Nanango
Postcode: 4615
Nanango is the fourth oldest town in the state of Queensland, Australia. It is also the administrative centre of the Nanango Shire Local Government Area. The town has a population of approximately 4500 people with a shire population of 8,714 (2004). It is situated 210km North-West of the state capital Brisbane. Nanango sits at the junction of the D’Aguilar and Burnett Highways.
Today Nanango’s principal industries are power generating and coal mining, agriculture, beef and pork production, dairying and milk processing, timber growing and milling, small crops, natural medicine, art and craftwork and tourism.
Nanango also has a vigorous cultural and sporting life and is host to an art gallery, several potteries and many craft outlets. The town also has many clubs and a range of sporting facilities including an RSL, bike, darts, golf, lawn bowling and archery clubs. There are 13 well-maintained parklands in the Shire which naturalists believe are home to 250 different bird species.
Located approximately 200km away from Brisbane, Nanango attracts day and weekend trippers from South East Queensland. Tourists also travel through the town on their way between Rockhampton in the north and Sydney/Melbourne in the south. The CBD features impressive chainsaw sculptures and murals which reflect the town’s historical connections with timber-felling, farming and mining.
A great deal of Nanango’s colourful history is preserved in its buildings – especially Ringsfield House, a wonderfully restored circa 1908 Queenslander developed by architect Robin Dods and now the headquarters of the Nanango Historical Society. Unfortunately a number of fires throughout history have ravaged the CBD of the town, especially the fire of 1940 which destroyed all of the shops on the southern side of Drayton Street from Fitzroy to Henry Street. This has led the CBD to have a “1950’s feel” to it due to the architecture of the time. One building that escaped the ravages of fire was “Nobby’s Corner”, a wonderful example of an old-fashioned corner store with wide verandahs.
Nanango serves as a gateway for exploration of nearby towns. Day trips from the town include the Grapes and Gourmets Drive, Bunya Mountains, Coomba Falls and fossicking at Seven Mile Diggings. The “Great Bunya Drive” was created in 2006 and passes through the township and other regional attractions.