Location

Biloela (which means white Cockatoo in the Aboriginal language) is the main township contained within the Banana Shire in Central Queensland and has a population of some 6,000 people. It's a ‘dormitory' style town for the Callide A,B, and C Power Stations, the Callide and Boundary Hill Coal Mines, and also the Teys Bros Meatworks.

It is located inland from both Rockhampton and Gladstone, and the nearby coastal regions of Yeppoon, Emu Park, Zilzie and Tannum Sands are a mere 2 hours away.

It is a busy town and the main service centre for the entire Callide Valley. Nearby is the township of Moura which is a major coal mining district and also supports rural industries.

Moura is also home to Queensland Nitrates Ammonium Nitrate Plant and Origin Energy. The Nitrate Plant uses coal bed methane from the Moura area, as well as gas from the State Pipeline to produce ammonium nitrate for use in the mines in Central Queensland.

There are numerous natural and man-made attractions close by in the Biloela area including gorges, rivers and National Parks (ie Kroombit Tops, Isla and Cania Gorges (approx 100km from Biloela) Exhibition National Parks, Mt Scoria Conservation Park together with man made attractions including the mines, power stations and other industrial developments..

The town itself is very civic minded and Biloela has the No 1 rated PCYC complex in Queensland. The ‘locals' are happy to help and guide visitors at any time – you have only to ask.

Many of the towns within the Banana Shire have a rich history which has been documented photographically in historical villages and museums.

It is an area rich in natural resources with extensive undeveloped coal deposits and this together with beef production, power generation, dryland cropping and irrigation cropping (mainly cotton and lucerne) are the shires main industries.

Your Biloela Adventure

If you want an invigorating start to a day of adventure in and around Biloela then watch the sun rise at Callide Dam. You may be lucky to see hundreds of white cockatoos take off screeching across the dam – an awesome sight.

On your way back into Biloela take a walk on one of the many walking tracks or enjoy a swim at the pool.

Start your next adventure with the town tour which is run from the Biloela Information Centre on weekdays. A one hour tour leaves at 10am and highlights the major attractions of the town.

If you're ready for something different, visit Greycliffe Homestead and step into the past. The homestead has been moved to its present position on the corner of the Dawson Highway and Lawrence Street from Greycliffe Station where it was once the family home of the pioneering Nott family. The slab building is over a century old and his heritage listed. Inside there are all the relics of the past that tell the story of life in the pioneering days.

Next on your list should be The Silo. Originally on display at Expo in Brisbane in 1988, the Silo now contains educational exhibits, with contributions from primary industries in the area, as well as Callide Coal Mine and Callide Power Stations. The displays are colourful and most informative.You may like to lunch at the cafeteria.

In the afternoon, visit the power station and mine. C.S. Enery conducts guided tours through the power station. Contact them on 4992 9202 for details.

As evening approaches, plan to catch a spectacular sunset from Callide Lookout and see the largest operating drag line in the southern hemisphere!

LOCATION