Guide to Biloela Queensland Australia

Biloela is a growing rural town with a very diverse agricultural industry including cotton, sorghum, wheat, herbs and spices. The cattle industry is thriving with the largest number of cattle of any Shire in Queensland.

The Town is the centre of the Banana Shire. The name of the Shire came from a tan coloured bullock, named Banana, which worked on a property in the region in the mid 19th century.

Biloela’s biggest attraction is The SILO. More than 28 metres high, it is filled, not with grain, but with an array of displays about primary industry. The SILO situated in Exhibition street gives an insight into cotton production, stud and dairy cattle, redclaw and ostrich farming, grain production and landcare.

Biloela came into being only in 1924 as an agricultural centre. Coal was first mined in the 1940s but was transported to Gladstone. First started by Theiss Brothers. Callide A commenced production over 30 years ago with two 120 Meg generators. Callide B came on line in 1988 with two 350 Meg units and Callide C with two 410 Meg generators and an overall consumption of about six million tonnes of coal from Callide Coalfields.

Tours are available from Tuesday to Friday at Callide B Powerhouse situated 17 kilometres from Biloela. For an overview of the mine, drive to Callide Mine Lookout, which has a spectacular view of Biloela and the mine areas. The vantage point gives people a fantastic view of the workings of the dragline, which is one of the world’s largest walking draglines.

Visit nearby Kroombit National Park sandstone escarpment with spectacular views , subtropical rainforest and palm fringed waterfalls. Final resting place of the Beautiful Betsy, an aircraft which went missing in World War Two.