Shire of Kilkivan

Shire of Kilkivan
Queensland

Location within Queensland
Population 3,431 (2006 census)[1]
 • Density 1.05136/km2 (2.7230/sq mi)
Established 1886 – 15 March 2008
Area 3,263.4 km2 (1,260.0 sq mi)
Council seat Kilkivan
Website Shire of Kilkivan
LGAs around Shire of Kilkivan:
Gayndah Woocoo Tiaro
Murgon Shire of Kilkivan Cooloola
Nanango Esk Kilcoy

The Shire of Kilkivan was a local government area about 180 kilometres (112 mi) north-northwest of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. The shire covered an area of 3,263.4 square kilometres (1,260.0 sq mi), and existed from 1886 until its merger with several other local government areas to form the Gympie Region on 15 March 2008.

History

Map of Kilkivan Division and adjacent local government areas, March 1902

The Kilkivan area was the centre of a gold rush in the late 1860s. As the gold was mined out, agriculture became established in the region.

Kilkivan Division was created on 1 July 1886 from the western part of the Widgee Division and part of the Barambah Division under the Divisional Boards Act 1879.[2] However, the changes to Widgee's boundaries were not welcomed by the Widgee Divisional Board; they felt so much territory had been removed from Widgee Division that it was effectively abolished and the board members all threatened to resign in protest.[3][4] The government then hastily abolished Kilkivan Division on 30 July 1886, only four weeks after it was created,[5] leading to protests by the residents of Kilkivan.[6] Arguments about boundaries continued for a year.[7][8][9][10] Kilkivan Division was eventually re-constituted on 17 November 1887, comprising part of No. 2 subdivision of Widgee Division and part of the No. 2 subdivision and all of the No. 3 subdivision of Barambah Division, to be governed by a board of six members.[11][12][13]

With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Kilkivan Division became the Shire of Kilkivan on 31 March 1903.[12][14] The Shire was not subdivided into wards or divisions, and the council consisted of an elected mayor and six councillors.

The Kilkivan and District Historical Society was founded in 1979 and established a Shire Museum in Bligh Street, Kilkivan, near the site of a former goldfield. The shire came to host two major annual festivals—the Kilkivan Great Horse Ride in April, and the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival on the last Sunday in May.

On 15 March 2008, under the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, the Shire of Kilikivan merged with the Shire of Cooloola and Division 3 of the Shire of Tiaro (Theebine/Gunalda areas) to form the Gympie Region.[14][15][16] At the elections on that day, Kilkivan's mayor, Ron Dyne, became the first mayor of the new council.[17]

Towns and localities

Population

Year Population
1921 3,047
1933 4,287
1947 4,141
1954 3,923
1961 3,636
1966 3,345
1971 2,972
1976 2,651
1981 2,500
1986 2,718
1991 2,853
1996 3,203
2001 3,134
2006 3,431

Chairmen and mayors

The following were the leaders of the divisional board and shire council:

References

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Kilkivan (S) (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  2. "Proclamation [Kilkivan Division constituted]". Queensland Government Gazette. 3 July 1886. p. 39:4-5.
  3. "COUNTRY MAILS.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 13 July 1886. p. 6. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  4. "COUNTRY MAILS.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 20 July 1886. p. 6. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  5. "Proclamation [Kilkivan Division abolished]". Queensland Government Gazette. 31 July 1886. p. 39:324.
  6. "COUNTRY MAILS.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 9 August 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  7. "COUNTRY MAILS.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 20 May 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  8. "KILKIVAN TROUBLES.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 23 May 1887. p. 6. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  9. "PROPOSED NEW KILKIVAN DIVISION.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 24 May 1887. p. 5. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  10. "The Brisbane Courier.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 24 October 1887. p. 4. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  11. "Proclamation [Kilkivan Division re-constituted]". Queensland Government Gazette. 19 November 1887. p. 42:979.
  12. 12.0 12.1 "Agency ID1013, Kilkivan Divisional Board". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  13. "Current News.". The Queenslander (National Library of Australia). 5 November 1887. p. 725. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  14. 14.0 14.1 "Agency ID1014, Kilkivan Shire Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  15. "Agency ID11054, Gympie Regional Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  16. "Sad end to Kilkivan Shire". Gympie Times. 12 March 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2008.
  17. "Dyne scores Gympie Regional Council's top job". ABC Online. 19 March 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2008.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 18.8 18.9 18.10 18.11 18.12 18.13 18.14 18.15 18.16 18.17 18.18 18.19 18.20 18.21 18.22 18.23 18.24 18.25 18.26 18.27 18.28 18.29 18.30 18.31 Logan, Dulcie; Dale, John; Kilkivan (Qld. : Shire). Council (1988), Where two rivers run : a history of Kilkivan Shire, Kilkivan Shire Council, ISBN 978-0-7316-1928-3
  19. "Mr. L. M. Jones.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 1 April 1933. p. 15. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  20. "THE REAPER.". Queensland Country Life (Qld. : 1900 – 1954) (Qld.: National Library of Australia). 5 August 1937. p. 4. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  21. "AMONG THE BURNETT STATIONS.". The Queenslander (National Library of Australia). 10 March 1906. p. 29. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  22. "PERSONAL.". The Brisbane Courier (National Library of Australia). 12 July 1909. p. 7. Retrieved 30 January 2014.

Further reading

Coordinates: 26°05′08.90″S 152°14′21.53″E / 26.0858056°S 152.2393139°E