R&H Suburb Profile DALBY

Dalby is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, 210km west of Brisbane, at the junction of the Warrego, Moonie and Bunya Highways. It is the administrative centre of the Western Downs Region and the centre of Australia's richest grain and cotton growing area.

Dalby’s industries include large-scale engineering, coalmining, and fuels (ethanol). Dalby is the centre of a diverse and productive agricultural area, with rich black soil allowing production of crops such as wheat, cotton and sorghum. Raising livestock such as pigs, cattle and sheep is also popular. Two cotton gins are situated within 10km of the town.

Dalby's population is rapidly increasing, with many new estates and subdivisions, including Sunnyside Estate, Heritage Gardens, Callistemon Park and a new estate on the Warrego Highway side of Sandalwood Avenue.

Dalby Shoppingworld includes Woolworths, Big W, Amcal and other specialty shops.

Local schools include Dalby State School, Dalby South State School, Dalby Christian School, Dalby State High School, St Columba's Primary School and St Mary's Catholic College, Dalby. The town is served by Dalby Hospital.

Dalby is to be the site of the first dry millgrain-to-ethanol plant constructed in Australia, the first plant built specifically for the production of ethanol for fuel since the WWII. The area is developing an energy-based economy, with a large coal-fired power station and several coal mines and natural gas bores being established to the west of the town.

Dalby's Water Treatment Plant uses a state-of-the-art reverse osmosis process, and will soon have a second RO plant to cater for the town's increasing needs. The town has made a ground-breaking deal with nearby gas companies by taking water from gas fields. It has been noted that the town will have a definite water supply for at least another 30 years, taking into account demographic trends.