Regional Drought Resilience Plan for the Darling Downs 2022-2030.

• Main Authors: Lyons, B., Dr Robert Mellor, Drysdale, A., Regional Development Australia Darling Downs And South West Inc, Goondiwindi Regional Council, Southern Downs Regional Council, Australia, Toowoomba Regional Council, Australia, Western Downs Regional Council, Australia
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Commonwealth Government of Australia 2023
• Subjects: Moonie; Queensland; First Nations
• Online Access: https://research.usq.edu.au/item/z7x7v/regional-drought-resilience-plan-for-the-darling-downs-2022-2030; https://research.usq.edu.au/download/474406581998f118012a2ccbea422dcfc8287488730a6773c61c3c76cec008f0/5517770/RDRP_DD_Final_WEB%5B3%5D.pdf

What we now call ‘The Darling Downs’ was the traditional home to the First Nations people of the Keinjan, Giabal, Bigambul, Jarowair and Barunggam tribes – a subset of the Wakka Wakka language speakers. This land has always been fertile, and its bounties were enjoyed by First Nations owners even before the arrival of Europeans. These days, the Darling Downs regional economies are still heavily reliant on agriculture. Due to the large array of crops (extensive and intensive) grown in the region, at any time of the year there is a crop in the ground which requires rain. The Darling Downs region comprises of the following LGAs: Goondiwindi Regional Council; Southern Downs Regional Council; Toowoomba Regional Council; Western Downs Regional Council. Significant population centres and Towns include Toowoomba, Goondiwindi, Stanthorpe, Warwick, Dalby, Moonie, Chinchilla, Esk and Kilcoy. All LGAs experienced population growth below the average for regional Queensland. People leave the region during drought which leaves a variety of adverse flow-on effects and the region’s population is rapidly ageing. Drought exacerbates chronic stresses and underlying issues.