Rockhampton Region

Rockhampton Region
Queensland

Location in Queensland
Population: 115,526(2010)[1]
Established: 2008
Area: 18361 km² (7,089.2 sq mi)
Mayor: Brad Carter[2]
Council Seat: Rockhampton
Region: Central Queensland
State District:
Federal Division:
Website: http://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/
LGAs around Rockhampton Region:
Isaac Coral Sea Coral Sea
Central Highlands Rockhampton Region Coral Sea
Central Highlands Banana Gladstone

The Rockhampton Region is a Local Government Area located in Central Queensland, Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it was preceded by four previous local government areas extending to almost the beginning of local government in Queensland.

It has an estimated operating budget of A$132.4 million.

Contents

History

Prior to the 2008 amalgamation, the Rockhampton Region existed as four distinct local government areas:

Rockhampton was proclaimed as Queensland's fourth municipality (after Brisbane, Ipswich and Toowoomba) on 13 December 1860 under the Municipalities Act 1858,[3] a piece of New South Wales legislation inherited by Queensland when it became a separate colony in 1859. It held its first election on 26 February 1861 and its inaugural meeting on 1 March 1861. The municipality had an area of 13 km2 (5.0 sq mi) located on the south bank of the Fitzroy River and had a population of about 600. In 1864, the council was divided into three wards—Fitzroy, Archer and Leichhardt. A proposal to greatly expand its area southwards to include Gracemere and Bouldercombe was rejected in part due to opposition from influential squatters in the area.[4] It achieved a measure of autonomy in 1878 with the enactment of the Local Government Act.

On 11 November 1879, the Gogango Divisional Board was established as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879. It covered an area of 16,239 km2 (6,270 sq mi) surrounding the municipality—an area significantly greater than the modern Rockhampton Region covers. Capital and people came to the area in greater numbers after the discovery of gold in 1882 at Mount Morgan, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Rockhampton. A Municipal Borough was proclaimed there on 22 May 1890.

A bridge was built spanning the Fitzroy River in 1882, and a year later in September 1883, the North Rockhampton Borough was proclaimed. North Rockhampton had a somewhat unhappy 36-year existence—its small population and location opposite the stronger and wealthier Rockhampton borough made comparisons inevitable and development of its own identity almost impossible. In 1919, it was described as a "small and straggling hamlet". Nevertheless, it was able to get a loan to construct a Municipal Chambers in 1885, which was completed in December of that year. The town clerk's arrest for embezzlement in 1890 marked the beginning of a period of difficulties characterised by disputes with the surrounding Gogango Divisional Board over road construction, and internal conflict between members of council, in which the Queensland Government was often requested to intervene. It did not have a reliable water supply and at the time of its amalgamation was still trying to raise funds for a dam.[5]

The Fitzroy Division was proclaimed on 6 April 1899 out of the southern part of Gogango. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Rockhampton became one of three former municipalities, alongside Brisbane and Townsville, to become a City on 31 March 1903, while North Rockhampton and Mount Morgan became Towns and the divisions of Gogango and Fitzroy became Shires. Gogango was renamed Livingstone on 8 August 1903.

The State Government became concerned in 1918 after both the City of Rockhampton and Town of North Rockhampton councils proposed separate water infrastructure projects. On Saturday 25 January 1919, an amalgamation referendum held in North Rockhampton passed with 884 of the 1,029 votes cast in favour. On 15 March 1919, elections for the new four-ward council with 11 councillors took place, with their first meeting being held five days later. North Rockhampton's chambers, located in Stapleton Park, North Rockhampton, became a Main Roads office for about four decades, and eventually was restored and, since 1985, has been the home of Rockhampton and District Historical Society.

Wards were abolished at some point and were not reintroduced until 1982, when the council was restructured with 10 divisions each electing one councillor, plus a mayor elected by the entire City. On 1 July 1984, the City grew northwards by annexing Parkhurst, where its water treatment facility was being constructed, from the Shire of Livingstone. The council tried on several occasions to expand further into the Livingstone and Fitzroy areas, but a referendum in Fitzroy on 9 February 1991 was opposed by 83% of valid votes cast.

In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released a report making recommendations for statewide reform of local government boundaries, and recommended that the four areas of Rockhampton, Fitzroy, Livingstone and Mount Morgan amalgamate, due to a community of interest centred upon Rockhampton. The very weak sustainability rating given to the Shire of Mount Morgan was of particular concern.[6] On 15 March 2008, the City and Shires formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council.

Wards and elections

The Council consists of a Mayor and ten Councillors. The Mayor is elected by the public, and the Councillors are elected from ten single member divisions using an optional preferential voting system. Elections are held every four years.

Suburbs and towns

Rockhampton region
Yeppoon-Keppel region
Mount Morgan
  • Mount Morgan
  • Baree
  • Hamilton Creek
  • Horse Creek
  • Moongan
  • The Mine
  • Walterhall
Other areas

Population

The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008. The next census, due in 2011, will be the first for the new Region.

Year Total Region Rockhampton Livingstone Fitzroy Mt Morgan
1933 44,501 29,369 6,472 4,256 4,404
1947 50,167 34,988 6,452 3,773 4,954
1954 56,315 40,670 7,031 3,554 5,060
1961 59,895 44,128 7,320 3,576 4,871
1966 61,874 46,083 7,780 3,590 4,421
1971 66,160 49,164 9,595 3,434 3,967
1976 69,675 51,133 11,634 3,441 3,467
1981 75,875 52,383 15,711 4,645 3,136
1986 82,142 56,742 15,886 6,406 3,108
1991 89,868 59,394 19,334 8,047 3,093
1996 96,885 59,732 24,796 9,499 2,858
2001 97,728 58,382 27,017 9,553 2,776
2006 102,048 59,943 28,870 10,310 2,925

Council Facilities

The council owns six business units which are city-owned enterprises managed on commercial lines:

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 March 2011). "Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2009–10". http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Products/3218.0~2009-10~Main+Features~Queensland?OpenDocument. Retrieved 11 June 2011. 
  2. ^ Election summary (ECQ)
  3. ^ 22 Vic No. 13 (Imp), assented 27 October 1858
  4. ^ McDonald, Lorna (1995). Rockhampton : a history of city and district. Rockhampton City Council. pp. 108–109. ISBN 0-959-98973-0. 
  5. ^ "North Rockhampton Borough Chambers (entry CHIMS16133)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/chims/placeDetail.html?siteId=16133. Retrieved 2008-04-20. 
  6. ^ Queensland Local Government Reform Commission (July 2007). Report of the Local Government Reform Commission. 2. pp. 273–278. ISBN 1921057114. http://www.dlgp.qld.gov.au/resources/map/reform/rockhampton-rationale.pdf. Retrieved 3 June 2010.