EMERALD IS ONE OF those thriving regional towns that people are often drawn to for work opportunities and then decide to stay on for the relaxed lifestyle and welcoming community. Located on the Nogoa River in the Central Highlands of Queensland, Emerald is at the gateway to the largest sapphire gemfields in the southern hemisphere. The town is also known for its diverse economic base with agricultural production, coal resources, health, education and services sectors.
For outdoor enthusiasts, the town of almost 15,000 residents is close to Blackdown Tableland National Park to the east, Lake Maraboon Fairbairn Dam (Queensland’s second-largest dam), Minerva Hills National Park, as well as Carnarvon Gorge to the south.
With an impressive education and extracurricular offering, Emerald is an ideal place to raise a family, as locals Nigel and Beth Burnett can attest. Nigel, 44, is a third-generation farmer in the region, while Beth, 45, is a pharmacist at the local community pharmacy. Their two children Millie, 14, and Lachlan, 11,
