Former Local Government Areas in Queensland

The Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Queensland , Australia are clearly defined areas in which legally constituted, local government agencies, known as Councils , perform specific tasks and provide services. Determining the size and shape of the area is the sole responsibility of the Queensland government .

In the past, numerous LGAs, particularly in the regions of South East Queensland and Darling Downs , have been merged or abolished, partly voluntarily and partly involuntarily. The most significant step to date in reducing the number of councils took place in March 2008 when 97 Local Government Areas and 20 indigenous councils were reorganized in a nationwide reform process. Up to this point in time, the majority of the municipal councils existed unchanged over a period of decades, some of which even date back to the founding days of the LGAs in 1879.

Local Government Areas Reform in 2008

In April 2007, the Beattie government initiated an extensive reform process. A commission was set up to examine the layout of the LGAs in Queensland, with the exception of the City of Brisbane . It was triggered by a series of councils in rural areas with financial difficulties and low populations, which were established earlier than the industry and population figures justified. The commission of inquiry presented its report on July 27, 2007, recommending massive cuts in the number of councils. The new Regional Councils were built around key local centers and capital cities, selected on a number of criteria such as economic strength, financial sustainability and common interests. On August 10, 2007, the recommendations of the commission passed the Legislature with the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 , with only minor adjustments . Transitional committees were set up with the staff of the old LGAs. With the elections of the new local councils on March 15, 2008 these became obsolete and the new councils started their work.

LGA	Type	Seat	region	Founded	Area (km²)	Pop. 2006	annotation
Aramac	Shire	Aramac	Central West	1879	23,364.1	754	Raised in Barcaldine
Atherton	Shire	Atherton	Far North	1879	623.1	11,483	Incorporated into tablelands
Barcaldine	Shire	Barcaldine	Central West	1892	8,448.4	1,818	Raised in Barcaldine
Bauhinia	Shire	Jumping Sure	Central Queensland	1879	23,649.6	2.742	Risen in Central Highlands
Beaudesert	Shire	Beaudesert	South east	1948	2,854.3	62.902	Split between Scenic Rim and Logan
Belyando	Shire	Clermont	Central Queensland	1865	30,281.3	11,823	Raised in Isaac
Bendemere	Shire	Yuleba	Darling Downs	1911	3,926.8	962	Risen in Maranoa
Big legends	Shire	Big legends	Wide Bay-Burnett	1905	1,314.5	1.506	Raised in North Burnett
Blackall	Shire	Blackall	Central West	1879	16,366.8	1.524	Risen in Blackall-Tambo
Boonah	Shire	Boonah	South east	1880	1,921.6	8.770	Incorporated into Scenic Rim
Booringa	Shire	Mitchell	Darling Downs	1879	27,835.3	1,859	Risen in Maranoa
Bowen	Shire	Bowen	North Queensland	1960	21,184.4	14.625	Risen in Whitsunday
Broadsound	Shire	St Lawrence	Central Queensland	1879	18,546.0	8.021	Raised in Isaac
Bundaberg	City	Bundaberg	Wide Bay-Burnett	1881	95.5	46,573	Raised in Bundaberg
Bungil	Shire	Roma	Darling Downs	1880	13,336.9	2.242	Risen in Maranoa
Burnett	Shire	Bargara	Wide Bay-Burnett	1994	2,000.8	27.232	Raised in Bundaberg
Caboolture	Shire	Caboolture	South east	1879	1,224.4	132.459	Risen in Moreton Bay
Cairns	City	Cairns	Far North	1885	1,691.4	148.261	Risen in Cairns
Calliope	Shire	Calliope	Central Queensland	1879	6,547.2	17.002	Risen in Gladstone
Caloundra	City	Caloundra	South east	1912	1,093.1	90.341	Risen in Sunshine Coast
Cambooya	Shire	Greenmount	Darling Downs	1914	638.5	5.652	Raised in Toowoomba
Cardwell	Shire	Tully	Far North	1884	3,062.2	11.133	Raised in Cassowary Coast
Charters Towers	City	Charters Towers	North Queensland	1877	42.0	8.155	Raised in Charters Towers
chinchilla	Shire	chinchilla	Darling Downs	1912	8,700.3	6.574	Raised in Western Downs
Clifton	Shire	Clifton	Darling Downs	1879	867.5	2.549	Raised in Toowoomba
Cooloola	Shire	Gympie	Wide Bay-Burnett	1993	2,968.8	36,956	Raised in Gympie
Crows Nest	Shire	Crows Nest	Darling Downs	1913	1,629.9	12,595	Raised in Toowoomba
Dalby	Town	Dalby	Darling Downs	1863	47.9	9,857	Raised in Western Downs
Dalrymple	Shire	Charters Towers	North Queensland	1879	68324.5	3,782	Raised in Charters Towers
Douglas	Shire	Mossman	Far North	1879	2,436.7	16.754	Risen in Cairns
Duaringa	Shire	Duaringa	Central Queensland	1881	17,751.8	8.102	Risen in Central Highlands
Eacham	Shire	Malanda	Far North	1910	1,126.4	6,589	Incorporated into tablelands
Eidsvold	Shire	Eidsvold	Wide Bay-Burnett	1890	4,809.4	876	Raised in North Burnett
Emerald	Shire	Emerald	Central Queensland	1902	10,362.2	16,082	Risen in Central Highlands
Esk	Shire	Esk	Wide Bay-Burnett	1879	3,936.3	15.002	Risen in Somerset
Fitzroy	Shire	Gracemere	Central Queensland	1899	5,898.7	10.310	Risen in Rockhampton
Gatton	Shire	Gatton	South east	1880	1,571.8	15,572	Risen in Lockyer Valley
Gayndah	Shire	Gayndah	Wide Bay-Burnett	1879	2,709.3	2.911	Raised in North Burnett
Gladstone	City	Gladstone	Central Queensland	1863	162.5	29,523	Risen in Gladstone
Goondiwindi	Town	Goondiwindi	Darling Downs	1888	14.6	4,873	Risen in Goondiwindi
Herberton	Shire	Herberton	Far North	1895	9,607.0	5.563	Incorporated into tablelands
Hervey Bay	City	Torquay	Wide Bay-Burnett	1917	2,356.3	56,427	Risen in the Fraser Coast
Ilfracombe	Shire	Ilfracombe	Central West	1895	6,575.5	279	Raised in Longreach
Inglewood	Shire	Inglewood	Darling Downs	1879	5,876.7	2.575	Risen in Goondiwindi
Isis	Shire	Childers	Wide Bay-Burnett	1886	1,702.2	6.663	Raised in Bundaberg
Isisford	Shire	Isisford	Central West	1904	10,482.6	347	Raised in Longreach
Jericho	Shire	alpha	Central West	1913	21,864.9	920	Raised in Barcaldine
Johnstone	Shire	Innisfail	Far North	1881	1,639.1	19,154	Raised in Cassowary Coast
Jondaryan	Shire	Oakey	Darling Downs	1890	1,910.0	13.965	Raised in Toowoomba
Kilcoy	Shire	Kilcoy	Wide Bay-Burnett	1912	1,445.2	3.424	Risen in Somerset
Kilkivan	Shire	Kilkivan	Wide Bay-Burnett	1886	3,263.4	3.431	Raised in Gympie
Kingaroy	Shire	Kingaroy	Wide Bay-Burnett	1912	2,420.3	12.285	Risen in South Burnett
Kolan	Shire	Went into	Wide Bay-Burnett	1879	2,650.6	4,638	Raised in Bundaberg
Laidley	Shire	Laidley	South east	1888	700.6	14.311	Risen in Lockyer Valley
Livingstone	Shire	Yeppoon	Central Queensland	1879	11,776.3	29,950	Risen in Rockhampton
Longreach	Shire	Longreach	Central West	1899	23,561.4	4,180	Raised in Longreach
Mackay	City	Mackay	Central Queensland	1869	2,897.5	85.399	Risen in Mackay
Mareeba	Shire	Mareeba	Far North	1919	53,610.8	18,561	Incorporated into tablelands
Maroochy	Shire	Nambour	South east	1890	1,162.7	151,599	Risen in Sunshine Coast
Maryborough	City	Maryborough	Wide Bay-Burnett	1861	1,233.9	26,597	Risen in the Fraser Coast
Millmerran	Shire	Millmerran	Darling Downs	1913	4,520.8	3.078	Raised in Toowoomba
Mirani	Shire	Mirani	Central Queensland	1916	3,280.2	5.404	Risen in Mackay
Miriam Vale	Shire	Miriam Vale	Central Queensland	1882	3,778.1	5.715	Risen in Gladstone
Monto	Shire	Monto	Wide Bay-Burnett	1932	4,320.8	2.577	Raised in North Burnett
Mount Morgan	Shire	Mount Morgan	Central Queensland	1890	492.0	2.925	Risen in Rockhampton
Mundubbera	Shire	Mundubbera	Wide Bay-Burnett	1915	4,192.8	2.236	Raised in North Burnett
Murgon	Shire	Murgon	Wide Bay-Burnett	1914	664.7	3.454	Risen in South Burnett
Murilla	Shire	Miles	Darling Downs	1879	6,075.8	2.758	Raised in Western Downs
Nanango	Shire	Nanango	Wide Bay-Burnett	1888	1,735.4	9,049	Risen in South Burnett
Nebo	Shire	Nebo	Central Queensland	1883	10,034.6	4,359	Raised in Isaac
Noosa	Shire	Tewantin	South east	1910	868.7	51.962	Risen in Sunshine Coast
Peak downs	Shire	Capella	Central Queensland	1882	8,125.8	3.759	Risen in Central Highlands
Perry	Shire	Mount Perry	Wide Bay-Burnett	1879	2,357.7	445	Raised in North Burnett
Pine Rivers	Shire	Strathpine	South east	1888	774.5	140.103	Risen in Moreton Bay
Pittsworth	Shire	Pittsworth	Darling Downs	1913	1,089.5	4.688	Raised in Toowoomba
Redcliffe	City	Redcliffe	South east	1888	41.3	51,332	Risen in Moreton Bay
Rockhampton	City	Rockhampton	Central Queensland	1860	188.7	59.943	Risen in Rockhampton
Roma	Town	Roma	Darling Downs	1867	77.9	6.664	Risen in Maranoa
Rosalie	Shire	Goombungee	Darling Downs	1879	2,200.7	8,893	Raised in Toowoomba
Sarina	Shire	Sarina	Central Queensland	1912	1,444.3	10.632	Risen in Mackay
Stanthorpe	Shire	Stanthorpe	Darling Downs	1879	2,697.7	9,968	Raised in Southern Downs
Tambo	Shire	Tambo	Central West	1881	14.083.8	615	Risen in Blackall-Tambo
Tare	Shire	Tare	Darling Downs	1912	11,682.3	3,591	Raised in Western Downs
Taroom	Shire	Taroom	Darling Downs	1879	18,644.5	2,340	Split between Banana (S) and Western Downs
Thuringowa	City	Thuringowa Central	North Queensland	1879	1,866.9	59.164	Risen in Townsville (C)
Tiaro	Shire	Tiaro	Wide Bay-Burnett	1879	2,185.3	5.233	Split between the Fraser Coast and Gympie
Toowoomba	City	Toowoomba	Darling Downs	1860	116.5	90.466	Raised in Toowoomba
City of Townsville	City	Townsville	North Queensland	1866	1,868.7	95.464	Risen in Townsville (C)
Waggamba	Shire	Goondiwindi	Darling Downs	1879	13,400.8	2.951	Risen in Goondiwindi
Wambo	Shire	Dalby	Darling Downs	1879	5,709.7	5.178	Raised in Western Downs
Warroo	Shire	Surat	Darling Downs	1881	13,657.4	1.095	Risen in Maranoa
Warwick	Shire	Warwick	Darling Downs	1994	4,422.3	21,417	Raised in Southern Downs
Whitsunday	Shire	Proserpine	North Queensland	1910	2,678.3	23.804	Risen in Whitsunday
Wondai	Shire	Wondai	Wide Bay-Burnett	1910	3,577.6	4,375	Risen in South Burnett
Woocoo	Shire	Oakhurst	Wide Bay-Burnett	1914	2,007.9	3.351	Risen in the Fraser Coast

Local Government Areas merged in the 1990s

LGA	Type	Seat	region	Founded	Area (km²)	Pop. 1991	Remarks
Albert	Shire	Nerang	South east	1949	1,223.8	143.697	Raised in Gold Coast
Allora	Shire	Allora	Darling Downs	1869	702.0	2.132	Raised in Warwick
Glengallan	Shire	Glengallan	Darling Downs	1879	1,699.6	2.132	Raised in Warwick
Gooburrum	Shire	Bundaberg	Wide Bay-Burnett	1886	1,312.6	7.117	Raised in Bundaberg / Burnett
Gympie	City	Gympie	Wide Bay-Burnett	1880	17.8	10.784	Raised in Cooloola
Moreton	Shire	Churchill	South east	1916	1,787.8	46.722	Risen in Ipswich
Mulgrave	Shire	Cairns	Far North	1879	2,820.1	40.614	Shire of Cairns until 1940. Raised in Cairns
Pioneer	Shire	Mackay	Central Queensland	1879	2,820.1	40.614	Risen in Mackay
Rosenthal	Shire	Rosenthal Heights	Darling Downs	1888	1,984.1	2.241	Raised in Warwick
Warwick	City	Warwick	Darling Downs	1861	25.1	10.393	Raised in Warwick
Widgee	Shire	Gympie	Wide Bay-Burnett	1879	2,906.8	17,059	Raised in Cooloola
Woongarra	Shire	Bundaberg	Wide Bay-Burnett	1885	722.4	16,491	Raised in Bundaberg / Burnett

Other former local government areas

LGA	Type	Seat	region	Founded	Dissolved	Area (km²)	Remarks
Allora	Town	Allora	Darling Downs	1869	1915		Abolished and recreated as Shire
Barron	Shire	Cairns	Far North	1890	1919		Raised in Cairns and Woothakata
Beenleigh	Shire	Beenleigh	South east	1879	1948	260	Raised in Albert
Bowen	Town	Bowen	North Queensland	1863	1960	12.3	Raised in Shire of Bowen
Brassall	Shire	Brassall	South east	1879	1916		Raised in Ipswich and Moreton
Bundanba	Shire	Bundamba	South east	1879	1916		Raised in Ipswich and Moreton
Chillagoe	Shire	Chillagoe	Far North	1908	1932	4.005	Risen in Woothakata
Cleveland	Shire	Cleveland	South east	1879	1948	73	Risen in Redland
Cooktown	Town	Cooktown	Far North	1876	1932	39	Incorporated in Cook
Coolangatta	Town	Coolangatta	South east	1914	1948	17th	Raised in Gold Coast
Coomera	Shire	Coomera	South east	1879	1948	305	Merged with Albert and Beaudesert
Daintree	Shire	Daintree	Far North	1879	1919		Incorporated in Cook
Drayton	Shire	Drayton	Darling Downs	1887	1949	140	Raised in Toowoomba and Cambooya
Hann	Shire	Maytown	Far North	1879	1919		Incorporated in Cook
Highfields	Shire	Highfields	Darling Downs	1879	1949	710	Raised in Toowoomba and Crows Nest
Hughenden	Town	Hughenden	North West	1887	1958	67	Raised in Flinders
Mutdapilly	Shire	Mutdapilly	South east	1879	1905		Raised in Rosewood
Nerang	Shire	Nerang	South east	1879	1948	635	Raised in Albert , Beaudesert and Gold Coast
Normanby	Shire	Normanby	South east	1890	1949	600	Raised in Moreton and Boonah
Purga	Shire	Purga	South east	1879	1916		Raised in Moreton
Rosewood	Shire	Rosewood	South east	1890	1949	635	Raised in Moreton
Southport	Town	Southport	South east	1883	1948	105	Shire until 1918. Merged with Gold Coast
Tamborine	Shire	Tamborine	South east	1890	1948	710	Raised in Beaudesert
Thursday Island	Town	Thursday Island	Far North	1912	1952	3.2	Replaced by administrators
Tingalpa	Shire	Mount Cotton	South east	1879	1948	260	Raised in Redland and Albert
Walsh	Shire	Irvinebank	Far North	1889	1932	8,490	Risen in Woothakata
Walloon	Shire	Walloon	South east	1879	1916		Raised in Rosewood
Wangaratta	Shire	Bowen	North Queensland	1879	1960	23.070	Raised in Bowen
Waterford	Shire	Waterford	South east	1879	1948	350	Merged with Albert and Beaudesert

See also

• Local Government Areas in Queensland

Web links

• Queensland Government
• Local Government Association

Individual evidence

1. ^ Local government reform . Department of Local Government (Queensland). Archived from the original on April 27, 2007. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved April 24, 2007.