Liverpool Plains Shire

Liverpool Plains Shire New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates	31°29′S 150°41′E / 31.483°S 150.683°E / -31.483; 150.683Coordinates: 31°29′S 150°41′E / 31.483°S 150.683°E / -31.483; 150.683
Population	7,941 (2009)[1]
• Density	1.55/km2 (4.0/sq mi)
Established	2004
Area	5,086 km2 (1,963.7 sq mi)
Mayor	Ian Lobsey (Independent)
Council seat	Quirindi
Region	North West Slopes
State electorate(s)	Upper Hunter Tamworth
Federal Division(s)	New England
Website	www.lpsc.nsw.gov.au
LGAs around Liverpool Plains Shire: Gunnedah Gunnedah Tamworth Regional Warrumbungle Liverpool Plains Shire Tamworth Regional Warrumbungle Upper Hunter Upper Hunter

Liverpool Plains Shire is a local government area located in the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire was formed on 17 March 2004 by the amalgamation of Quirindi Shire with parts of Parry, Murrurundi and Gunnedah shires.

The Mayor of Liverpool Plains Shire Council is Cr. Ian Lobsey, an independent politician.

Main towns

The main town and Council seat is located in Quirindi. Other towns and villages in the Shire include Ardglen, Blackville, Caroona, Currabubula, Premer, Spring Ridge, Wallabadah, Werris Creek, and Willow Tree.

Council

Liverpool Plains Shire Council offices in Quirindi.

Current composition and election method

Liverpool Plains Shire Council is composed of seven Councillors elected proportionally as a single ward. All Councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The Mayor is elected by the Councillors at the first meeting of the Council. The most recent election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the Council is as follows:^[2]

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election, is:^[2]

Geography

The Liverpool Plains have a generally flat to undulating terrain formed from the remnants of old volcanoes such as that of the Liverpool Ranges to the southwest. To the south and east, it merges into the higher and cooler Northern Tablelands.

The Liverpool Plains is generally regarded as the richest agricultural region in Australia owing to its rich black soils, which originally supported a mixed grassland vegetation containing both annual and perennial grasses, which early in the region's history were used to feed cattle and sheep.

Wheat and cotton are the chief crops, although production fluctuates wildly according to rainfall and soil erosion is a major problem occurring both after droughts and floods. The climate is hot in summer, mild in winter, and of moderate rainfall. The average is generally around 635 millimetres (25.0 in) with a slight summer maximum, but is quite erratic and can vary from 1,150 millimetres (45 in) in very wet years to as little as 370 millimetres (15 in). Temperatures in summer frequently exceed 35 °C (95 °F) and make cropping without irrigation risky without sophisticated meteorological forecasting techniques.

References