Biloela, a great place to live and visit in Queensland

I thought that I would write a Things to do in Biloela page that will cover us moving here and also all the little things I/we have found out on the way.

So here on this page you will find the places we have visited, the trades people we have used and also anything else that I find out about Biloela and the surrounding districts.

I’ll keep adding to it as I remember or refresh the page.

Moving from Brisbane to Biloela

There are many things to consider when you move, especially if you are looking at moving to Biloela like we did.

Finding a removals company wasn’t too hard in the end.

The shifting and preparation that goes into the moving is the hard part.

We found out the hard way that we should have been culling our household items a long time before we needed to and I’m sure this is the case for anyone that moves!

We threw out junk, we sold what we could on Gumtree, and managed to get our house hold into a truck that could handle 40m3 sizing.

Even then it felt like we had taken too much to Biloela and so we have downsized again a little after moving too.

You can find out who we used to move us from Brisbane to Biloela here, Brisbane Removals.

Whats the water like in Biloela?

I tried to drink the water for about 6 weeks when we moved to Biloela, but finally succumbed and bought a water filter replacement for the one under our kitchen sink.

The rest of the family couldn’t stomach the water from pretty much as soon as we got there.

So they were drinking bottled water until I finally got the filter.

To say they were happy when we finally got a filter was an understatement!

The water tastes a bit slimy compared to Brisbane water and it also leaves a white residue on everything like it is leaving a mineral deposit.

You especially notice this in your bath or shower or when you wash your car.

The water gets a bit worse after it rains to as they must compensate in the treatment plant for the extra water going into the system or dam.

So we pretty much drink a mixture of filtered and bottled water in Biloela.

Where do I get a water filter?

I started by looking on Google for water filters in Biloela initially to see who would stock the under sink type to replace what we had.

There were more than a couple of places I could buy water filters from but only one business had the correct model and had them in stock.

This was Total Eden and they are located at 12 Dawson Highway, Biloela.

So if you need to buy a water filter look at this business or the other water irrigation businesses in town, and of course Woolworths has some water filter options too.

Electricity supply in Biloela

Moving from a city that has a bit of choice in suppliers of electricity I found out from our Real Estate Agent that there is one only choice for electricity in Biloela.

You have to open an electricity account with Ergon.

They were pretty efficient though and we didn’t have any problems when we were there or when we left.

If you are moving into a house, just give them a call, give them your details and they will have your first electricity bill to you in no time.

Renting a house in Biloela?

If you are moving to Biloela you have a couple of choices if you want to buy or rent a house.

First National Real Estate Biloela and the other is Ray White Real Estate Biloela.

They have pretty much all of the houses for sales listed and all of the houses that are for rent in town.

We used First National Real Estate Biloela when we first moved into town.

It was all done remotely at first, so we face timed to look through the house, faxed the paperwork through and direct deposited when we needed to.

It was a pretty easy process to set up renting a house before we arrived.

Also at the time there was an abundance of houses for rent in Biloela so it wasn’t too bad finding a place to live (which was good!).

Also other families we spoke to had the same experience, the hardest thing was knowing which part of town to live in.

Who cut your hair?

Biloela for a small town has a large selection of hairdresser businesses operating throughout it.

There is also a barber in town, Steve’s Barber Shop.

So there isn’t any shortage to shop around for a haircut if you need to.

Also there are a few businesses that take care of waxing.

I must state here I’m not the fan of waxing, my wife is, although I use to do bodybuilding in my younger days which required a lack of body hair.

Home phone and internet in Biloela

Because we had a Telstra account back in Brisbane we moved it to Biloela pretty easily with just a phone call.

I then just added the internet to our bundle and really didn’t have any problems with speed and download times.

Also the NBN is rolling out everywhere too, so new packages will be offered to everyone in the end in Biloela.

I haven’t got any more information about how effective other internet or home phone providers are in Biloela as the people I asked were all on a Telstra plan.

The Telstra inefficiencies only started to show after we left Biloela, so be wary about this.

I tried to fully shut down our account with Telstra around four times over a 6 month or more time period and the bills still kept coming.

We sorted it out in the end, but keep an eye on it!

Who is our mobile phone provider?

When you move out of the city there is basically Telstra.

Then there are other mobile phone providers that don’t work very well or don’t work at all.

In Biloela, Telstra has the best mobile coverage hands down.

If you move into the country you won’t or can’t have anyone else for your mobile phone provider except for Telstra.

Or if you do use anyone else you will be in for a lot of pain.

Telstra are the only ones that can provide a decent signal in the town and also in the surrounding areas through the Banana Shire.

Is there a Laundromat?

There are two laundromat’s in Biloela.

The laundromat in town has plenty of Dexter washing machines and driers ready to go.

The price wasn’t too harsh, but just make sure you have the right change for them.

It is tidy and all of the machines work.

The other laundromat is across from the football fields and is a lot older with some broken down machines.

It is cheaper though to wash and dry there.

Who fixes washing machines?

We had to find out this the hard way as our washing machine broke down just after moving to Biloela.

There are many electricians in Biloela but none of them list washing machine repairs as part of their business, although I’m sure a few of them would be able to fix them.

There is one electrician that services washing machines in town and you could find him in when searching through Google quite easily (although now I think he/they have closed down now too due to retirement).

In the end I ordered a part and fixed it myself, although I don’t condone you doing this as I am a registered electrician.

Fish and Chips shops in Biloela?

Our family has a ritual of getting takeaways on Saturday nights after going out for our standard bike ride for a couple of hours down past the council buildings to the cemetery and back.

We were a bit worried moving to Biloela that the fish and chips would be a bit below par as we found in the city that it was hard to find a good fish and chip shop.

We were lucky moving to Biloela because there is Emmanuel’s Fish and Chips in the town centre.

The fish and chips here are great and pretty cost effective too.

Big portions of chips and the barramundi filets are big!

So if you live there or are travelling through Biloela make sure to get your hands on some of Emmanuel’s fish and chips, delicious!

What schools are in Biloela?

Biloela has a big selection of state and private schools, so you do have plenty to choose from.

There also are plenty of kindergarten and pre schools around.

It was easy for us to get the kids enrolled and into the schools once we moved to Biloela.

We had our kids enrolled in St Joseph’s Pre School and also the Biloela State School.

The other schools in town are, Redeemer Lutheran College, St Josephs Catholic Primary School, Biloela State High School.

Churches in Biloela

Churches are everywhere in Biloela and there are all the different denomination types located all around town.

My family and I attend the Seventh Day Adventist Church in town on Bell Street and it is a small old church with plenty of atmosphere and great people.

Supermarkets in Biloela

There is a Woolworths in Biloela which is lucky for us because that is where we prefer to shop.

Also there is an IGA and a Foodworks in town too.

The competition for the local shoppers dollars is heated with price wars going on all of the time.

You can check the best prices and specials every week when the brochures come out to your mail box.

This is the best time to check up on who has the best deals in town for the week.

Although we didn’t do it, I run into quite a few people who go to a few different supermarkets to get the specials too!

Do they have TV in Biloela?

TV, they are lucky to have electricity (insert nose laugh)!

As funny as it may sound, yes there is TV in Biloela.

The aerials are all high on the roof tops, this is because Biloela gets its TV signal from Rockhampton.

When you move to Biloela, set up your TV and hit the on button you will get no signal.

I found out after ringing around that you need to buy an aerial signal booster for your TV to be able to get a good enough signal.

These are stocked down at the local appliance store Biloela Bi-Rite and will set you back about $25.

All you have to do after you buy one is plug it into a GPO, plug the unit into the aerial socket and then plug your TV aerial cable from the TV into it.

I also had to retune the TV after this to get the channels reset as they are a little different from he city.

After that, perfect reception, unless it rains of course!

Pest Control in Biloela

There are plenty of pest control businesses in Biloela and you can find them on Google or just driving around on the main street in and out of town.

The main one in town is ProPest and as you will see below they are also the local first aid course suppliers too.

Electrician or Electrical Contractor in Biloela

There are many electricians in Biloela that carry out a broad variety of work too.

They are easy to find in Google as well if you search for Electrician Biloela.

The electrician I rung initially to see about fixing my washing machine was M&M Electrics.

M&M Electrics covers pretty much everything you could want in an electrician, domestic, commercial, industrial, rural, air conditioning, solar, TV, security and phone.

There are plenty of other electrical contractors in the area but I found that M&M Electrics has been in business in Biloela for a long time and they know their stuff.

So make sure to give them a call to install or fix your air conditioner, solar system or even if you are doing renovations.

Is there a movie theatre?

No, there isn’t a movie theatre in Biloela.

The closest town to watch movies is in Mount Morgan.

Further than that you have to travel to Gladstone or Rockhampton to catch the latest movie.

So if you want to watch movies in Biloela you’re probably better off investing in Netflix or Fox or some other Pay TV provider.

Do bands tour here?

Even though Biloela is off the beaten track there is live music on every weekend in the clubs and pubs around town.

Also in the Biloela Civic Centre that is managed by the ANZAC Club, bands come through every now and then to perform, like Screaming Jets, James Blundell etc.

Also there are many tribute bands that come through to perform in this hall too.

I saw Darren Hanlon at the ANZAC Club live one evening as well, you can read about that evening here, Darren Hanlon.

A very good night indeed.

Is there a bike shop in Biloela?

Yes, Jim’s Cycles is the local bicycle shop and they have been in the area for a long time.

Jim’s Cycles is located at 126 Kroombit Street, Biloela.

The owner and mechanic there and he is very helpful and knows his stuff.

He also has scooters and skateboards there as well as a large selection of bikes for all ages and needs.

The thing I liked about talking to him was the quality factor he endorses.

You can always buy bikes cheaper online and from overseas but when you receive them the quality usually isn’t there.

It’s a thing you must take this into consideration when buying a bike from online, you will probably have to assemble it, it will probably have parts missing or parts that aren’t quite right.

This means it could be dangerous for your child when riding.

We have always bought our bikes and had them serviced at local bike shops.

It makes sense, if something goes wrong you can easily take it in to get fixed.

Growing vegetables in Biloela

I had three vegetable gardens in our back yard, so the dirt is great for gardening in Biloela.

The problem is the heat and keeping the plants watered.

I have grown chives, onions, egg plant, sweet potato, broccoli, kale, tomatoes, beans, snow peas, bok choy, and more.

The only thing that didn’t grow in my garden was the capsicums.

These were all grown from Bunnings seedlings too, so we did well with the harvesting.

Here is a video of my vegetable garden just before I started harvesting.

Are there any parks or playgrounds for the kids?

The Lions Park in Biloela had a massive upgrade a while ago with a huge kids playground being added.

Also lots of barbecues in this park as well as toilets too.

The park has a flying fox, an area for the little kids, a concrete path that runs around the whole area for the kids to get around on.

There is also a basket ball court and also a Liberty Swing (for children who use wheelchairs).

So this area is well used by the locals, us too, and they certainly have done a great job with it.

So a great place to hang out and have your next birthday party.

The only thing to mention here is watch out during magpie season, anyone who has lived in Biloela can vouch for this as they are everywhere and you never know when you are going to get swooped!

Buying camping supplies in Biloela

There is a camping shop in town called Dave’s Disposals and this is where we bought a sleeping bag before we went on our Outback Queensland Road Trip.

They have a great range of camping supplies and the prices aren’t too shabby too.

So if you live in Biloela or are just passing through on the way out west, swing into Dave’s Disposals at 50 Callide Street, Biloela.

Plenty of Petrol Stations

There are plenty of petrol stations in Biloela, so it easy to fill up in town or if you re just passing through.

There are generally the same prices throughout town for petrol, but I did find a way to save a few dollars by buying petrol from the Woolworths Caltex in town using my Woolworths Rewards card.

So we would save 4 cents a litre when filling up, better than nothing!

So if you are travelling through town on your road trip theres a tip for you.

Load up on groceries and load up on petrol at the one spot and use your rewards card to save yourself a bit of money.

Need a hardware store?

There are two stores in town that can take care of all of your hardware needs.

These are Mitre 10 and Home Timber and Hardware.

Both of these businesses have a broad range of products and have a few different product ranges from each other.

You can find Mitre 10 at 34 Dawson Highway, Biloela and Home Timber and Hardware at 124/134 Callide Street, Biloela.

We/I spent quite a bit of time between the two getting my vegetable garden supplies and various hose fittings too over the year.

Can you sit First Aid Courses and CPR in Biloela?

I have to sit my Electrical Registration test to retain my licence every few years and as part of this I have to have a current CPR certificate.

You can sit your first aid courses at the local ProPest business as they have a seperate part to them called ProTrain.

Just Google ProTrain Biloela and call the number to book or ask any questions.

They slotted me and my wife in easily and worked with us outside of normal work hours which was good too.

So make sure you support your local CPR First Aid Certificate supplier because if they aren’t in town you’ll have to travel for quite a while to get the same service.

What option is there for Storage Units?

There are a few storage places in Biloela, some are sheds, some are sheds and storage containers, and some are just storage containers.

There is two storage businesses on Raedon Street and two that are just around the corner from Raedon Street as well.

This area is classed as non flood plain so if you use them the insurance shouldn’t have the excess amount for flooding too.

Here is the self storage businesses in Biloela for you.

Biloela Self Storage, 1 Callistemon Street
Ozzy Lock Up Self Storage, 30 Dunn Street
Raedon Street Storage, 16 Raedon Street
Jetsal Storage, Raedon Street

Google them and ask the rates for different size storages, some were a little dearer than other and some were just full when we were looking.

Is there a Post Office?

There is a Aust Post Office in town and it does a bit more than just selling stamps.

We had our passports done there and they were very helpful with the photos and sending the information away.

Also they have post boxes for businesses and also do computer repairs too.

You can find them at 2/22-24 Gladstone Rd, Biloela and there is plenty of parking outside and if you are travelling through, plenty of parking room for a caravan around the corner.

How long does it take to drive?

Here are a few distances we have travelled so far from Biloela.

These are all just straight drive kilometres and times, they don’t take into account kid stops, petrol stops, or towing a caravan either.

If they are hyperlinked I have written about them before and you can click through to see how we went.

Rockhampton = 145 km 1hr 45mins
Gladstone = 121 km 1hr 25mins
Brisbane = 563 km 6hr 25 mins
Yeppoon = 184 km 2hr 15 mins
Outback Queensland Road Trip Loop

Does Biloela have a Library?

Yes, Biloela has Library, they have children’s reading and craft every Wednesday at 10am and we went there for these days when we could.

The Biloela Library is quite big and it is air conditioned, so you find the place pretty full on the hotter days.

They have books, magazines, DVD’s and also CD’s that you can take home as well as PlayStation, Xbox and other consoles you can play, and also Free Internet with computers ready to go.

What’s the weather like?

The Biloela weather is pretty hot most of the year, this includes winter too.

It doesn’t get too cold in Biloela and there is only a couple of houses that have chimneys in the town.

The weather apps and people predict and promise rain but Biloela is sometimes like a big doughnut and the rain just goes around the town.

The floods are still fresh in peoples minds, so peoples eyes do get a bit twitchy and the local supermarkets get cleaned out when there is reports of a big lot of rain coming.

I have been there when the mercury was well above 40 degrees and the air conditioners struggle to keep up.

The heat hits its peak around mid afternoon, just in time for the after school pick ups

We only have the air conditioner on heat a few times of the year and on cold probably for a few months mainly in the afternoon and in the evening.

The ceiling fans don’t cut it generally when it starts to heat up.

Things to do in Biloela

• Art Gallery
• The Callide Dam
• Walking
• Riding your bike
• Lions Park
• Clubs and Hotels
• Library
• Fair
• Horse racing
• Queensland Heritage Park
• Spirit of the Land Mural
• Greycliffe Homestead

If you want to explore the area, find the camping spots and four wheel drive roads, head to the “Sandstone Wonders” website as it has a great amount of information and maps for you.

Living in Biloela

We moved from Brisbane to Biloela to escape the rat race for a while.

The downsizing and the adventure of moving to a little Queensland country town seemed a great idea, and Biloela certainly didn’t disappoint.

It was hard work to get here, but when we finally made it, it’s very refreshing.

One set of traffic lights in town, you can walk pretty much everywhere, you can ride pretty much everywhere, gateway to adventures in our camper trailer, nice community, great people, walk the kids to school and walk them home, walk to work, slower life style, no traffic jams, spending more time with the kids, no waiting for traffic, and a whole lot more!

If you are looking for a new adventure, why not Biloela?

Even if you are just passing through, make sure you stop and say G’day!