Western Downs Regional Council
Western Downs Regional Council ranks 1st of 13 Queensland councils of 25,000–79,999 residents on Sustainability and 10th of 14 on Core Operations.
"Darling Downs farming and energy — Dalby, Chinchilla, and melons"
See where Western Downs Regional Council ranks: Best Councils in Queensland 2026
Queensland · medium council · Pop. 35,452
Data last updated: 2024-25 · Data confidence: high
Overall Score
No overall score — Queensland publishes data for two of the four dimensions. How these scores are calculated.
Sustainability: 1st of 13 medium councils scored on this dimension in QLD.
Core Operations: 10th of 14 medium councils scored on this dimension in QLD.
Peer group: 14 councils.
Score Breakdown
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Sustainability | 96/100 |
| Core Operations | 40/100 |
| Community Services | Not published by Queensland |
| Lifestyle & Amenity | Not published by Queensland |
What This Means For You
Among Queensland councils of 25,000–79,999 residents, Western Downs ranks 1st of 13 on Sustainability and 10th of 14 on Core Operations. Queensland publishes no Community Services data and only one amenity measure, so those two dimensions are not scored here and no overall score is calculated.
What Makes This Place Unique
Darling Downs farming and energy — Dalby, Chinchilla, and melons
Black soil farming overlaid with coal seam gas.
Known For
- Chinchilla Melon Festival
- Darling Downs farming
- Coal seam gas
- Dalby service centre
Living Here
Affordable country living with dual farming and energy employment.
Hidden Gem
Bunya Mountains National Park — ancient bunya pine forests.