Baralaba
Postcode: 4702
Baralaba is a town in central Queensland, Australia, located 143 km by road from Rockhampton and 694 km from Brisbane. The town is located 33 km west of the Leichhardt Highway.
Baralaba is part of the Banana Shire. The local economy revolves around beef production. In previous years, two coal mines operated in the Baralaba region, and both have closed, but mining operations recommenced at one mine in 2005. The town’s name is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning “high mountain”.
A small township on the Dawson River, Baralaba was for many years the railhead for the Dawson Valley coalfields. Today saw-milling is the lifeblood of the town, which is also the commercial hub for surrounding farmers and graziers.
The Baralba Historic Village preserves the region’s important links with past, with a special focus on the days when coal was king in this corner of central Queensland.
The broad expanses on the local reaches of the Dawson are magnets for sailboaters, water skiers and fisherfolk. Built in 1976, the Neville Hewitt Weir attracts anglers, boaties and water-skiers. Hikers are rewarded with spectacular views of the district from the summit of Mt Ramsay, about 14km out of town.
Woorabinda is a self-sustaining Aboriginal settlement 33km north-west in the foothills of the Blackdown Tableland. Here, locals produce and sell a wide range of traditional art and craftwork.