Quinalow State School is located in Rosalie Shire on the northern Downs, within close proximity to the picturesque Bunya Mountains.  The school services a small active rural community with a population of approximately 300.  Quinalow was originally part of Rosalie Plains Station known as ‘the big scrub’ where the mighty race horse Bernborough was foaled.

The first provisional school at Quinalow was established in February 1901 and in later years (1965) extended to include secondary schooling to Year 10. 

According to local records, the Daly Brothers named  Quinalow after Catholic Archbishop Quinn who encouraged Irish settlers to come to the area because there was a  potato famine in Ireland at the time. The ‘alow’ was named after a lough which is a brook or stream in Ireland.