

Kingaroy Tourism & Travel





Kingaroy Australia
Situated some 225 km northwest of the State Capital Brisbane, Kingaroy is located in high country some 431 m above sea level.
Kingaroy - Aboriginal History
In the language of the traditional owners of the area, Kingaroy is derived from 'kinjerroy' meaning a particular species of red ant that inhabited the area.
Kingaroy - History
Henry Stuart Russell and the Haly brothers settled in the Kingaroy area in the 1840's and historic Taabinga Station homestead was built in 1846; stone for the 60 cm thick walls was quarried on site and with wide verandahs, trellises and a roof of corrugated iron, was a typical Queenslander homestead. Plans were laid in the 1880's for a town on Taabinga Station but little happened until the railway arrived in 1904. In the 1920's a significant crop of Kingaroy groundnuts peanuts was harvested and the first peanut silo was built in 1928. Kingaroy was famous as the residence of long time Premier of Queensland Joh Bjelke Petersen and the Joh Bjelke Petersen Research Station was established in 1971 in the subtropical highlands some 5 km from Kingaroy.
Kingaroy - Today
Kingaroy is now one of Australia's major peanut and navy-bean producers with exports to New Zealand, Britain and Japan. Massive peanut silos stand 42 m high and capable of holding 16 000 tonnes. The Research Station lies about 5km outside Kingaroy; part of the station is a working farm off-site near Booie on the other side of Kingaroy and includes a peanut processing plant; the town seems to be run by peanuts with peanut vending points known as 'The Peanut Van' located both ends of the town; many peanut silos dominate the town.
Kingaroy - Attractions
Visitors will not miss the Peanut Vans as they drive into and out of Kingaroy and Bethany, the Bjelke-Petersen property can be toured; see the historic Taabinga Homestead and the Heritage Museum for interesting history of the region. The Kingaroy Art Gallery features the work of local and regional artists and the Apex Lookout offers panoramic views of town.
Kingaroy - Nearby
The Bunya Mountains National Park is an important NP, being part if the Great Dividing Range and protects the world's largest natural Bunya-pine forest which were until recent times believed to be extinct. The Aboriginal Bora Ring is a heritage site of the traditional owners and is a preserved site. Mount Wooroolin Lookout has excellent views over Kingaroy's farmlands and Wooroolin is a quaint township with many heritage features.