Originally home to the Gangulu people, Biloela is a rural town in the heart of Banana Shire, just over 100 kilometres inland from Gladstone. It was settled by British pastoralists in 1854 and its first post office opened in 1925, with the name “Biloela” believed to derive from an Aboriginal word meaning “cockatoo”.
Things to do in Biloela
Listed on the Queensland Heritage Register is Greycliffe Homestead, a former pastoral station dwelling that dates back to the 1870s. It was constructed from slabs, with bush timber rafters and a shingle roof, although this has since been replaced with a pyramid-shaped iron roof. Wander through the homestead where period objects are on display, then explore the blacksmith shop and the shed with its bullock dray.
Works by Central Queensland-based artists are showcased at the Banana Shire Regional Art Gallery, which occupies a purpose-built premise that opened in 2013. It features two gallery spaces where new exhibitions are presented every couple of months, together with touring collections from across Australia.
Biloela serves as a gateway to Kroombit Tops National Park, which provides a refuge for the incredibly rare Kroombit tinker frog and the silver-headed antechinus. Follow the short trail that leads to the Kroombit Tops Lookout for sweeping views across the escarpment, with rainforest and eucalyptus woodlands blanketing the valley below. Kroombit Tops is also home to the remains of “Beautiful Betsy”, a World War II bomber that crashed here in 1945.
Getting around Biloela
Biloela is just over an hour’s drive from Gladstone Airport and just under two hours from Rockhampton Airport, which has flights to destinations across Australia. Long-distance buses connect to Biloela and the town is compact enough to explore on foot. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting around the region.