The name "Tinaroo"
James Mulligan was the first European explorer and prospector to visit the tablelands in 1875. The area is now called 'The Atherton Tableland' after (pioneer)'John Atherton' who settled at 'Emerald End Station' at the junction of 'Emerald Creek' and the Barron River. It is reported through popular legend that upon discover alluvial tin at the headwaters of the creek, Mr Atherton shouted "Tin, Harroo!!" to his prospecting mate - hence the name.
History
In 1952, The Tinaroo Dam and Mareeba-Dimbulah Irrigation Scheme was approved by the state government. Construction on the dam was started in 1953 and completed in 1958, at a cost of $12,666,000. The dam wall is 45.1 metres high and traps enough water from the Barron River to create a lake 3/4 the size of Sydney Harbour with a capacity of 407,000 megalitres. When the dam was filled in 1959, the old township of Kulara near Yungaburra went underwater, and all of the residents relocated to Yungaburra and surrounding towns.

Water uses

Irrigation
Covering almost 1200 square kilometres, the Mareeba-Dimbulah Irrigation Area is spread across the valleys of the Barron, Walsh and Mitchell Rivers.
415 square kilometres of farmland are irrigated by the lake when it supplies its 205,000 megalitres of water each year. Farmers access this water from the extensive network of 176 kilometres of channels using either a gravity fed system or pumps. Areas not serviced by the channels can draw water from streams that have their water replenished by the Barron River, which, in turn, is fed by the lake.
Power generation
The Tinaroo Hydro Power Station became operational in May, 2004 and generates 1.6 megawatts, thereby stopping 8450 tons ofcarbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year. The dam is used to regulate the waterflow for use at the Barron Gorge Power Station.
Urban water supply
The townships of Tinaroo, Walkamin, Mareeba, Kuranda, Mutchilba, Dimbulah, Yungaburra are supplied from Tinaroo Dam through the Barron River.

From Bushland Cottages and Lodge to Tinaburra boat ramp