About Quirindi

Our Town

Nestled at the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, Quirindi is a charming, historic country town surrounded by diverse and abundant natural beauty and prime agricultural resources.

Situated right in the heart of the picturesque Liverpool Plains, one of Australia’s richest agricultural regions, the surrounding landscape transforms annually with glorious swathes of sunshine – fields of sunflowers bring families from miles around for the perfect picture with a breathtaking backdrop.

The Liverpool Plains Shire local government area is home to 7,687 residents (2016 census) and encompasses the towns and hamlets of Quirindi (pop. 2580), Ardglen, Blackville, Caroona, Currabubula, Premer, Spring Ridge, Wallabadah, Werris Creek and Willow Tree. All are unique and vibrant communities, rich in Indigenous and agricultural heritage.

An active volcanic past turned the Liverpool Plains into one of the most fertile farmlands in the nation. Traditionally grazing country, the advent of more powerful machinery and bores for irrigation have led to broad acre farming of canola, wheat, sorghum, canola and sunflowers, which are a signature of the region. The changing colours of seasonal crops provide the perfect view whilst travelling through the picturesque hills, valleys and sweeping plains.

In Quirindi, the summers are hot, the winters are cool, and it is mostly clear year-round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 2°C to 32°C and is rarely below -1°C or above 37°C.

Within the Shire there are daycare centres, preschools, both public and Catholic primary schools and one public high school, and tertiary education is available directly through the TAFE NSW Quirindi Connected Learning Centre.

There are a variety of venues in Quirindi to enjoy a coffee hit or a tasty meal, including great pizzas, outstanding pub grub, modern Australian, Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine and delicious homemade pies.

Quirindi offers affordable housing teemed with a safe and peaceful rural lifestyle complete with all the essentials but also close to thriving regional centres. Surrounded by ruggedly beautiful landscapes to the east and the rolling patchwork plains to the west, the area is a gateway between the Hunter Valley and the New England Northwest regions, with friendly, social communities just waiting to welcome new friends to town.

Our History

The Traditional Owners of the region are the Kamilaroi People, who form a part of a wider Nation, which extended from around Singleton in the Hunter Valley through to the Warrumbungle Mountains in the west and up through the present-day centres of Quirindi, Tamworth, Narrabri, Walgett, Moree and Mungindi in NSW, to Nindigully, in south-west Queensland. Discover more about this fascinating, ancient culture.

The Liverpool Plains is associated with some of Australia’s most well know European explorers, Surveyor General John Oxley - at the request of Governor Macquarie he undertook two expeditions in 1817 and 1818 seeking land to further develop the fledgling wool industry in NSW. The second expedition of 1818 was undertaken to determine the extent of the Macquarie River and whether the rumoured inland sea existed.

The Liverpool Plains is considered one of his most significant finds and is described in glowing and almost romantic terms in his journal when he first arrived in the region. In 1832, Sir Edward Parry came looking for land for the Australian Agricultural Company, which represented the start of white settlement in the area. The Liverpool Plains were named after the Earl of Liverpool, who was the English Prime Minister at the time.

An inn was established in the 1840s and the town itself was founded in the 1850s, its name is believed to have originated from an Aboriginal word meaning "clear water". The most significant event in the town's early history was the arrival of the railway in 1877, connected it to broader markets, facilitating the transport of goods and people, greatly increasing the population and transforming Quirindi into the service centre for the surrounding area. The town's growth was closely tied to the agricultural industry, and it became a hub for wheat and wool production.

Notable examples of the town's historical architecture include the Royal Hotel (built in 1883) and the Quirindi Post Office (1884), both providing a glimpse into the past and contributing to Quirindi's unique character. Today, Quirindi continues to be an important agricultural centre, with a strong focus on oilseeds, legumes, fibre and grain crops and a growing agrotourism sector. The community celebrates its history through local events and attractions, with the passionate locals of the Quirindi & District Historical Society, in Station Street, carefully preserving the town’s heritage.