Introducing Banana Shire

Banana Shire is situated in Central Queensland, Australia (Banana Shire Divisional Boundaries Map). It is 120 km west of the growing industrial City and Port of Gladstone and an easy drive to the city of Rockhampton. It has rail and road links to both of these cities and is serviced by the Leichhardt, Dawson and Burnett Highways. Direct flights to the Shire from Brisbane arrive at the Thangool Aerodrome.

The Shire derives its name from the days when cattle were valuable for hides and tallow. Herds were wild and difficult to handle, yards were few and small. Stockmen used working bullocks as decoys to lead the wild cattle to pens. One renowned decoy was a huge dun coloured bullock named 'Banana'.

After Banana's death his body was taken to a nearby gully that became known as 'Banana's Gully'. When a town developed in the vicinity it took the name of the gully and when the first Council sat there in 1880 the Shire was named after the town.

Resources
Coal mining, beef production, power generation, dryland cropping and irrigation cropping such as lucerne and cotton are the Shire's major industries.

The Banana Shire is rich in natural resources, with extensive undeveloped coal deposits in the Theodore, Moura and Baralaba area. There are abundant supplies of coalbed methane gas, which is 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 some of the best grazing, farming and irrigation land in the State, give the Shire enormous agricultural potential, with further potential for processing and value-adding.

Industry
The Banana Shire has become the largest commodity producer in the Fitzroy Statistical Area, contributing $123 million dollars to the State's economy in 1998 from rural industries alone.

The Biloela meatworks is the third largest in Queensland and processes meat for export throughout Australasia. The Callide power stations produce about 20% of the States electricity.

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Also view the local Accommodation Listing, Restaurant Listing, Banana Shire Statistical Information, and the Banana Shire Tourist Brochure - Simple Pleasures.(6.05mb)