It covers an area of 167,200 ha, of which approximately two thirds lies within the upper Brisbane River catchment flowing east to the Pacific Ocean, and the other third in the Murray-Darling Basin catchment flowing to the Southern Ocean off South Australia. Although most of land within the district is devoted to rural pursuits, over three-quarters of the population within the District live in an urban environment.

POPULATION

The District has among the highest growth rates in the state. Many have decided it's the perfect place to settle, and this is reflected in the district motto: Lifestyle and Opportunity. Growth is lifestyle-oriented and focused on conserving and enhancing the environment. Statistics from the 2006 Census show a total district population of 12,643.(Information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.)

Populations in the main Urban Centres. (Crows Nest is a rural  service town and retirement destination, and the other centres are effectively suburbs of Toowoomba city.)

• Blue Mountain Heights    805
• Crows Nest   1443 (28.4% are 65 years and older)
• Highfields   6528
• Meringandan   1474

Populations in the larger Localities

• Cabarlah     860
• Haden   305
• Hampton   477
• Ravensbourne    299

CLIMATE

The area is known for its cold winters and mild summers. The average temperature ranges for winter are from 5 °C to 17 °C and for summer from 16 °C to 27 °C. Hot summer nights are not often experienced. Ensure that you bring plenty of warm clothes when visiting the Crows Nest area in winter. Annual rain fall

ENVIRONMENT

Crows Nest is situated atop the Great Dividing Range and as a result is set amongst rolling hills. It has four National Parks and three Lakes. The Lakes are formed by dams which are the main water supply for Toowoomba City, and the Crows Nest - Highfields District. The vegetation ranges from open woodlands to closed forests and a couple of areas of rainforest. The District is known for its beautiful tall Eucalypts - it is a land of tall timbers. The wildlife is rich and varied.  The District has a good amount of bird life with birdwatchers arriving regularly from near and far. We have in the Perseverance Dam area a colony of the shy Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby which is an endangered species locally. Rock Wallabies can often be seen in the Crows Nest National Park.

ECONOMY

Major industries of the district include Beef, Dairy, Pork and various stone fruit crops. With the recent downturn in traditional rural industries, some landholders have diversified their farming practices to include  emu, deer, various aquaculture enterprises, olives and flowers such as roses, Geraldton Wax and Proteas.

There are industrial estates in Crows Nest and in Highfields housing a number of businesses..