Biggenden, Queensland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Biggenden Queensland
Biggenden's main street
Population:	635 (2001 census)
Postcode:	4621
Location:	282 km from Brisbane 117 km from Hervey Bay 84 km from Maryborough 98 km from Bundaberg
LGA:	Biggenden Shire
State District:	Callide
Federal Division:	Wide Bay

Biggenden is a town situated on the Isis Highway in southern Queensland, Australia, 339 km north-west of the state capital Brisbane, and 84 km west of Maryborough. At the 2001 census, Biggenden had a population of 635.^[1]The town is the administrative centre of the Biggenden Shire Local Government Area, which has a population of about 1600. Approximately half of the shire population lives in the town of Biggenden.

Primary production is the most significant industry in the Shire with beef and dairy cattle being predominant. Other agricultural pursuits include grain crops, piggeries, peanuts, citrus and timber. The area is also rich in minerals. Biggenden Mine is located eight kilometres out of town off Ban Ban Springs Road. Gold, bismuth and more recently magnetite have been extracted from the mine. The township is also close to Coalstoun Lakes National Park and Mount Walsh National Park.

Biggenden was founded in 1889 as a service centre to the short-lived goldrush towns of Paradise and Shamrock; and for coach passengers travelling west from Maryborough. The township, including the intriguingly named Live And Let Live Inn, moved to a new location alongside the railway station when the rail line arrived in 1891.

[edit] Paradise Dam

In November 2005, the Queensland Government opened the Paradise Dam, about 30 minutes north-west of Biggenden, on the Burnett River. The 300,000ML dam, which submerges the former gold mining town of the same name, is touted as securing the future of the nearby Bundaberg and Childers region, although not a drop of water from it will be used in Biggenden. However, more than 400 jobs were created during its construction and the dam site is proving to be shire's biggest tourist attraction.^{[citation needed]} Artefacts and buildings removed from Paradise before the dam wall was built are now on display by the Biggenden Historical Society.

Paradise Dam will be used by the government as the model for the highly controversial Traveston Dam on the Mary River, about two hours south. A 2005 report commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund found Paradise to be one of the six worst-planned dams since the World Commission on Dams in 2000.^{[citation needed]}