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Dubbo is the largest population centre (population 38,000 as of 2004) and a Local Government Area in the central-west of New South Wales, Australia. It is located at the intersection of the Mitchell Highway, the Newell Highway and the Golden Highway. Dubbo is 416 kilometres northwest of the state capital Sydney and is a major road and rail freight hub to other parts of New South Wales. Dubbo is considered the cross-roads of New South Wales. From there you can drive north to Brisbane, South to Melbourne, east to Sydney and Newcastle, and west to Broken Hill and Adelaide. It has one major newspaper, the i. Dubbo has two major FM radio stations, Zoo FM broadcasting on 92.7 MHz, Star FM broadcasting on 93.5,and Rhema FM 94.3 (Local Christian radio) as well as an AM station, 2DU, 1251 kHz. Located at 32.25° S 148.61° E, approximately 300 metres above sea level.

Evidence of habitation by indigenous Australians dates back approximately 40,000 years.

The first European to visit the region was John Oxley. In 1828, Robert Dulhunty mistakenly named the area i, after mispronouncing "Thubbo" which means 'red earth' in the local Aboriginal language. Dundullimal Homestead is a farmhouse from that period, and today is open to visitors.

The settlement was founded with the establishment of a store in 1847 on the east bank of the Macquarie River. The settlement was gazetted as a village in November 1849. Population growth was slow until the gold rush of the 1860s brought an influx of prospectors. By 1897 Dubbo had a general store, Carrier arms, a slab courthouse, jail and a police hut.

There are 18 schools and secondary colleges including the Dubbo school of distance education. It also is home to one of the four main campuses of Charles Sturt University. The city's largest employer is the Fletcher International Abattoir, which exports lamb to the world. Its second-largest employer is the Dubbo Basehospital, and the largest industry is tourism.

Dubbo has a turf club, which incorporates a pony club, horse racing and organizes shows and gymkhana. There are a few stables that offer board for horses and riding lessons. There is a riding school called Western Plains Riding Centre.

Dubbo also features the open-range Western Plains Zoo,which is home to various species of ensdangered animals, including the white rhinocerous. The zoo is also home to native fauna and African safari-range specimens in spacious open-range moat enclosures.

Dubbo is considered a major shopping centre for the surrounding rural areas. Major department stores and smaller specialty shops service customers from up to 500 km away.

May of each year. This event is held at the local Dubbo showgrounds. Around town, it is jokingly said that it rains every year on the weekend of the show (but otherwise it never rains when you want it to!)

The Dubbo City Council staffs around 250 permanent employees, and is responsible for the city and surrounding areas. The Civic Administration Building is located on the corner of Darling and Church Streets and now has a "One Stop Shop" for all customers of the council.

Dubbo's local aboriginal groups have experienced a difficult relationship with the local authorities over the decades since first settlement, intially due to the White Australia policy, and later because of local prejudice towards aboriginal people in general. European settlement had a profound effect upon the local means of subsistance, with patterns of migration and food gathering greatly disturbed by colonial graziers. Whilst local support groups have gradually been influential in the development of greater awareness of aboriginal language and culture, tensions still exist beween local youths and local law enforcement due to endmic discrimination towards aborgiginal communties - particularly those living in West Dubbo (over the LH Ford Bridge). A recent sad chapter in Dubbo's history saw riots involving the burning of houses and cars in a West Dubbo Housing estate - thought to have been started after increasing frustration at the lack of opportunites offered to Aboriginal youths.Recent attacks on Police on January 2nd 2006 continue to damage the image of West Dubbo.Local Govt politicians have branded West Dubbo as a "no go area" which was slammed by critics as over dramatic.Most housing in West Dubbo is owned by the NSW State Government. Fortunately there are also very positive steps in the direction of intercultural understanding with local schools recognising National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Day (NAIDOC Day) which gives the local indigenous community the oppurtunity to display the food, music and culture to the rest of the city. The most famous aboriginal person to come from Dubbo is David Peach who is a star of the National Rugby League (NRL).

More information for people interested in visiting Dubbo, including parks, places to eat, places for families and tourist attractions.