The Banana Shire abounds with opportunities for the intrepid traveller to experience a genuine bush holiday. Steeped in agricultural and mining heritage, this resource-rich area was named in the 19th century after a dun-coloured bullock called Banana. The epicentre of the area is Biloela, a bustling township found in the heart of the Callide Valley and at the junction of Australia’s Country Way and the Dawson Highway. It is the major population base and service centre of the booming district, and an ideal spot from which to base your Australian bush adventure. Visit the Queensland Heritage Park to find out about the area’s pioneering heritage as you make your way through the magnificently preserved old relics of the past at the Pioneer Village and Callide Dawson Machinery Preservation Club. View the “Spirit of the Land” mural, 100 metres of magnificent artwork telling the history of the Callide Valley through a series of stories. Then it’s just a short walk to historic Greycliffe Homestead. Gain an appreciation of the giant power source needed to drive the district’s resources boom at Callide Power station on the outskirts of Biloela. Hear the roar of the mining machinery from the massive open cut Callide Mine as you visit the nearby CS Energy Park. Embrace the solitude of one of Australia’s premier inland fisheries, Lake Callide. Try to snag a redclaw or two to go with your catch of barramundi, sleepy cod or yellowbelly from the lake, which is part of the Bass to Barra Trail. For more information contact the Rural Hinterland Visitor Information Centre on (07) 4992 2400, or visit the following websites: • www.sandstonewonders.com • www.outbackqueensland.com.au • www.banana.qld.gov.au