Shirbourne

About Shirbourne

Shirbourne is a rural locality in the Shire of Burdekin in North Queensland, situated approximately 37.8 kilometres west of Ayr and 53.9 kilometres south-east of Townsville CBD at the foot of the Clarke Range. The locality covers 34 square kilometres of tropical farmland and open bushland, with the Haughton River forming its eastern boundary, and recorded a population of 48 at the 2021 census. Shirbourne occupies the transitional zone between the Burdekin's flat cane-growing coastal plains to the east and the rugged Mt Garnet Tablelands ranges to the west. The area experiences a tropical climate with hot, wet summers and warm, dry winters typical of North Queensland's coastal hinterland.

Shirbourne's small community is sustained primarily by the cattle grazing and agricultural industries that characterise the Burdekin hinterland, complemented by the broader Burdekin district's sugarcane economy centred on Ayr and Home Hill. Ayr (37.8 km east) is the main service hub for the Burdekin Shire, with supermarkets, schools, a hospital and community facilities. Townsville (54 km north-west) provides access to North Queensland's major city services including hospitals, James Cook University, retail and Townsville Airport with interstate and international connections. The surrounding countryside offers access to the Clarke Range's hiking trails and the Burdekin River's fishing and water recreation opportunities.

Shirbourne falls under postcode 4809 and is governed by the local council Council (LGA). For state elections, residents vote in the Burdekin electorate.

Nearby Suburbs

• Barratta, QLD 4809
• Cromarty, QLD 4809
• Giru, QLD 4809
• Horseshoe Lagoon, QLD 4809
• Jerona, QLD 4809
• Mount Surround, QLD 4809