Paroo

Paroo is a name used for several places and geographic features in Australia, most notably a river and a local government area in Queensland. The Paroo River runs through western Queensland and into northeastern New South Wales, forming part of the Darling River basin. The river traverses remote rural landscapes and supports irrigation, grazing, and biodiversity. Its floodplain ecosystems host waterbirds and other wildlife during seasonal floods, while the river itself sustains communities along its course.

The Paroo Shire, or Paroo Shire Council, is a local government area in the far southwest of Queensland. Its administrative center is Cunnamulla, and the shire encompasses rural towns and pastoral lands along the Paroo River and surrounding regions. The economy is primarily agricultural, with cattle grazing and sheep farming as major activities, alongside services for local residents and tourism.

The name Paroo is used for other geographical features in Australia as well, reflecting regional toponymy. The origin of the name is not definitively established in common sources, but it is widely regarded as derived from an Indigenous language of the region.