Shire of Cooloola

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Shire of Cooloola
Queensland

Location within Queensland
Population: 36,956 (2006 census)[1]
Established: 1879 Shire of Widgee
1880 City of Gympie
1993 Shire of Cooloola (merged)
Area: 2968.8 km² (1146.3 sq mi)
Council Seat: Gympie
Website: http://www.cooloola.qld.gov.au/
LGAs around Shire of Cooloola:
Tiaro Maryborough (Fraser Island) Pacific Ocean
Kilkivan Shire of Cooloola Noosa
Kilcoy Kilcoy Maroochy

The Shire of Cooloola was a Local Government Area located about 170 kilometres (106 mi) north of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. The shire covered an area of 2,968.8 square kilometres (1,146.3 sq mi), and was the product of a merger in 1993 between the City of Gympie and the Shire of Widgee, which had both existed since 1879-1880. It merged with several other councils to form the Gympie Regional Council on 15 March 2008.

Contents

[edit] History

The Cooloola area was originally settled for grazing purposes. The discovery of gold in 1867 lead to a gold rush and the development of the Mary River valley for closer agricultural pursuits.

The Widgee Divisional Board was incorporated on 11 November 1879 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879. On 3 July 1886, its western part separately incorporated as the Division of Kilkivan. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Widgee became a shire council on 31 March 1903, and on 21 November 1940 moved into new premises formerly occupied by the Bank of New South Wales at 242 Mary Street, Gympie.

The Municipal Borough of Gympie was incorporated on 25 June 1880, holding its first elections on 25 August. A town hall was built in 1890. It became a town under the new Act on 31 March 1903, and on 7 January 1905 was proclaimed a City by the Governor of Queensland.[2]

On 2 November 1993, the Shire of Widgee and the City of Gympie merged under the terms of the Local Government (Shire of Cooloola) Regulation 1993 to form the Shire of Cooloola. The first elections were held on 27 November 1993 and Adrian McClintock, the former Widgee chairman, was elected for a four-year term.

On 15 March 2008, under the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, Cooloola merged with the Shire of Kilkivan and part of Tiaro to form the Gympie Regional Council.

[edit] Wards

On its creation, Cooloola was subdivided into four numbered divisions, containing 2, 4, 3 and 3 councillors respectively, plus an elected mayor. Before the 2000 local government elections, Division 2 was reduced to 3 councillors and a new one-councillor Division 5 was created.

[edit] Towns and Localities

Gympie Other areas

[edit] Population

Shire of Cooloola City of Gympie Shire of Widgee
Year Population
1991 27,843*
1996 31,862
2001 33,223
2006 36,956
Year Population
1921 6,539
1933 7,749
1947 8,413
1954 9,964
1961 11,094
1966 11,279
1971 11,096
1976 11,280
1981 11,420
1986 11,430
1991 10,784
Year Population
1921 5,556
1933 8,686
1947 7,834
1954 8,139
1961 7,948
1966 7,490
1971 6,959
1976 8,240
1981 10,540
1986 12,970
1991 17,059

[edit] Mayors and Chairmen

[edit] Cooloola Shire Chairmen

  • Mick Venardos OAM (1997-2008)
  • Adrian McClintock (1993-1997)

[edit] Gympie City Mayors

  • Joan Dodt (1988–1993)
  • Mick Venardos (1976–1988)
  • James Kidd (1970–1976)
  • Ronald Witham (1941–1970)
  • Luke Thomas (1937–1941)
  • Dr Luther Morris (1931–1937)
  • Alexander Glasgow (1930–1931)
  • Luke Thomas (1927–1930)
  • George Thomas (1924–1927)
  • Luke Thomas (1920–1924)

[edit] Widgee Shire Chairmen

  • Adrian McClintock (1979–1993)
  • Kevin De Vere (1976–1979)[3]
  • Michael MacDonnell (1973–1976)
  • William Buchanan (1969–1973)
  • William Hubbard Kidd (1924–1969)
  • Joseph Tatnell (1921–1924)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). Cooloola (S) (Local Government Area). 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved on 2008-03-18.
  2. ^ Queensland Government Gazette, 7 January 1905, p.1905:31.
  3. ^ Kevin De Vere was the uncle of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Source: "Kevin Rudd's Gympie link", Gympie Times, 5 December 2006. Retrieved on 2008-03-18. 

[edit] Further reading

  • Pedley, Ian (1979). Winds of change : one hundred years in the Widgee Shire. Widgee Shire Council. ISBN 0-959-62200-4. 
  • (1979) Widgee Shire Centenary Supplement (1879-1979). Gympie Times.  (28 pages)
  • Cooloola Library (Local History Section) (2001). Cooloola Shire : a golden past. Cooloola Shire Council. ISBN 0-646-40011-8.