A new short film signals the beginning of a new tourism product for the Central Highlands.

The Gregory Crinum Mine Legacy video premiered at the Tourism and Events Forum in Emerald on Wednesday, 27 November, to launch the new Central Highlands Mining Trail.

The video reflects upon the 36-year history of the Gregory Crinum Mine Complex, north of Emerald, under the stewardship of former owner BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA).

The concepts for the video and mining trail were borne out of a multi-agency priority projects workshop in late 2015, which was conducted as part of BMA’s planning process to wind down operations at the mine.

“BMA is proud to celebrate, through this new video, the contribution that Gregory Crinum has made to the Central Highlands over the past 30 plus years,” BMA Asset President James Palmer said.

“And through the Central Highlands Mining Trail, this history will be opened up to a new generation of people who visit the Central Highlands.”

The video will be on permanent display at the Blackwater International Coal Centre and promoted widely online. Watch it here.

It features past employees and community stakeholders, who reflect upon the characters, events and achievements that shaped the complex’s rich and fascinating history.

The Central Highlands Mining Trail will be a 180-kilometre, self-drive route characterised by signage at key localities across the Bowen Basin – Capella, Lilyvale, Emerald, Blackwater and Bluff. 

The signage will be installed and brochures distributed in time for the next tourist season, which starts in March 2020.

The Central Highlands Development Corporation (CHDC) led the creation of the video and trail in partnership with BMA, which contributed $100,000.

“The trail taps into the tourism potential of our region’s mining sector,” CHDC Tourism Development Coordinator Paul Thompson said.

“Providing another local attraction, particularly one that satisfies people’s curiosity and interest in the mining industry, will help increase the length-of-stay and dispersal of visitors throughout the Central Highlands.”

Sojitz re-opened the Gregory Crinum Mine Complex after purchasing it from BMA in early 2019.