Moura

Moura is a small town and locality in the Shire of Banana in Central Queensland, Australia. It services the surrounding coal mining and rural activities. It is situated approximately 65km west of Biloela on the Dawson Highway, 186km west of the port city of Gladstone, and 171km south west of Rockhampton. At the 2011census, Moura had a population of 1,899 people.EconomyA number of industries are represented in the local economy. Chief amongst these is coal mining. The name of the local coal mine changes each time it's sold - currently Dawson Mine - owned and operated by Anglo Coal. Only open-cut mining has been used since 1994. Beef, cotton and cereals are other major industries of the area.HistoryIn 1854 Charles Marshall named his leased pastoral selection Moura. There are two theories regarding the origin of the name. One is that it is named after Moura in Portugal where he served in the British Army during the Peninsular Wars. The other is that it is an Aboriginal word meaning native camp dog.