Surat, Queensland: Travel guide and things to do

Located on the banks of the Balonne River 75 km from Roma (or 79 km if you take the sign a few kilometres out of town rather than the one opposite the post office) and 450 km west of Brisbane, Surat is one of those tiny settlements which does little more than service the surrounding rural landholdings.

The area around Surat was first explored by Sir Thomas Mitchell in 1846 when, on his fourth expedition, he passed through the region while attempting to find an overland route from Boree to Port Essington in the Northern Territory. It is said that Mitchell named the Balonne River after asking a local Aborigine what it was called. Apparently the Aborigine misunderstood Mitchell and gave him the Aboriginal word for a hatchet which Mitchell was holding at the time. It is tempting to think that such misunderstanding was common in the naming of many places in Australia.

The town was surveyed by James Burrowes in 1850. Such was Burrowes zeal for immortality that he named the town after his home in India and managed to name most of the streets after members of his family including Charlotte, William, and in the case of the main street, Burrowes.

Things to see

Shire Hall
The most interesting building in Surat is undoubtedly the Shire Hall, a wonderful and unusual timber building which stands on the road into town from St George. It actually has the name Alex J Simpson on the clock face rather than the numerals measuring the hours.

Surat Oil Field
Some 80 km south of the town Bridge Oil operate the Surat Oil Field.

There is a memorial park on the banks of the Balonne river which is a pleasant spot for a picnic.