Dirranbandi is located in south-west Queensland, about 600 kilometres south-west of Brisbane. With a population of only 444 people (as of 2011) it is a relatively small township, although approximately a quarter of Dirranbandi’s population identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
Dirranbandi’s major service centre is St George, which is situated about 95km north of Dirranbandi along the Castlereagh Highway. Dirranbandi is located within the Balonne Shire Council, which also incorporates the townships of St George, Hebel and Bollon.
English is the predominant language spoken in Dirranbandi. In the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census, 6 Indigenous people in Dirranbandi identified that they spoke an Australian Indigenous language at home.
The people of Queensland will often refer to themselves as ‘Murri. However, Aboriginal people of south-west Queensland prefer the term ‘Murdi’. The everyday language spoken by Murdis in this region is therefore the Murdi language. Murdi language is a combination of many Aboriginal words and derivatives of the English language. It was historically used by Aboriginal stockwomen and men as a common language when communicating with colonial pastoralists working in the cattle industry in the region.
The Murdi language is not recorded in written format and there are no recognised interpreters available to translate for this language. As such, assistance may be required for complainants, witnesses, victims and offenders who come before the courts.
Key social indicators from the 2016 Census for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in Dirranbandi include:
The following figures are from the 2011 Census and will be updated later in 2017:
For more 2011 and 2016 census information on education, employment, income, housing figures and more for Dirranbandi, build a statistical profile on Know Your Community.
Search for native title information on the National Native Title Tribunal website.
Dirranbandi is located approximately 600km southwest of Brisbane and is easily accessible via the Castlereagh Highway. The town is accessible by road and air; however seasonal conditions such as flooding and fire can impact access to Dirranbandi throughout the year.
There are no specific seasonal considerations for this area, although there can be heavy rain during the summer which can adversely impact on local road conditions.
There are no alcohol restrictions in Dirranbandi.
Search the local government directory for information about the Balonne Shire Shire Council.
‘Sorry business’ is a term used during the time of mourning following the death of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. Torres Strait Islanders may use the terminology ‘Bad or sad news’. The term can also refer to the past practice of forcibly removing children from their families. The intensity of mourning is reflective of the importance of the family or person who has died. The mourning process enables healing for the family and community involved.
The death of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person impacts on the whole community; however, the experience of sorry business varies within each community. Commonly, the name of the deceased is not used for some time or the deceased person is called by another name. In some communities, photographs or stories of the deceased are not to be used without the express permission of relevant family members.
During periods of sorry business many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services will often close down as a sign of respect for the person who has passed and to allow the community to mourn together. As a result, no business is conducted during the closure period. However, essential services such as policing, justice, child safety, health and education continue.
The role of the Community Justice Group (CJG) is to ensure that clients of the service are given appropriate cultural support for court matters. The CJG also provides cultural reports to the courts at sentencing and bail applications, assistance to the courts in managing community-based offences, and networking to implement crime prevention initiatives.
Members of the CJG work closely with a number of justice agencies including the Queensland Magistrates Court, Department of Corrective Services, Queensland Police Service, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service. The CJG works to support the community’s understanding of and access to the justice system by working in conjunction with Shire Council by-laws and victim support agencies.
Key ways the CJG is able to assist the community and the courts include:
For more information about your local Community Justice Group:
Use the Queensland Government's one place service directory to find up-to-date contact information for local support services including:
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