The village boundaries are in the Gunnedah Shire local government area of the North West Slopes portion of the New England region.

Curlewis was founded by Henry Thomas Pike, a sawmiller from Norfolk who became the mayor of Gunnedah.

In 1950, the council had to de-silt an old earthen dam and erect a tank from which Curlewis residents could draw water.

[1] Curlewis now has a hotel, a public school (with 89 pupils enrolled),[5] a general store, grain silo, police station, sports ground,a Hall,Rural Fire Service,Sport and recreation centre,RV Park and a Bus Station.

The Curlewis area is home to a large koala population and they may be seen on local farms, in the woodlands and village.