Where is cotton grown in Australia?
Cotton in Australia is grown mainly in inland New South Wales and southern and central Queensland, in river valleys such as the Namoi, Gwydir, Macquarie and Darling Downs. Most of the crop is irrigated and exported.
The modern Australian cotton industry grew rapidly from the 1960s, when farmers began growing irrigated cotton in the Namoi Valley around Wee Waa and Narrabri. Narrabri is often described as the cotton capital of Australia.
Other major growing areas include the Gwydir Valley around Moree, the Macquarie Valley near Warren, the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee valleys, and Queensland districts such as Emerald, St George and Goondiwindi.
High yields and exports
Australian cotton growers achieve some of the highest yields in the world, thanks to research, irrigation management and genetically modified varieties that reduce insect damage. Most Australian cotton is exported as raw lint to spinning mills in Asia.
Cotton is sown in spring and harvested in autumn by large machines that form the cotton into round modules wrapped in plastic. These are taken to gins that separate the fiber from the seed.
The industry uses large amounts of water, which has made it controversial during droughts and in debates over the Murray-Darling Basin. Growers argue that they have greatly improved water efficiency, while critics remain concerned about river health.
Did You Know?
Cottonseed left after ginning is used for stock feed and cooking oil.