KINGAROY
PEANUT TOWN: Kingaroy has a huge reputation as a peanut growing area.
PHOTOS: HEATH PUKALLUS / TOBI LOFTUS
Kingaroy a major ag hub
FOR a town with a population of about 10,000, there is plenty going on in Kingaroy. The lovely little South Burnett hub has long been known as Australia’s peanut capital, and the huge peanut silos dominate the skyline. But there is so much more happening in this vibrant economic hotspot. It is one of the few towns of its size that can boast a full shopping mall including Woolworths, Big W and a wide range of other retailers. Since the 1990s, Kingaroy has steadily grown a solid reputation for viticulture, with many vineyards established across the region. The town is home to several wineries as well as the Booie Range Distillery, which turns wine
into delicious liqueurs. Agriculture forms the backbone of the local economy thanks to the area’s rich, volcanic soil, with a surprising range of crops grown for a variety of markets. It is one of the few producers of duboisia, a plant grown for pharmaceutical purposes thanks to its use as an antispasmodic. The region also supports farms growing sorghum, wheat, sunflowers, corn and citrus fruits. The addition of wineries and vineyards to the local economy also helped the region grow a valuable tourism industry. The picturesque scenery and natural wonders of the region just added to the appeal and many businesses have sprung up in response to the tourism trade. The former Maidenwell
Observatory moved to Kingaroy a few years back and provides a steady stream of visitors to support the local economy, keen to get a closer look at the cosmos without the light pollution of larger centres. These days visitors flock to Kingaroy all year, but the inauguration of the annual Baconfest event provided a major incentive for guests to make the trip. Kingaroy is home to Sunpork’s Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory, one of the largest pork processing abattoirs in the Southern Hemisphere. The abattoir is one of Kingaroy’s biggest employers and also supports plenty of farmers, making the town one of the country’s major pork growing areas.
The Kingaroy Peanut Silos.
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