The Chinchilla region offers rich diversity, extensive infrastructure, warm community spirit and exceptional investor potential. Just 300km west of Brisbane (three-and-a-half hours’ drive), Chinchilla lies in the heart of the Surat Basin.
Home to more than 6200 people, Chinchilla and district offers the right mix to people seeking a ‘tree change’ to a more relaxed, rural environment. The growing economy retains its rural character, including new and traditional housing, abundant jobs, low crime, terrific community facilities and very low unemployment.
The Chinchilla News is a weekly paper focused on the events and activities for Chinchilla and surrounds. An informative read, it covers the areas of Tara, Miles and Wandoan. The Surat Basin News, a quarterly publication, also provides residents with well researched and formatted information around activities of the resources and mining sector. Television, radio and alternative media is easily accessed from Chinchilla and district.
Chinchilla’s picturesque main street is a bustling retail centre with wide open footpaths and adequate parking. Small arcades and shopping centres support the well established businesses of the main street. As well as a rapidly growing retail sector, as evidenced by the doubling of capacity of the IGA Supermarket, the three major car dealers of Ford, Holden and Toyota are all located in town. All four major trading banks -Westpac, Commonwealth, National and ANZ – have branches in Chinchilla, as well as Suncorp. There are also agencies for Heritage Building Society and the Bendigo Bank.
From the first years of early childhood through to primary school, secondary school, vocational pathways and tertiary training, Chinchilla is a regional centre for education. Within the town of Chinchilla, a C&K-owned kindergarten provides early education for under-5s, with private (Chinchilla Christian School, St Joseph’s School) and state schools (Chinchilla State School, Chinchilla State High School) catering from Prep to Year 12. Across the district, state schools operate at Brigalow, Hopelands, Auburn River, Burra Burri and Kogan.
The Chinchilla campus of Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE proactively partners with industry and business to provide employees with appropriate skills. A hostel, Leichhardt House, provides accommodation for students attending schools in Chinchilla, with preference given to students from remote homes who are in high school. An outstanding feature of education in Chinchilla is the widespread availability of choice, with small class numbers.
Residents of the Chinchilla region are spoiled for choice with medical facilities. Chinchilla has a fully equipped hospital, with its own operating theatre, accident and emergency ward and maternity award. It currently has 25 acute beds, four maternity beds and 20 long stay places. Other hospital services include inpatient and outpatient care, social work, physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, mental health, community health services, a women’s clinic and x-ray facility.
Full community health services exist to cover home visits, home nursing, child care and immunisations, and alcohol and drug support. Five general practitioners, a speech therapist, physiotherapists, an occupational therapist, optometrist, podiatrist and two chiropractors work in Chinchilla town. In addition, a visiting surgeon and obstetrician/gynaecologist, physician, mental health team, psychologist and dietician regularly visit the town. There is a private dental practice with two dentists and a hygienist, as well as a public dental hospital. Natural therapists are located within or regularly visit the district. For people who are elderly or require high care nursing, Illoura Village offers 18 high-care beds and 34 low-care beds, as well as independent living areas.
Chinchilla has high quality facilities, over and above the expected standard for a regional town. The centrepiece is Chinchilla’s Cultural Centre – an award-winning, 700-seat auditorium and cinema, with function room, theatrette, outdoor patio, bar and kitchen. It forms part of the Heeney Street Civic Precinct, encompassing shire offices, the White Gums Gallery, library and public amenities. Nearby, the Chinchilla Aquatic Centre offers a 25m indoor heated pool, 50m outdoor pool and gymnasium.
Throughout the district, social infrastructure is at an equally high level. Strong community service groups such as Apex, Lions and Rotary drive a number of high quality community initiatives and projects. Chinchilla Weir includes picnic shelters, public amenities and a public boat ramp. The annual campdraft, which started in 1923, attracts competitors from all over the nation while sporting facilities for golf, squash, bowls, tennis, cricket, rugby league, soccer, racing and polocrosse are exceptional. The cricket oval has floodlighting for night games.
