Redlynch lies along the valley created by Freshwater Creek with the Redlynch Intake Road being the major artery running from north to south roughly parallel and west of the creek. The residential development occurs along the lower slopes of the valley while the eastern and western sides of the suburb are undeveloped bushland on steep slopes rising to 500–600 metres which form part of the Barron Gorge National Park. The Kuranda Scenic Railway winds its way up the north-eastern slopes of Redlynch with two stations in the suburb, Redlynch and Jungara.
History
The first stage of the Cairns-to-Herberton railway line was from Cairns to a location that was known to the project as the Eight Mile Camp. This first stage opened in November 1887 at which time the railway station at the Eight Mile Camp was named Redlynch railway station. According to the Queensland Railway Department, the name Redlynch refers to Redlynch, Wiltshire in England, but other government information suggests it was named after Redlynch, Somerset in England. In anticipation of the railway's opening, Thomas Dillon constructed the Terminus Hotel built near the Redlynch railway station. The hotel was sold to Joseph Best in December 1888, and passed to Thomas Lavercombe in July 1889. Subsequent licensees included Samuel Thomas Walker and William Arthur. In March 1891, Arthur was bankrupted and the hotel was sold to Mangus Petersen. It was destroyed by fire in the 1920s. The Redlynch Hotel was constructed in 1926 opposite the railway station; it is now known as the Red Beret Hotel. Redlynch State School opened on 15 February 1932 and in 2007 added a secondary component to become Redlynch State College. The Redlynch Central Shopping Centre opened in 2005 and expanded in 2014. In 2019, a deadly fungus, poison fire coral, was found in a pocket of rainforest in the suburb.
Redlynch Shopping Village is opposite the hotel and diagonally opposite the railway station on the corner of Redlynch Intake Road and Margaret Street. Redlynch Central Shopping Centre is located in Larsen Road off Redlynch Connection Road.
