Dirranbandi

Dirranbandi is a town and locality in South West Queensland, Australia, located in the Shire of Balonne. At the 2011 census, Dirranbandi had a population of 711. It sits on the Castlereagh Highway and the Balonne River. It is notable for the population variations each year as seasonal workers come to work on the extensive cotton fields. Due to the low annual rainfall, irrigation is used extensively. Cubbie Station, the largest cotton producing property in the southern hemisphere, is close to Dirranbandi.HistoryDirranbandi is located on the traditional lands of the Kooma people. However people in Dirranbandi recognise themselves as Kamilaroi.The town reserve was surveyed in 1885. One hundred housing allotments were first set aside, followed by land for a police station, a state school, and post office.Dirranbandi Provisional School opened in 1902 but closed in April 1905. It reopened on 20 January 1908 and became Dirranbandi State School on 1 January 1909. On 29 January 1963, a secondary school to Year 10 was added.The railway reached Dirranbandi on 22 May 1913. Dirranbandi had the honour of being the destination for the last mail train to operate in Australia.The Culgoa Floodplain National Park lies 130km to the south-west. The town experienced serious flooding in February–March 2010 and January 2011.