Western Downs Regional Council

Western Downs Regional Council is one of QLD's top-performing councils, ranking 8th of 77 and strongest on lifestyle & amenity.

"Darling Downs farming and energy — Dalby, Chinchilla, and melons"

Queensland · regional council · Pop. 35,000

Data last updated: 2023-24 · Data confidence: moderate

Overall Score

63 out of 100

#1 of 30 regional councils in QLD

#8 in Queensland

Score Breakdown

CategoryScore
Sustainability73/100
Community Services62/100
Lifestyle & Amenity80/100
Core Operations38/100

What This Means For You

Among regional councils, Western Downs Regional performs strongest in lifestyle affordability (better than 80% of peers), with room to improve in infrastructure and operations (currently at the 38th percentile).

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.