Colin Bowen
Clinical Nurse, Gladstone Hospital
"It only takes 10 minutes to get to work. So you get to do anything you want with your own time because you find you get a lot more of it".
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Location: 861km north west of Brisbane, 195km west of Rockhampton
Blackwater is a modern coal mining town situated in Central Queensland. Named for the colouring of the local water by tea-trees, Blackwater was purpose-built to support the coal mining operations of the region. Known as the “Coal Capital of Queensland”, the town’s mines produce millions of tonnes of coking and steaming coal which is either exported internationally or used for power generation in Queensland. Blackwater provides an authentic outback lifestyle amidst spectacular rural scenery.
The Blackwater Hospital is a 16 bed facility incorporating 4 aged care beds, providing acute inpatient, accident and emergency, pharmacy, outpatient and urgent radiology services to the community.
Visiting allied health services include podiatry, speech pathology and occupational therapy as well as adult and youth psychiatric services.
Community health clinics include antenatal, dietetics, child health, diabetic, immunisation and women’s health.
Blackwater tries to ensure that all residents are provided for, not just the mine workers. As such, Blackwater has a variety of recreational facilities like the picturesque Japanese Gardens and excellent educational opportunities.
The $9 million Blackwater International Coal Centre showcases the Central Highlands coal industry through an education and community centre, exhibition space, a cinema and a cafe. At the Centre, visitors can see how early settlers lived in Blackwater, take a guided tour or learn about the enormous equipment used in mining coal today. An initiative sponsored by private sector companies as well as government departments, the Blackwater International Coal Centre is an interactive display of Blackwater’s lifeline.
One hour west of Blackwater is Emerald which has extra shopping facilities and social outlets and is the gateway to the Carnarvon Gorge, Gem fields and Lake Maraboon.
Must do – the Lions Park is rumoured to have the world’s second largest collection of international flags, second to New York’s United Nations Building. Each flag represents each of the 37 nationalities who laboured together in the mines and establishing the district’s coal industry.
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