Mirani
Postcode: 4754
Although Mirani is a small and rather inconsequential sugar town it lies at the heart of the beautiful Pioneer Valley which is described, with some justification, as the ‘Showcase of North Queensland’.
Located 37 km west of Mackay and 1012 km north of Brisbane, Mirani is the centre of a shire with a population of over 5000 which includes some of the most dense aggregations of sugarcane anywhere in Queensland. So pervasive is it that it is commonplace to see sugarcane forming a wall around the garden edges of a small house block. The shire has two sugar mills (at Pleystowe and Marian), the beautiful Finch Hatton Gorge Falls and the cool rainforest beauty of Eungella National Park State Forest.
The Mirani area was first settled in May 1860 when John Mackay, after whom Mackay is named, led a group of people into the area via Bells Creek and the Pioneer River. On 28 May the group started marking runs after drawing straws for the best lots.
Scenery is beautiful and Mirani is a favourite resort of pleasure seekers from Mackay. There is a Post Office at the Hollow (the residence of Mr Rawson) a quarter of a mile from the township and another at Hamilton, a cattle station owned by Dalrymple and Murray across the river two miles away.