NANANGO AND MURGON
Nanango and Murgon
NANANGO
One of Queensland's oldest towns, Nanango was first settled in 1842 as a sheep station. For more than 100 years, the town grew slowly, but the discovery of coal at Meandu Creek and the selection of Nanango as the site for the coal-fired Tarong Power Station in 1978 meant a sudden spurt of growth for the town.
The Meandu mine and Tarong Power Station now number among the town's points of interest for visitors, and free tours are available by appointment.
For lovers of the outdoors, the day-use areas of Benarkin and Nanango State Forests have picnic and barbecue facilities, and a variety of off- road and 4WD tracks in the Nanango area provide visitors and adventurers with naturally beautiful scenic areas to explore.
4WD enthusiasts can take the historic Old Esk Road to Seven Mile Diggings, 11 km from Nanango, where alluvial gold can still be found. Both Blackbutt and Maidenwell provide access to these areas. Experience floating over the fields in a hot air balloon. There are also deer farms, and Coomba Waterhole and Falls at Maidenwell.
MURGON
Murgon, the Aboriginal word for "lily covered pond", is the heart of the South Burnett's beef and dairy farming area. The Queensland Dairy Industry Museum, open at weekends 2 pm - 4pm, highlights all aspects of the dairy industry and the South Burnett Dairy Co-operative's Cheese Factory gives visitors the opportunity to see fine cheddar cheese being made. The cheese factory is open daily 8am - 3pm, the best day being Wednesday.
From nearby Boat Mountain the scenic panorama reveals a patchwork of fertile, alluvial soil farmlands which provide the base for a variety of primary industries. This picturesque drive also features the Jack Smith Environmental Park.
Visitors to Murgon can also enjoy water sports or fishing at the Bjelke-Petersen Dam, or fossick for precious and semi-precious stones on the nearby gemfields.
