Download coordinates as: Atherton is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia.

[5] The town was named after John Atherton, a pioneer pastoralist who settled at Mareeba (then known as Emerald End) in 1875.

It was named Atherton by Falconer West Hutton, the surveyor who prepared the town layout on 11 May 1885.

[15][16] The Atherton Courthouse was used as a wartime hospital for officers during World War II and has air raid bunkers beneath the building.

He made an audio recording discussing the early town, prior to his death on 19 February 1953 (aged 95).

[1] Due to its moderate climate, cooler and less humid than the tropical coast, and its booming agricultural industries, Atherton has a busy and prosperous community, and a vibrant social and cultural life.

Atherton is very attractive to retirees and "tree changers" due to the cool climate, fertile garden soils, housing prices significantly lower than the nearby coastal city of Cairns, and the vibrant cultural life (live music, visual arts, theatre and sport).

The land around Atherton is used to grow a variety of crops, including coffee, sugar cane, peanuts, mangoes, maize (corn), potatoes, avocados, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and macadamia nuts.

[23] Each year towards the end of August, Atherton celebrates the Maize festival, which features a parade with decorated floats, the Maize Queen pageant, children's amusement rides and activities including tug of war and wood chopping.

The Atherton Roosters field teams in the Cairns District Rugby League.

[33] The Atherton branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the CWA Hall on the corner of Jack Street and Arnott Lane (17°15′53″S 145°28′38″E / 17.2648°S 145.4773°E / -17.2648; 145.4773 (Atherton CWA Hall))[34][35] St Joseph's Catholic Church is at 28 Mabel Street.

The hospital provides obstetric, medical, surgical, operating theatre, accident and emergency services.

[39] Trans North offers a number of return bus services during a seven-day week between Atherton, Tolga, Walkamin, Mareeba, Kuranda, and Cairns including drop-offs to airport, railway station, hospitals and bus depots.