Biloela, Queensland

22. Jul, 2011

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Biloela

The Silo, Biloela

Is a rural town in Central Queensland, Australia. It is situated 120 kilometres (75 mi) inland from the port city of Gladstone at the junction of the Burnett and Dawson highways. At the 2006 census, Biloela had a population of 5,371. Biloela is the administrative centre for the Banana Shire, which has an area of 15,729 square kilometres (6,073 sq mi). Banana Shire was named after a bullock utilised to round up cattle – named ‘Banana’. In 1880, Council first met in the area where Banana’s body was buried, (known as ‘Banana’s Gully), and the Shire was named after the locality. Biloela and the Banana Shire, dubbed by the council as ‘The Shire of Opportunity’, has a diverse range of industries. Extensive grazing and cropping concerns are found in the area. Cotton, sorghum and wheat are grown in the area. The Callide Power Stations lie just north of the town. Coal was discovered on Callide Creek in 1891 and is now mined at the nearby Callide and Boundary Hill mines which supply the power station. A large abattoir is also situated in the town.

Biloela is generally believed to be Aboriginal for ‘black or white cockatoo’ (the Government dockyards were known as Biloela during 1870-1913 in an endeavour to remove the perceived stigma of the prior Cockatoo Island convict establishment). Biloela has 3 primary schools; Redeemer Lutheran Primary, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary,and Biloela State Primary. It has only one high school (Biloela State High School). The town has various sites for tourist accommodation (400 beds), many dining options, two main shopping streets, including a modern air conditioned shopping centre with many specialty stores. The closest fresh water depository is the Callide Dam, however it is often well below capacity due to low rainfall in the area. Despite this, the dam acts as a popular site for water skiing, camping, swimming and fishing. The Callide Dam also plays host to the annual Callide Dam Fishing Competition in which a number of introduced stock are caught each year. In particular, the dam is a haven for Eel-Tailed Catfish, Yellowbelly, Saratoga and Barramundi. The largest ever Barramundi recorded was at the 2008 Callide Dam fishing competition, measuring 138 centimetres (54 in).

Various sporting organisations are active within the community, such as Panthers Rugby League Club, Biloela Rugby Union Club, Biloela Touch Football Association, Callide Valley Tennis Association, Biloela Golf Club, Biloela Cricket Association, Biloela Valley’s Football Association (soccer), Biloela Swimming Club and the Biloela Police Citizens Youth Club. Rebel FM 88.9 (MHz) was Banana Shires first commercial FM radio station. Rebel FM has a new rock & classic rock music format. The Breeze broadcasts on 89.7 FM (MHz) with an easy adult contemporary & classics hits format. Both stations are part of the Rebel Media group.

Biloela Shire

Callide Street in Biloela circa 1930

Biloela, (‘Bil-o-ela’) a rural town of 5400 people, is 95 km south-west of Gladstone. It is the main town of the Callide Valley agricultural district and the administrative centre of the Banana Shire. The name is believed to have been derived from an Aboriginal word meaning white cockatoo. Biloela was the administrative headquarters of the former Banana Shire. In 1923 the Queensland Government opened an agricultural demonstration farm near the future town of Biloela as a step towards closer-settlement. Prior to then an area had been used for pastoral purposes, the ‘Prairie’ pastoral run having been taken up in 1854. There was also considerable prickly pear infestation, some of it classified as dense, along the Callide Creek.

The township was surveyed in 1924 and is characterised by broad streets. Further government assistance came the following year with the opening of a primary school and a railway from Rannes to Biloela and Thangool, but significant settlement awaited eradication of the cactus pest, which was largely complete by 1928. The township’s main infrastructure was developed in the 1930s with a school of arts (1930), a hospital (1931), courthouse (1932), Church of England, Catholic, Lutheran and Presbyterian churches (1931-41), the commencement of publication of the Central Telegraph in 1932 and the formation of an agricultural and pastoral society in 1933. The research station concentrated on cotton, and the Callide Valley had 40,000 acres planted by 1934, mostly by dry-land farming. A butter factory opened in 1936, a branch of the Port Curtis Co-operative, and continued until 1975.

Two storey Biloela Hotel, at Biloela, ca.1940

Latterly, the research station has concentrated on seed crops and pig-raising. Considerable numbers of Greek immigrants settled in Biloela in the 1930s, starting both farming and town businesses. Russian immigrants, often at first employed as cotton pickers, settled in Biloela and Thangool. By the early postwar years Biloela’s population was about 1000 people, making it the largest town in the shire. A district airport was established at the junction of the Dawson and Burnett Highways in 1939, and the Banana Shire’s offices were transferred from Wowan to Biloela in 1946. The Rockhampton regional power supply was connected in 1951, enabling water to be pumped into a reservoir for a reticulated town supply. A meatworks was opened in 1952, ushering in an industrialisation phase with engineering works, bulk fuel depots and local manufacturing. Chain retailers opened up branches, such as Penney’s variety store.

In 1971 the Callide (Creek) Dam was completed, providing irrigation water and an assured supply for the Callide power station. Biloela maintained a consistent rate of population growth throughout the closing decades of the twentieth century, its major industries a meatworks and cotton ginnery. The only significant business closure was the Broadway cinema and the drive-in picture theatre. By the 2000s, the Biloela meatworks was ranked the third largest in Queensland.

Biloela has a prominent tourist feature, the Silo, an exhibit recycled from the 1988 Brisbane Expo, forming part of the Primary Industries Museum on the Dawson Highway. The local historical society maintains and occupies the State heritage-listed ‘Greycliffe’ slab-built homestead, relocated some 37 km in the late 1970s from the pastoral run it once occupied. The civic infrastructure includes the State primary school and a State high school (1963). Catholic (1939) and Lutheran (1978) primary schools, a hospital, a retirement village, a swimming pool (1963), several sports venues including bowls, golf and tennis, a showground, the shire civic centre (1977) and an active eisteddfod society. The old shopping centre in Callide Street expanded during the 1980s, incorporating a Woolworths and a Fossey’s drive in centre. One of the town’s major sources of employment comes from the Callide Mine situated about 15 km from town. The open-cut style coal mine, whic began production in 1944 on the old Callide Station site, supplies the majority of its product to the local power station. The mine is also a large tourist attraction offering regular tours and a variety of vantage points to view the extraction site.

Mount Scoria Cultural Trail

Biloela branch of the Queensland National Bank

Rising 150 metres above the cultivated plains, Mount Scoria is a striking local landmark. Formed by volcanic activity 20-26 million years ago, this volcanic plug features many-sided basalt columns. From this short cultural trail in Mount Scoria Conservation Park walkers get a good view of the unusual columns, which are only found in two other locations worldwide. As you walk, stop and read the signs describing the Indigenous history of the area and explaining how these ancient geological formations were formed.

HMAS Biloela

Was a fleet collier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1920 to 1927. Biloela was built at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney, and was the first ship to be entirely built from Australian materials to an Australian design. She was completed on 5 July 1920 and supported the RAN’s coal burning warships during peacetime training cruises. These warships were decommissioned in the second half of the 1920s, and Biloela was decommissioned into reserve on 14 November 1927. While the RAN considered converting Biloela to a seaplane tender these plans did not eventuate and the ship was sold to a commercial company in March 1931. Renamed Cree the ship was sunk by a German submarine on 21 November 1940. Biloela is Aboriginal for ‘Big White Bird’ and is the name of a town in Queensland. The town was named for the sulphur crested cockatoos that inhabit the region.

Part of the Coronation Parade in Biloela, Queensland, 1953

Completed too late for war service, Biloela served as a fleet collier from 1920 to 1927. She was the first ship built entirely of Australian material and from Australian designs. During her short career in the RAN the ship made several voyages to New Guinea and the New Hebridies until the disposal of the squadrons coal-burning cruisers and destroyers necessitated her decommissioning on 14 November 1927. During the early 1920s plans were formulated for Biloela’s conversion to a seaplane carrier embarking twelve aircraft, but along with a similar plan for Kurumba the scheme was dropped, as it would divert the ships from their principal task of fleet support. The planned armament of two 4-inch guns was never mounted. After sale in March, 1931 (for £14,500) Biloela was re-named Wollert (1932), Ivanhoe (1937), then Yoh Sing and finally Cree. During World War II she was three times the victim of enemy attacks. On 9 February 1940 she was damaged by aircraft five miles east of Rattray Head, Scotland and on 26 April 1940 she was again damaged by a mine in position 52 degrees 53 minutes North, 02 degrees 19 minutes East. She was eventually sunk on 21 November, 1940 in position 54 degrees 39 minutes North, 18 degrees 50 minutes West by an enemy submarine.

Biloela’s Cultural and Historical Heritage

A combination of two styles of artwork have been created in this unique mural. The mural tells of stories connecting two cultures from Indigenous beginnings to 1928 in the Callide Valley. In 1928 Biloela was gazetted as a town. The 15 interpretive signs tell stories of real people who left their country of birth, compromised, pioneered and adapted to the Australian way of life. The indigenous section shows aboriginal life before European settlement. We have much to learn from them in caring for our land for future generations to enjoy. People from different countries were immigrating to our area and blending into the community bringing their culture and adapting to the Australian way of life. There are also stories about ‘closer settlement’ after World War I in our area when the population grew.

The name of the mural and the names on the park benches were selected from a naming competition held in our community. You will see and read how our pioneers and Indigenous people formed friendships, endured loneliness and heartbreak together, to build and create the communities we enjoy today. Members of our community were given the opportunity to place their hand prints on the mural on ‘opening day’. By placing their hand print on the mural they not only left their mark in history, they showed the unity within our wonderful community.

Greycliffe Homestead

Greycliffe was the home of the Nott family for 100 years, but the last of the Notts died in 1974. The homestead is built of slabs cut with a pitsaw and adze. Greycliffe has been listed by the National Trust of Queensland as an essential element of the National Estate.

Discovery Holiday Parks

It is located in Central Queensland, 120 km west of the growing industrial City and Port of Gladstone and an easy drive to the city of Rockhampton. The capital of the region is the lovely Biloela. The Shire derives its name from the days when cattle were valuable for hides and tallow and herds were wild. Stockmen used working bullocks as decoys to lead the wild cattle to pens and the region was subsequently named after one such renowned decoy… “Banana”. The region is now known for its rich resources and wide variety of agriculture and has become one of the largest contributors to the Queensland economic community. But the Banana Shire is not just home to these resources, it is home to many natural attractions, including gorges, rivers and National Parks such as Kroombit and Mt. Scoria Conservation Parks, and is within 100 km of Isla and Cania Gorges.

Fishing and water sports are also ever popular on the Lake Callide and there are many areas to explore for the 4WD enthusiast. With so much land to cover and places to see, you will need somewhere convenient and relaxing to rest your weary head. Discovery Holiday Parks – Biloela is the perfect place. Close to all the amenities the town has to offer, but yet on a 16 acre block, you will feel relaxed and ready to take on the vigour of the land as soon as you arrive!

Kroombit Tops National Park

Kroombit Tops National Park is the only home for the Kroombit tinkerfrog, a critically endangered species. Sandstone cliffs, waterfalls and a variety of plant communities also grace this park. Enjoy the view from the eastern escarpment’s lookout. The Kroombit Plateau’s rugged terrain became the resting place of a World War II B24D Liberator bomber. It crashed on a rainy night in 1945, and all on board lost their lives. Drive the four wheel drive scenic loop and walk 700 metres (return) to the plane’s crash site. Go bush camping and explore the curious mix of temperate and subtropical rainforests.

Lake Callide

Lake Callide is located 12 kilometres from Biloela via sealed road and approximately 90 kilometres south-west of Gladstone via the Dawson Highway. While compact the lake provides you with rewarding fishing especially for golden perch (yellowbelly) and has in recent times been well stocked with barramundi. Red-claw is abundant and it’s well worth placing (tagged) traps for a catch of the tasty crayfish. A variety of other freshwater species are available to you and anglers report good success from bank fishing though the boat ramps make this an ideal spot for you to launch a boat and follow the fish with a sounder. The lake also attracts a wide variety of birdlife and the local region includes some spectacular scenery at Kroombit Tops and Cania Gorge National Parks. It is a comfortable drive from the major cities of Gladstone, Rockhampton and the popular costal areas.

Temperatures for Biloela

Mount Scoria Cultural Trail

Biloela has hot summer temperatures. The summer high temperature for Biloela is approximately 31 °c. The summer low temperature is approximately 17 °c. Biloela has warm winter temperatures. The winter high temperature for Biloela is approximately 24 °c. The winter low temperature is approximately 8 °c.

Mount Scoria Cultural Trail

Rising 150 metres above the cultivated plains, Mount Scoria is a striking local landmark. Formed by volcanic activity 20-26 million years ago, this volcanic plug features many-sided basalt columns. Mount Scoria is the only mountain like it in Australia. From this short cultural trail in Mount Scoria Conservation Park walkers get a good view of the unusual columns. Interpretive signs explain the significance of the mountain to the Gangulu people and describe how the landscape formed.

Kroombit Tops National Park

Lake Callide

lives. Drive the four wheel drive scenic loop and walk 700 metres (return) to the plane’s crash site. Go bush camping and explore the curious mix of temperate and subtropical rainforests. Children are welcome.