City of Thuringowa

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City of Thuringowa Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population:	59,164 (2006 census)[1]
Established:	1846 1st Settlement, 1879-1903 Division, 1903-1986 Shire, 1986-2008 City.
Area:	1866.9 km² (720.8 sq mi)
Region:	W/SW from Townsville
Website: http://previous.thuringowa.qld.gov.au/index

The City of Thuringowa (19°18′26″S 146°43′54″E / -19.30722, 146.73167Coordinates: 19°18′26″S 146°43′54″E / -19.30722, 146.73167) was a City/Local Government Area in North Queensland, Australia covering the northern and western parts of what is now Townsville. The suburb of Thuringowa Central is the main business centre in this area and is situated at latitude and longitude of 19°19′04S 146°44′32E.

Thuringowa was named after the German region of Thuringia where the shire's first chairman, John von Stieglitz originated.^[2] Prior to its proclamation as a city on 1 January 1986, Thuringowa was a large rural shire, almost surrounding the City of Townsville.

In 2007 the Queensland Government recommended that the Thuringowa City Council and the Townsville City Council be merged as part of the review of councils and boundaries, with the merged entity to be referred to as the Townsville City Council and the city being called The new City of Townsville.^[3] The transition was completed with the election of a new combined Council on 15 March 2008.

[edit] History

What was the Thuringowa City Council started as the Thuringowa Divisional Board in 1879.^[4]

Prior to European settlement, the Nyawaygi Aboriginal people lived in the area around Thuringowa, Townsville and the Burdekin. The earliest European on record to live in Thuringowa was James Morrill whose boat washed ashore in 1846.^[4]

In 1860, the newly formed Queensland Government passed an act opening up the area to pastoral leases, and by 1861 there were many runs in Thuringowa.^[4] By 1865, Robert Towns and John Melton Black had purchased a number of properties throughout Thuringowa. In 1865 Robert Towns built a boiling down works - at the time, there was no facilities for shipping cattle or sheep, so in 1865 Andrew Ball and Mark Reid left Woodstock Station to find a harbour around the Cleveland Bay shores and the Town and port of Townsville was established at the mouth of Ross Creek.^[4]

In 1879, the Division was formed and considerable progress ensued over the following decades - by 1902, Thuringowa had 1,020 dwellings listed on its ratebooks.^[4] Early chairmen Arthur Bundock and Joseph Hodel were involved in construction of key architecture such as the Ross River Bridge, the bridge at the Causeway and the Stuart Creek Bridge. These roads and bridges were constructed to serve not only Thuringowa's rural base but also its residential subdivisions of Hermit Park, Mundingburra and Rosslea. Water reticulation and sanitary services were established in these suburbs and street lighting and beautification work was carried out along Charters Towers Road. Also during this period the Council's first administration building was constructed at the Causeway, near the intersection of Flinders Street West and Ingham Road.^[4]

Under the 1902 Local Authorities Act, divisional areas were renamed shires, and on 31 March 1903, Thuringowa Shire Council came into being. The period up to 1918 was one of consolidation and minor works, not major projects.^[4]

In 1918, much of Thuringowa's urban area was transferred to Townsville.^[4] This initially caused great hardship for the Shire, as its rate base had been reduced to 2,500 ratepayers and its council headquarters was based outside the shire. The Council adopted a conservative approach to policy during this period that included not only the depression years of the 1930s but also during World War II, when the area became an important staging point and was host to significant numbers of military personnel.^[4]

From the 1960s onwards, significant suburban development and growth took place in the area and the Council was providing new facilities and infrastructure. In 1979, a new Shire administration centre was constructed, moving it back into the local area, and on 1 January 1986, the Shire became a City.^[4]

In 2007, the state government announced broad plans to merge local government areas across Queensland, with Thuringowa City Council and Townsville City council ordered to merge with each other. Though it was the source of some controversy, the merger duly took place, with the City of Thuringowa ceasing to exist in March 2008. However, Les Tyrell, Thuringowa's mayor of seventeen years, went on to win an upset victory over Townsville's Labor mayor, twenty-year incumbent Tony Mooney, in the mayoral election for the New City of Townsville. Tyrell now takes on the role of Mayor of Townsville, which includes responsibilites for the area of the former City of Thuringowa.

[edit] Demographics

Thuringowa grew in population rapidly, becoming one of the fastest growing cities in Australia.^[5] The population had increased from 26,000 in 1986 to over 65,000 in 2007.

More: Thuringowa travel guide from Wikitravel See also: Former Suburbs of Thuringowa

[edit] Governance

Chairpersons and Mayors of Thuringowa^[7]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• former Thuringowa City Council
• New Townsville city website
• History of the area
• More history of Thuringowa, including searchable historical image collection - from Thuringowa Library Heritage Services

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