Dubbo

DubboCourthouse in Dubbo, N.S.W., Austl.

Dubbo, city, east-central New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the Macquarie River.

The district around what is now Dubbo was visited in 1818 by the explorer John Oxley, and it received its first settlers in 1824. Dubbo, founded in 1841, was an established village by 1849. It became a municipality in 1872 and a city in 1966. It is the trade centre of an area producing wheat, livestock, timber, and fruits and vegetables. Dubbo has slaughterhouses, flour mills, sawmills, and joinery works. It is a major rail and road junction lying some 255 miles (410 km) northwest of Sydney; an airport is also located in the city. Dubbo’s attractions include the Taronga Western Plains Zoo; nearby are the Wellington Caves, Warrumbungle National Park, and the Mudgee vineyards. Pop. (2006) local government area, 37,843; (2011) local government area, 38,805.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Lorraine Murray.