About Chinchilla


Photos courtesy of Dan Proud


Chinchilla is in the heart of the Surat Basin, an area significant for its abundant natural resources.

The area has progressed from a rural based economy reliant mainly on grain crops to the progressive, dynamic region where coal and gas exploration and power station development projects go hand-in-hand with extensive feedlots, cotton and broad-acre farming.

There is an air of anticipation in the Surat Basin Region and a feeling of renewed energy. This small, but thriving community has a population in excess of 6200.Nestled in the heart of the Western Downs, Chinchilla is less than 300 kilometres from Brisbane.

Chinchilla is seen as the hub of the region and the sense of renewed energy in the town is attributable to a number of factors, including the expanding residential estates, the new 2 storey motel with 42 bed capacity and the construction of a new Woolworths store with an expected completion at the end of 2011.

The proposed resource projects in the region are anticipated to have a lifetime of between 20 and 50 years. The Western Downs Regional Council has calculated that across the gas, coal and power generation industries a construction workforce of 12,000 will be required by the end of 2011.

The Cameby Downs coal mine, a 20 minute drive from Chinchilla, is expected to have a lifetime in excess of 20 years and will require additional workforce for its future operation. Workers at this facility are already choosing Chinchilla as the town to house their families.

With a population close to 6,000 Chinchilla offers one state high school, one state primary school, two additional private primary schools and two childcare facilities.

Community spirit is easily observed at any one of the many festivals and combined community activities throughout the year and is known as the "Melon Capital of Australia" and in 2013 Chinchilla will be holding its next biannual Melon Festival.

In all, a fantastic place to be and a great atmosphere in which to raise a family.

 

About Miles

Only 44 km from Chinchilla, the small town of Miles was originally known as Dogwood Crossing by Ludgwig Leichardt in 1844. Renamed after the Queensland Colonial Secretary, William Miles it has recently been in National headlines as the Coal and Gas explorations in the area come to the forefront.

This small, but thriving community has a population in excess of 1200.

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