Biggenden, Queensland

Biggenden is a town and locality in the North Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. It is on the Isis Highway 339km north-west of the state capital Brisbane, and 84km west of Maryborough. At the 2011 census, Biggenden had a population of 682 people.HistoryThe name is derived from the Kabi word bigindhan meaning a place of stringybark.Biggenden was founded in 1889 as a service centre to the short-lived goldrush towns of Paradise and Shamrock; and for coach passengers travelling west from Maryborough. The township, including the intriguingly named Live And Let Live Inn, moved to a new location alongside the railway station when the rail line arrived in 1891. Biggenden Post Office opened on 16 May 1891.Biggenden Provisional school opened on 9 May 1892, becoming Biggenden State School in 1900. In January 1953, the school experimented with offering high school subjects by correspondence. In 1958, a secondary school section was added.EconomyPrimary production is the most significant industry in the Shire with beef and dairy cattle being predominant. Other agricultural pursuits include grain crops, piggeries, peanuts, citrus and timber. The area is also rich in minerals. Biggenden Mine is located eight kilometres out of town off Ban Ban Springs Road. Gold, bismuth and more recently magnetite have been extracted from the mine. The township is also close to Coalstoun Lakes National Park and Mount Walsh National Park.