Place in Time: Emerald, Queensland
Image courtesy of Central Highlands Regional Council
Australia’s coal communities have long powered our economic progress. Today, they are at the forefront of our transition to net zero.
Emerald, Queensland
Located in Central Queensland on the Nogoa River, Emerald sits 270 km west of Rockhampton and just 10 km south of the Tropic of Capricorn. According to the 2021 census, the town is home to 14,904 people.
Established in 1879 as a base to build the western railway, Emerald expanded rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s as a dormitory town for major new coal mines in the Bowen Basin. It is well known for its history in coal and sapphire mining. The region is also renowned for being a gateway to one of the largest sapphire fields in the Southern Hemisphere – the Sapphire Gemfields. Despite this, Emerald was named after the lush green pastures rather than the gemstone!
More than mining
Beyond mining, Emerald is home to the world’s largest replica of Vincent Van Gogh’s sunflower painting, celebrating the Central Highlands’ past as a major sunflower producer. The 25-metre structure took almost 3 months to complete and was erected in November 1999. It is one of 7 works around the world by Canadian artist Cameron Cross, who reproduces Van Gogh’s sunflowers as part of the Van Gogh Project.
A renewable energy hub
Today, Emerald remains a key agriculture and mining centre, balancing its roots in farming with its modern role in energy and resources. The town is writing its next chapter with a growing investment in renewable energy. Projects like the Emerald Solar Park are helping to reinforce the region’s role in Australia’s net zero transition.
The Emerald Solar Park consists of 250,000 solar panels and became fully operational in 2019. At peak construction, it created over 150 jobs and now generates enough electricity to power approximately 35,000 Queensland homes.
In its 20-year Economic Master Plan, the Central Highlands Development Corporation identifies manufacturing and renewables as future opportunities to diversity region’s economy and build industry capability.
Emerald and the broader Central Queensland region remain a priority for the Net Zero Economy Authority, as we work closely with local communities to support their transition to a clean energy future.
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