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The Big Orange - Gayndah, QLD
 To get noticed means having something worth noticing. So it is in Gayndah, a pleasant rural township 366 km northwest of Brisbane on the Burnett River. The town occupies the heart of Queensland's citrus region and proudly claims to be 'The Orange Capital of Queensland'. As if to underscore this point, visitors will see the 'Big Orange' at one end of the town.
The Gayndah region was settled in 1843 and the township declared in 1849. In the same year, the Corinth Arms opened its pub for business as did the town?s post office. One year later Gayndah (Aboriginal for ?thunder?) had its own police courts building. Soon after, a school opened up followed by the town bank in 1864. A Queensland bush ranger known a
'The Wild Scotsman' took it upon himself to hold up the town presumably with the view to making off with deposits in the bank. He wasn?t successful.
It wasn?t until 1892 that farmers realised the soils along the Burnett River floodplain were rich enough for intensive agriculture. A local farmer planted over one hundred orange and mandarin trees and the town has never looked back.
Attractions and points of interest include the Gayndah & District Historical Museum featuring an eighteenth century grandfather clock manufactured well before Australia was even settled by Europeans. The museum has other curiosities including a 1913 vintage Leyland truck and other equipment from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The centerpiece of the museum is Ban Ban Station, a Georgian cottage removed from its original location and rebuilt in the town. It was one of the first buildings of the area and typifies the Queensland slab cottage.
Overlooking the town is the Thomas and Charles Archer Lookout, providing a wonderful overview of the community and surrounding countryside.
In keeping with many Australian country towns, Gayndah?s main street is reminiscent of times past. There is a strangely unexpected building dating from 1935 that conjoins the Council Chambers, Soldiers Memorial Hall and the Town Hall Theatre.
The old school house at the far end of town has been in continuous use since 1861 and it alleged to be the oldest school in Queensland. Well worth a visit is the Mellors Drapery Store featuring one of the last remaining 'flying foxes' in Australian that sent cash whizzing along overhead wires from the cashier position to the central cash office.
Gayndah is, of course, in citrus-growing terrotiry and the nearby Ellendale Orchard provides free tours between mid April and mid July giving visitors an excellent insight in the wonderous business of cultivating and producing the dozens of varieties of citrus fruit.
Gayndah?s accommodation options include:Gayndah?s accommodation options include: Golden Orange Hotel-Motel (07 4161 1107)
Gayndah Colonial Motor Inn (07 4161 1999)
Gayndah Motel (07 4161 2500)
Manda Inn Motel (07 4161 1911)
Burnett Hotel (07 4161 1801)
Golden Orange Hotel/Motel (07 4161 1107)
Grand Hotel (07 4161 1200)
Manda Inn Caravan Park (07 4161 1911)
Riverview Caravan Park (07 4161 1280)
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