the centre of Drake, a small historic community about a 30-minute drive east of Tenterfield.

Drake is one of the surrounding villages of Tenterfield Shire and was once known as a boom-and-bust town.

Gold was discovered there in the 1880s, when the town’s population peaked at 1400 people. At that time, the town was known as a tent village.

More than 100 years on and Drake has seen industries come and go, including grazing, mining and timber.

The attraction for those who choose to stay is the nearby Clarence River, where you can indulge in any number of water activities, and the Girard State Forest.

Nestled near the Lunatic Hotel on the Bruxner Highway is Drake Resource Centre, where you can grab a coffee and groceries and peruse local artworks in the small gallery.

Drake is close to a little-known piece of Australian history. In World War II, a series of tank traps were installed at Paddy’s Flat as part of Australia’s defences.

These 26 concrete pyramids were connected by a steel cable wire as a way of trapping any invading force. A flood in 2011 exposed all the pyramids and it is now a (somewhat hidden) tourist attraction.

Much of the real estate in and around Drake is semi-rural holdings and vacant land.

Mexican hot bread potato and Happy Hour are the order of the day at Lunatic Hotel, the centre of Drake, a small historic community about a 30-minute drive east of Tenterfield. Drake is one of the surrounding villages of Tenterfield Shire and was once known as a boom-and-bust town. Gold was discovered there in the 1880s, when the town’s population peaked at 1400 people. At that time, the town was known as a tent village. More than 100 years on and Drake has seen industries come and go, including grazing, mining and timber. The attraction for those who choose to stay is the nearby Clarence River, where you can indulge in any number of water activities, and the Girard State Forest. Nestled near the Lunatic Hotel on the Bruxner Highway is Drake Resource Centre, where you can grab a coffee and groceries and peruse local artworks in the small gallery. Drake is close to a little-known piece of Australian history. In World War II, a series of tank traps were installed at Paddy’s Flat as part of Australia’s defences. These 26 concrete pyramids were connected by a steel cable wire as a way of trapping any invading force. A flood in 2011 exposed all the pyramids and it is now a (somewhat hidden) tourist attraction. Much of the real estate in and around Drake is semi-rural holdings and vacant land.