Blackwater is predominantly a coal mining community with a large transient population. It is located 836km from Brisbane and 192km from Rockhampton. The town got its name from the colour of the local water supply which had a distinctly dark colour from the tea tree leaves which are still common in the area. The traditional owners of the land are the Ghungalu people. To find out more about our district's indigenous heritage, please click on the Ghungalu people link.
The first person to discover the Blackwater coal deposits was Ludwig Leichhardt and the town was laid out in 1886 after the railway arrived in the area. It wasn't until the early 1960s that the town really started to develop. In 1959–60 coking coal was found to the south of the town and a mining lease was granted in 1965. In 1967 the first mine in the area started operating. It is thought that in 1962 the town's population was only 25. Twenty years later it had grown to over 8,000 which is similar to the population today.
Features to see in town include the Blackwater International Coal Centre, Lions Park with a large collection of flags from around the world, the Japanese garden and Blackdown tableland (approx. 50km from town).