South Kolan
Kalbar Plantation was owned by Dr May of Bundaberg; a sugar mill was erected there in 1883.
Industry in the district consists of cattle farming, sugar cane production and milling, and commercial fruit and vegetable production. The township, although small, has a convenience store, Kolan South State Primary School, a police station and The South Kolan Pub which also has accommodation facilities. South Kolan is also frequented by many residents of surrounding rural areas such as Pine Creek and Gin Gin.
Bingera and South Bingera
Bingera, a sugar-industry locality, is midway between Bundaberg and Gin Gin. In 1883 William Gibson, a sugar grower who had started in Hemmant, Brisbane, purchased some land on the north side of the Burnett River. His sons were partners in the venture, and another Hemmant planter, John Howes and Bros, contributed financial backing. The Bingera Plantation (named after a pastoral station) was established, and a large crushing mill was operational by 1885. 'Bingera' is thought to be derived from an Aboriginal word indicating bream (fish).
Gibson and Howes had a railway siding to their mill, and Gibsons Siding was renamed Bingera in 1897. Bingera was the biggest mill in the Bundaberg area and its plantation was not subdivided into farms.
A substantial community formed around the plantation and mill, described at different times as 'Bingera' and 'Bingera Plantation'. A Sunday school was formed, with nearly 20 teachers and over 60 children (c1900). For secular education, the children attended Kolan South State School.
Descendants of the Gibson and Howes families continued their management involvement in the Bingera mill until it was taken over by Bundaberg Sugar Ltd in 1972. In 2002 Bingera absorbed some of the Fairymead mill's allotted cane when Fairymead closed: the mill at Childers had drawn too much cane away from Fairymead and its continued operation was uneconomic. In 2010 the mill expanded to include a joint venture with Bundaberg Macadamias. A fire damaged parts of the mill in 2014.
Russians recorded at South Koland and worng at Bingera Sugar Mill
- Мат(у)юшкин Осип Макарович- Matushken, Osep (October 1916), born 1898
- Матюшкин Макар Иванович- Matushkin, Makar (21 October 1916) - later Bingera plantation, born 1896 in Saratov, arr Dec 1913, kids Ella (possibly Nellie, 1914 born Siberia), Kate (1917, Bingera)
- Матюшкина Нелли - Matushkin, [E] Nellie ( November 1918)
- Матюшкина Степанида - Matushkin, Stepuneda (October 1916)
- Стакович Акулина - Stakovitch, Akulina (1916)
- Стакович Лаврентий - Stakovitch, Lavrenti ( October 1916 )
- Банников Алексей Михайлович - Bannikoff, Alexis (October 1916) ,13 October 1919 at Bundaberg, born 30/03/1882 in Davydovo, Tambovskaya gubernia, arr 14 Nov 1909
- Банникова Евдоксия -Bannikoff, Evdoxia ( October 1916 )
- Донская (ур Сласерова) Дора - Donsky [nee Slasoroff], Dora (30 October 1916)
- Сласеров Филлип - Slaseroff, [Mr] Phillip (October 1916)
- Олейник Мария - OLEINIK Maria (October 1916)
- Олейник Василий - OLEINIK Vassili (October 1916) born in 1874 Kief, arr 14 June 1911 through Harbin, had 8 kids altogether
- Бурмаркина Феоклиста - Boormakin, Theoclista 1925
- Бурмаркин Порфирий Иванович - Boormakin, Porfiry, born 1897 Kamsk, Enisey, arr June 1914, kids George (in Sydney) and Vladimir
- Черныш Мария - Chernysh, Maria (October 1916)
- Черныш Никита - Chernysh, Nikita ( October 1916)
- Ефремова Мария - EFREMOFF, Mary (October 1916)
- Ефремов Семен - EFREMOFF, Samen -(October 1916)
George Marion Tchorzewski (also listed as Georgias Marian or Georgius Marion), a farmer/farm labourer, resided in Cedars, South Kolan, and passed away in Queensland in 1944.
1911
PROGRESS AT BINGERA. (1911, July 6). The Bundaberg Mail and Burnett Advertiser (Qld. : 1892 - 1917), p. 3. Retrieved May 11, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article215669735
1919
A small community of Russian immigrants was present at the Bingera Plantation near Bundaberg, Queensland, during the early 20th century. By May 1919, a group of approximately 41 Russians was reported in the area, often experiencing challenging conditions and job discrimination.
At the Bingera Plains, near Bundaberg, the Russian community of forty-one souls complained bitterly in May 1919 of job discrimination and general destitution. Calling for passports, the community's spokesman, P. Boormakin, pleaded with the Acting Prime Minister .. hasten our departure without driving us to despair ... Soon there will be no other course left for us but to go to Local Authorities and ask them to gaol us ... let us go from this Babylon prison. We will spend our last money and very soon face family starvation ... Let us go from Australia to the old contry [sic].
Bundaberg Mail (Qld. : 1917 - 1925), Friday 16 May 1919, page 6
RUSSIANS AT BINGERA.
REQUEST FOR PASSPORTS
They have been refused iin passports.
RUSSIANS AT BINGERA. (1919, May 16). The Bundaberg Mail (Qld. : 1917 - 1925), p. 6. Retrieved May 11, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article216246238