Димбула: История и современность австралийского городка

Dimbulah is a rural town and locality in Far North Queensland, Australia, from Cairns by road, on the Atherton Tableland. It is within the local government area of Shire of Mareeba (between 2008 and 2013, it was within the Tablelands Region). In the , the locality of Dimbulah had a population of 975 people,
Verdure railway station, now abandoned

Local residents enjoy a tropical climate with hot, wet summers and dry, mild winters.

The town was established in 1876 to service the Tyrconnell Gold Mine, one of the richest mines on the Hodgkinson Gold Fields. The name "Dimbulah" is thought to have come from the local Indigenous Australian word for "long waterhole", referring to the Walsh River that runs nearby the town. Dimboola Post Office opened by 1900 and was renamed Dimbulah in 1904. The area around Dimbulah was originally home to the Djankun and Kuku Djungan tribe. During the 1920s the Queensland Government forcibly removed most of their children, forcing the tribe to scatter. In the early 1900s the area received an influx of Italian migrants and in 1928 tobacco was introduced, becoming the area's major industry soon after. At its peak, there were 800 growers in the area, producing over 8,000 tonnes (60% of national yield) of tobacco a year. "The Way Back In" is an Australian heritage project that documents a small selection of Australian heritage within the Italian communities in Dimbulah, Innisfail and Cairns. Boonmoo Provisional School opened circa July 1910 and closed circa April 1912. Dimbulah Provisional School opened on 28 September 1914. On 1 December 1914, it became Dimbulah State School. On 25 January 1965, it was expanded to include a secondary department. The school celebrated its centenary on 27 September 2014. The Dimbulah parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns was established in 1963. A significant number of Croatian immigrants settled in Dimbulah and it was the site of numerous attempts to set up Croatian Ustaše training camps. On 4th October 1972, the Dimbulah bridge was bombed with close to 100 sticks of gelignite. The Dimbulah Public Library opened in 1995 with a minor refurbishment in 2013.

In the , the locality of Dimbulah had a population of 1,414. In the , the locality of Dimbulah had a population of 1,050 people. In the , the locality of Dimbulah had a population of 975 people.

Tobacco remained the dominant crop until recent years when government policy compelled its demise. Recent attempts at alternative crops such as tea trees, mangoes, sugar cane, coffee, lemons, limes, avocados, papaws, papayas, peanuts, soya beans, lychees, grapes and cash crops (pumpkins, melons, etc.) have met with mixed success. Farming is a significant employment option in Dimbulah and many travelers, including backpackers, are employed as short term farm labourers, particularly during the busy mango harvest from November to January.

The Mareeba Shire operates a public library at Shire Hall at the corner of Raleigh Street and Burke Development Road. The Dimbulah branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the QCWA Hall at 22 Brickley Street. St Anthony's Catholic Church is in Raleigh Street. It is within the Dimbulah Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns which is administered from the Atherton parish. Accommodation is available at the town's caravan park or the Junction Hotel. As at 2021, the town's retail facilities include a Bendigo Community Bank with 24 hour ATM, Australia Post office, Dimbulah Chemist, Dimbulah Health & Beauty, Camp 64 Museum Cafe, Junction Hotel, bakery, butcher, TGT hardware store, mini mart, One Stop convenience store and two petrol stations. Community groups include the Dimbulah Community Centre, Men's Shed, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, museum association, and several other faith based groups. There are many sporting clubs including swimming (with an Olympic sized pool), tennis, horse & pony, lawn bowls, Rhee Taekwon Do, and soccer/football. Services include Police station, Queensland Health clinic, fixed wireless NBN, and 4G mobile service (Telstra and Optus). Nearby properties access NBN via SkyMuster satellite or mobile broadband.