|
|
|
|
|
Location:
The
Banana Shire is a rich farming, grazing and mining region in Central
Queensland.
It is bounded by the Rockhampton Regional Council, Gladstone
Regional Council, Central Highlands Regional Council, and South
Burnett Regional Council.
The Shire has easy access to the city of Rockhampton, and the
growing Industrial City and Port of Gladstone.
It has rail and road links to both these cities, and is
serviced by the Leichhardt, Dawson and Burnett Highways, which provide
roads links to Brisbane.
As well, the Shire has Qantas air services Sunday to Friday, into the Thangool
Aerodrome, and public road transport is provided by Greyhound
Australia (operated by Kynoch Coaches) and Callide Coaches.
|
|
Population:
Banana Shire is sparsely populated, with its population of 15 626 people spread
over 28 577 square kilometres.
The main population centre is the town of Biloela (population
5,752), with Moura
and Theodore being two other significant urban centres in the Shire.
Banana, Baralaba, Dululu, Goovigen, Jambin, Thangool, Wowan, Cracow
and Taroom are other smaller population centres.
Of the 28,577 square kilometres, only 27 square kilometres is
urbanised.
Whilst
Biloela is the main population centre, the other villages and towns
throughout the Shire have their own individual characteristics and are
interdependent on each other.
|
Industry:
Coal mining, beef production, power generation, dryland
cropping and irrigation cropping (mainly cotton and lucerne) are the
Shire's major industries.
Teys Bros, on the outskirts of Biloela, along with a variety of
small businesses provide major employment for this community and
the
surrounding area. Moura mine produces export coal through the Gladstone Port, and
Callide Coalfields provide fuel for the Callide Power Station and also the Gladstone Power Station.
The former Callide A Power Station is the site for the
Geosequestration Research Project. This project is an
Australian-Japanese cooperation looking at the different aspects of
retrofitting a coal fired power plant with an oxy-combustion
boiler.
Queensland
Nitrates have constructed an Ammonium Nitrate plant at Moura.
This plant uses coalbed methane from the Moura area, as well as
gas from the State Gas Pipeline to produce ammonium nitrate for use in
mines (mainly in Central Queensland).
Moura
Mine and Oil Company of Australia extract coalbed methane from the
coal seams in the Moura/Theodore area.
|
|
Resources:
The
area is rich in natural resources, with extensive undeveloped coal
deposits in the Theodore and Baralaba areas.
There are abundant supplies of coalbed methane, which could be
utilised for power production and other industrial uses.
A variety of
soil types suitable for the production of a wide range of crops,
together with land suitable for beef cattle breeding and fattening,
give the Shire enormous agricultural potential, with further potential
for processing and value-adding.
Numerous
natural and man-made attractions, together with the Shire's location
close to the Great Barrier Reef, make the Shire an ideal tourist
destination.
|
|
Tourism:
The Banana Shire has many natural attractions, including gorges,
rivers and National Parks e.g. Kroombit, Isla Gorge and Exhibition
National Parks, Mt Scoria Conservation Park; together with man made
attractions such as the SILO (Biloela's primary industries exhibition),
Kroombit Tourist Park, Myella Farmstay, mines, power stations and other
industrial development.
Many towns in the Shire have a rich history, which has been well
documented in historical villages and museums.
The
Dawson River and Callide Dam provide opportunities for fishing and
recreation, and there are enormous opportunities for indigenous based
tourism packages.
|
|
Future
Infrastructure: The inland rail link
announced in November 2008 will deliver untapped opportunities throughout the
Shire, further strengthening the links from southern Australian States to
this central Queensland region, and onto the Port of Gladstone.
|
|
Opportunities
for Small Business in the CBD of Biloela: The
variety of small businesses is strong in and around Biloela, but there are
opportunities for new businesses' sites. Contact Ray White Biloela,
First National Real Estate Biloela in Biloela, and the Biloela
Shoppingworld Management.
|
|
Vacant
Residential Land and Houses: contact Ray
White Biloela and First National Real Estate Biloela in Biloela, or
view their respective websites, see links above.
|
Studies which
have been undertaken in Biloela include:
(copies of these studies are available on
CD or hard copy, from the Banana Shire Council: enquiries@banana.qld.gov.au.
Costs apply, a price list can be obtained from Council.)
Gladstone
Hinterland Regional Growth Centre Scoping study - 2001
Biloela Economic
Development Strategy -2002
Banana Shire
Affordable Housing Study - 2002
Banana Shire
Tourism Development Plan - 2003
Enterprise Biloela
Assoc. Inc. Strategic Plan 2004
Management &
Development of Recreation, Tourism & Economic Growth Opportunities
at Lake Callide - 2004
Banana Shire
Corporate Plan - 2004 - 2009
Our Town Biloela-
Community Development Plan - 2005
Banana Shire Sport
& Recreation Facility Audit & Needs Study - 2005
|
|
