Greycliffe Station, near the centre of Biloela township

Biloela
Town in the heart of a rich mining and agricultural region.
Biloela is a rural service centre located 594 km north of Brisbane, 127 km from Gladstone and 173 metres above sea-level. Due to its location at the intersection of the Dawson and Burnett Highways, the town is well supplied with accommodation and eating facilities.

Biloela's economy is driven by pastoral and agricultural enterprises and by the local coalmines, although, mercifully, it could never be described as a mining town. Specifically, local income is generated by annual livestock slaughtering, cotton production, dairying, wheat, sorghum, lucerne and other grains and cereals.

The Gangulu tribe, who inhabited the region prior to European settlement, named the area Biloela after their totem: the white cockatoo. The first European to explore the area was Ludwig Leichhardt in 1844. This was during an exploration expedition from the Darling Downs to open up a route to Port Essington. His reports encouraged the settlement of the area by pastoralists.

Thomas Archer, a friend of Leichhardt's, selected the region that is now known as Eidsvold Charles Archer moved further north and settled in the Biloela/Callide area. Other early landholders were the Leith Hay family, the Browns, H.C. Corfeild, James Reid, John Ross, Alex McNab and Frederick Barton. However, the town was not gazetted until 1924 and the railway arrived the following year.

Coal was discovered in the area in the 1890s but it was not developed until 1942 when an open-cut mine was established on the site of the old Callide station.

Today Biloela is a modern town characterised by very broad streets and a well-established business centre. There are few old buildings apart from Grevells which looks like it was once an old picture theatre. The Big Valley Story, an interesting account of the history of the area, was published in 1974 to celebrate the town's fiftieth birthday. In 1994, a routine burn-off at Kroombit Tops uncovered a B-24 Liberator Bomber, lost in 1944.

Things to see:  

Greycliffe Station
Built of timber slab with a fine encircling verandah, Greycliffe Station has been re-sited from Rannes outside the town to a location near the Biloela High School on Gladstone Road. It is a beautifully preserved slab hut dating back to the 1870s which has been converted into a museum by the local historical society. For inspection ring (07) 4992 1572.

The Agricultural Research Station
This institution is run by the Queensland Government and was set up in 1923. It was originally established to research the growing of cotton (which was the first crop grown in the area) but in recent times it has been instrumental in the introduction of different seed crops and pig raising into the area. Prospective visitors must make an appointment, tel: (07) 4992 1044.

Mount Scoria
12 km to the south is Mount Scoria, a strange basalt formation about 150 metres high with symmetrically shaped rocks which look like a giant staircase. According to The Big Valley Story: 'During storms the mountain seems to attract the full force of the elements - lightning crackles incessantly about the summit and thunder is amplified to an intensity which shakes the country for miles around.'

Callide Dam
Callide Dam has a picnic area, facilities for waterskiing, fishing and most water sports.

Callide Power Station
The Callide Power Station offers guided tours of the complex. There is also a museum at Callide B Power Station and a lookout which offers views over the complex, the dam, the town and the surrounding countryside.

Mine Tours
The Callide Mines offer tours of the Dragline, which is one of the largest in the area.

The SILO
Australia's Primary Industries Exhibition is located in the town of Biloela. Itoffers educational tours and a chance to visit a variety of farm animals, ranging from donkeys to ostriches.

	Tourist Information
	Rural Hinterland Visitor Information Centre 11 Exhibition St Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 5400
	Motels
	Apollo Motel Cnr Gladstone Rd & Rainbow St Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 1122 Rating: ***
	Biloela Centre 52 Grevillea St Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 2622 Rating: ***
	Countryman Motel Burnett Hwy Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 1488 Rating: **
	Settlers Inn Dawson Hwy Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 2933 Rating: ****
	Sun Valley Motel Dawson Hwy Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 1281 Rating: **
	Hotels
	Biloela Hotel 60 Callide St Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 1514
	Commercial Hotel 64 Kariboe St Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 1603
	Caravan Parks
	Biloela Caravan Park Dawson Hwy Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 1211 Rating: ***1/2
	Boomerang Caravan Park Dunn St Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 1815 Rating: ***
	Kroombit Tourist Park Lochenbar Valentine Plains Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 2186 Rating: ***
	White Cockatoo Accommodation Park 235 Valentine Plains Rd Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 2618 Facsimile: (07) 4992 2211 Email: whitecockatoo@netspace.net.au
	Restaurants
	Dragon Garden Restaurant 41 Bell St Biloela QLD 4715 Telephone: (07) 4992 1702