Outback, opals and opportunities abound
About our region
Bordering New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory, South West Queensland truly is the cornerstone of the State.
ECONOMY & INFRASTRUCTURE
South West Queensland has strong foundations established in our traditional industries of oil, gas and agriculture, but importantly, we have massive untapped potential in our emerging industries of apiculture, goats and macropods, renewable energy, agtech and education, carbon farming and tourism.
GROWTH INDUSTRIES
Food and agribusiness
South West Queensland and the Darling Downs produce around a third of Queensland’s agricultural output and is a major region for cotton, chickpeas and beef production. Cattle breeds include high-value Wagyu, Angus and mixed Bos Taurus as well as Bos Indicus feeder cattle. Australia’s largest cattle selling centre is based at Roma, and the second biggest at Dalby. Numerous properties produce organic beef, catering for growing domestic and international demand.
South West Queensland is a major producer and exporter of premium grains and pulses including hard wheats, sorghum, barley, sunflowers, maize, chickpeas, mungbeans and soybeans.
South West Queensland produces 85% of Queensland’s cotton and several cotton gins operate in the region. In addition, the region produces a wide range of vegetable crops such as lettuce, melons and onions, with fruit and nut produce including avocados, nectarines, grape vines, olives, blueberries and peaches.
Mining and resources
The mining and resources sector is an important contributor to the South West Queensland region, which is fast becoming an energy hub for Australia.
Oil and conventional gas are produced from the Cooper and Eromanga Basins, with multi-billion-dollar coal seam gas (CSG) projects dotted throughout the Surat Basin with the prospect of delivering CSG to residential centres and export destinations. Exploration has indicated the potential for future growth in oil and gas production. Opals are also mined across the region.
Tourism
Given the strength of the agricultural sector, there is growing interest in paddock-to-plate gourmet food and wine tourism. Popular outdoor recreation experiences include hiking, and mountain biking. The beautiful wide-open spaces of the South West also provide world-class stargazing.
There are opportunities to grow the tourism sector by capitalising on the natural beauty of our region.
Transport and logistics
The South West region is connected to major transport corridors and provides access to national and international networks. It has developeds road, rail and air networks supported by business and industrial facilities and available labour.