City of Maryborough (Queensland)

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City of Maryborough
Queensland

Location within Queensland
Population: 25,705 (2006 census)[1]
Established: 1861
Area: 1233.9 km² (476.4 sq mi)
Council Seat: Maryborough
Region: Wide Bay-Burnett
Website: http://www.maryborough.qld.gov.au/
LGAs around City of Maryborough:
Hervey Bay Hervey Bay Pacific Ocean
Woocoo City of Maryborough Pacific Ocean
Tiaro Tiaro Pacific Ocean

The City of Maryborough was a Local Government Area located in the Wide Bay-Burnett region of Queensland, Australia, containing the urban locality of Maryborough as well as the southern half of Fraser Island. The City covered an area of 1,233.9 square kilometres (476.4 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1861 until 2008, when it was amalgamated with the City of Hervey Bay, Shire of Woocoo and the 1st and 2nd divisions of the Shire of Tiaro to form the Fraser Coast Regional Council.

Contents

[edit] History

Wharves were established at Maryborough in 1847-1848 to provide transport for wool from sheep stations on the Burnett River. The town was initially located further south on the Mary River, but moved to its present location in 1852. It was declared a port in 1859.

On 10 March 1861, the Municipal Borough of Maryborough, governed under the Municipalities Act 1858 which had been inherited from New South Wales upon the separation of Queensland in 1859, was proclaimed, becomig the sixth municipal government in Queensland. Henry Palmer was appointed as its first Mayor. On 15 September 1883, the Granville Division was established under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 to serve the surrounding district.

With the passing of the Local Authorities Act 1902, on 31 March 1903 Maryborough became a Town and Granville became a Shire. On 7 January 1905 Maryborough achieved City status, and a Town Hall was built on the corner of Kent and Adelaide Streets and became the administrative centre of the City. On 17 February 1917, as part of a restructuring of local government in the Wide Bay-Burnett area, the Shire of Granville was abolished and split between the Shire of Tiaro and City of Maryborough.

At the 27 March 1976 local government elections, with the neighbouring Shire of Burrum being renamed Hervey Bay and retreating to the coast, Maryborough changed from being an urban municipality of 26 km² (10 sq mi) to one of 1,115 km² (431 sq mi) with a considerable rural area. The City grew by an estimated 1,119 people in the transfer.

The Local Government (Maryborough and Woocoo) Regulation 1993, which took effect on 31 March 1994, effected the City's annexation of about 700 km² (270 sq mi) of the Shire of Woocoo. At this time, Maryborough was resubdivided into eight divisions each with one councillor, plus an elected mayor.

On 15 March 2008, under the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, Maryborough merged with the City of Hervey Bay, Shire of Woocoo and part of Tiaro to form the Fraser Coast Regional Council.

[edit] Towns and Localities

[edit] Population

Coat of arms of the City of Maryborough.
Coat of arms of the City of Maryborough.
Year Population
1933 11,415
1947 14,395
1954 17,952
1961 19,126
1966 19,659
1971 20,587
1976 21,527
1981 21,530
1986 22,430
1991 22,977
1996 24,681
2001 24,465
2006 25,705

[edit] Mayors

  • Alan Brown (2000–2004)
  • Barbara Hovard (2004–2008)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). Maryborough (C) (Local Government Area). 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved on 2008-03-18.