Dalby

Geography

Dalby is approximately 82.3 kilometres (51.1 miles) west of Toowoomba, 208 kilometres (129 mi) west northwest of the state capital, Brisbane, 269 kilometres (167 miles) east southeast of Roma and 535 kilometres (332 miles) east southeast of Charleville at the junction of the Warrego, Moonie and Bunya Highways. State Route 82 also passes through Dalby. It enters from the north as Dalby–Jandowae Road and exits to the south as Dalby–Cecil Plains Road. Dalby–Cooyar Road exits to the east.

Dalby is the centre of Australia's richest grain and cotton growing area.

Mocattas Corner is a neighbourhood on the eastern boundary of the locality with Irvingdale (27.1166°S 151.3666°E / -27.1166; 151.3666 (Mocattas Corner)). It takes its name from the former Mocattas Corner railway station (27.1159°S 151.3629°E / -27.1159; 151.3629 (Mocattas Corner railway station (former))), which in turn was named after George Gershon Mocatta, a pastoralist who took up the Cumkillenbar pastoral run in August 1849.

Transport

Western railway line

The Western railway line passes through Dalby with a number of railway stations serving the locality:

Baining railway station (27.1103°S 151.1681°E / -27.1103; 151.1681 (Baining railway station))

Yarrala railway station, now closed (27.1244°S 151.1887°E / -27.1244; 151.1887 (Yarrala railway station (former)))

Tycanba railway station (27.1659°S 151.2491°E / -27.1659; 151.2491 (Tycanba railway station))

Dalby railway station in Hunter Street (27.1799°S 151.2715°E / -27.1799; 151.2715 (Dalby railway station)) serving the town

Blaxland railway station (27.1963°S 151.3195°E / -27.1963; 151.3195 (Blaxland railway station))

Glenmorgan railway line

The Glenmorgan railway line branches from the Western railway line just west of the Dalby railway station with the following railway stations within the locality of Dalby":

Yumborra railway station, now closed (27.1826°S 151.2387°E / -27.1826; 151.2387 (Yumborra railway station (former)))

Dalby West railway station (27.1812°S 151.2456°E / -27.1812; 151.2456 (Dalby West railway station))

Natcha railway station, serving the Dalby Butter Factory, now closed (27.1783°S 151.2536°E / -27.1783; 151.2536 (Natcha railway station (former)))

Bell Branch railway line

The now-closed Bell Branch railway line also branched from the Western railway line with the following railway stations within the locality of Dalby:

Bonyumba railway station (27.1689°S 151.2793°E / -27.1689; 151.2793 (Bonyumba railway station (former)))

Sanatorium railway station, serving the Dalby Sanatorium (27.1556°S 151.2930°E / -27.1556; 151.2930 (Sanatorium railway station (former)))

Mocattas Corner railway station (27.1159°S 151.3629°E / -27.1159; 151.3629 (Mocattas Corner railway station (former)))

Airports

Dalby Aerodrome is an airport (27.1607°S 151.2642°E / -27.1607; 151.2642 (Dalby Aerodrome)).

There is a heliport at Dalby Hospital (27.1671°S 151.2769°E / -27.1671; 151.2769 (Dalby Hospital heliport)).

History

Baranggum (also known as Barrunggam, Barunggam Parrungoom and Murrumgama) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Baranggum people. The Baranggum language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Western Downs Regional Council, particularly Dalby, Tara, Jandowae and west towards Chinchilla.

Dalby was founded in the early 1840s at a place known locally as "The Crossing" on Myall Creek, a tributary of the Condamine River. The first settler was Henry Dennis, who explored the region and chose land for himself and others in the locality. Today an obelisk in Edward Street denotes the location where Dennis camped.

A small settlement was founded to assist travellers heading north to nearby Jimbour Station. The explorer Ludwig Leichhardt visited the area in 1844, on his way to Port Essington.

In February 1853, the New South Wales government sent the Deputy Surveyor General Captain Samuel Perry to the area to survey a township. In August of the following year, Charles Douglas Eastaughffe arrived with a document under the Seal of the NSW Government officially proclaiming 'Dalby' a township. Eastaughffe was later appointed Chief Constable and remained in Dalby until his retirement.

The name of the town is believed to come from the village of Dalby on the Isle of Man and reflects immigration from the Isle of Man in the mid-19th century. The name was apparently chosen by Captain Samuel Perry when he surveyed the settlement in 1853.

Myall Creek Post Office also opened in 1854 in Roche's store, with Mr. Simpson as the first postmaster. It was renamed Dalby in 1855.

In 1859, Dalby became part of the new Colony of Queensland.

Dalby State School opened on 1 June 1861. In 1869, the school split into Dalby Boys State School Dalby Girls State School. In 1885, the girls' school became Dalby Girls & Infants State School. In 1893, the two schools were combined as Dalby State School. In 1914, the school expanded to include a secondary school, which closed in 1954, due to the establishment of a separate secondary school, Dalby State High School.

Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Dalby had a population of 12,719 people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 7.0% of the population. 84.0% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were Philippines 1.9%, New Zealand 1.3%, England 1.1% and South Africa 0.8%. 88.7% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Tagalog at 1.0%. The most common responses for religion were Catholic 26.3%, Anglican 19.6% and No Religion 16.9%.

In the 2021 census, the locality of Dalby had a population of 12,758 people.

Heritage listings

Dalby has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

133 Cunningham Street: former Dalby Town Council Chambers and Offices

153 Cunningham Street: St John's Anglican Church

169 Cunningham Street: St Columba's Convent

21 New Street: Dalby Fire Station

28B Nicholson Street: Dalby State High School

Patrick Street: Dalby War Memorial and Gates

58 Patrick Street: Dalby Olympic Swimming Pool

Economy

Industry in Dalby includes large-scale engineering, coal mining, and fuels (ethanol). Dalby is the centre of a diverse and productive agricultural area with rich black soil allowing the production of crops such as wheat, cotton and sorghum. Livestock raising including pigs, cattle and sheep is also popular. Two cotton gins are situated within 10 kilometres (6 mi) of the town.

Dalby is to be the site of the first dry mill grain-to-ethanol plant constructed in Australia (the first plant built specifically for the production of ethanol for fuel since World War II).

Power

The local area is developing an energy-based economy with a large coal-fired power station and a number of coal mines and natural gas bores being established to the west of Dalby. A local company has been awarded a contract to establish wind turbines on adjacent farm land.

Approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Dalby is the Kogan Creek Power Station. This A$1.2 billion project is a 750-megawatt coal-fired power station, with adjacent coal mine being developed at the small town of Kogan, which is roughly equidistant between Dalby, Chinchilla, and Tara.

Education

Dalby State School is a government primary (Preparatory to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 155 Cunningham Street (27.1846°S 151.2623°E / -27.1846; 151.2623 (Dalby State School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 579 students with 43 teachers (39 full-time equivalent) and 35 non-teaching staff (23 full-time equivalent) and has a special education program. It is one of the oldest state primary schools in Queensland.

Dalby South State School is a government primary (Early Childhood to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 65 Owen Street (corner of Bunya Street, 27.1948°S 151.2701°E / -27.1948; 151.2701 (Dalby South State School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 653 students with 46 teachers (43 full-time equivalent) and 32 non-teaching staff (21 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program (Preparatory to Year 10).

Our Lady of the Southern Cross College is a Catholic primary and secondary (Preparatory to Year 12) school for boys and girls at 2 Nicholson Street (27.1718°S 151.2676°E / -27.1718; 151.2676 (Our Lady of the Southern Cross College)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 594 students with 48 teachers (44 full-time equivalent) and 31 non-teaching staff (20 full-time equivalent). It has a special education program.

Dalby Christian College is a private primary and secondary (Preparatory to Year 12) school for boys and girls at 2A Mary Street (27.1722°S 151.2780°E / -27.1722; 151.2780 (Dalby Christian College)). It is operated by the Christian Community Ministries. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 328 students with 25 teachers (24 full-time equivalent) and 17 non-teaching staff (13 full-time equivalent). It has an early learning centre and boarding for secondary students as well as a special education program.

Dalby State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 26 Nicholson Street (27.1781°S 151.2595°E / -27.1781; 151.2595 (Dalby State High School)). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 1,040 students with 94 teachers (89 full-time equivalent) and 71 non-teaching staff (54 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program. The school has a boarding facility for boys and girls at 463 Bunya highway (27.1523°S 151.2949°E / -27.1523; 151.2949 (Dalby State High School - Bunya Campus)).

Local media

The Dalby Herald (once a print newspaper, now online-only) is published in Dalby.

Dalby also has its own community radio station, 89.9 FM 4DDD, which was founded on 26 January 1992.

Several ABC radio stations can be received in Dalby with other ABC radio stations available via audio-only television channels.

Facilities

Water and sewerage treatment services are provided by Western Downs Regional Council. 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.

There is also the Dalby Cemetery, a monumental cemetery.

Amenities

Western Downs Regional Council operates a public library at 107 Drayton Street. It is open 10am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 12:30pm Saturday. Dalby Library has two Creative Studios which have the latest in content creation tools, professional equipment and software, music production and recording, and digital production and editing to help create and share projects.

St Mark's Lutheran Church is at 58A Condamine Street (27.1806°S 151.2632°E / -27.1806; 151.2632 (St Mark's Lutheran Church)).

Dalby Uniting Church is at 71–73 Condamine Street (27.1834°S 151.2604°E / -27.1834; 151.2604 (Dalby Uniting Church)).

The Springvale Kupunn branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 52 Cunningham Street.

Sport

Dalby has a strong rugby League history with a senior rugby league team in the Toowoomba Rugby League known as The Dalby Diehards (founded 1980). The Junior Rugby League Team, The Dalby Devils, that participate in to Toowoomba Junior Rugby League.

Dalby has an Australian rules football team, the Dalby Swans (founded 1980) based at the Dalby AFL oval which fields men's, women's and junior teams in the AFL Darling Downs competition. It has produced top level players like Zimmorlei Farquharson.

Attractions

Dalby has a monument to the Cactoblastis cactorum in a park by the Myall Creek which runs through the town. The Argentinian caterpillar successfully eradicated the prickly pear in the 1920s.

Climate

Dalby has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa in the Köppen climate classification) and being located just to the west of the Great Dividing Range it is hotter and less humid in summer and colder and drier in winter than nearby locations on the other side of the range. Dalby has had a recording weather station since 1893, but that was replaced in 1992 by another station at the Dalby Airport. The town's highest recorded temperature was 45.6 °C (114.1 °F) on 4 December 1913, while the coldest was −7.2 °C (19.0 °F) on 5 July 1895. The annual rainfall is 681.2 mm (26.82 in), the majority of which falls as thunderstorms in the summer months.

Dalby experienced its worst floods since 1981 in late December 2010. The town's water purification system was flooded, resulting in water restrictions that have hampered clean-up efforts. 112,500 litres (24,700 imp gal; 29,700 US gal) of water were transported to the town of 14,000 residents. In early March 2013, Dalby received another severe flood, cutting the town in two after 122 mm (4.8 in) of rain was recorded over a few days. Flood waters peaked at 3.21 metres and a number of homes received water damage.

Notable residents

Luke and Cody Cook, Winners of House Rules (2016)

Brodie Croft, rugby league player

B. R. Dionysius, poet

Beau Fermor, rugby league player

Zimmorlei Farquharson, Australian rules footballer

Jayson Gillham, classical pianist

David Gleeson, golfer

Stirling Hinchliffe, Queensland Labor politician

Jerry Jerome, stockman and boxer

Alan Jones, radio host and rugby coach

Sir James Killen, Liberal MP for Moreton 1955–1983

George Lee, gliding champion

Jason Little, former Australian professional rugby union player

Andrew McCullough, rugby league player

Andrew McGahan, author

Mark O'Shea, of the country music duo O'Shea

Steve Price, rugby league player

Margot Robbie, actress

John Size, Australian Racing Hall of Fame trainer

Hugh Sweeny, first Australian prisoner of war in World War II