Shire of Whitsunday

Summary

The Shire of Whitsunday was a local government area located in the North Queensland region of Queensland, Australia. The shire, administered from the town of Proserpine, covered an area of 2,678.3 square kilometres (1,034.1 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1910 until 2008, when it amalgamated with the Shire of Bowen to form the Whitsunday Region.

Shire of Whitsunday
Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population16,955 (2006 census)[1]
 • Density6.33051/km2 (16.3959/sq mi)
Established1910
Area2,678.3 km2 (1,034.1 sq mi)
Council seatProserpine
RegionNorth Queensland
LGAs around Shire of Whitsunday:
Bowen Coral Sea Coral Sea
Bowen Shire of Whitsunday Coral Sea
Bowen Mirani Mackay

The area's economy is mainly based on tourism, and sugar is the main agricultural product.[2]

History edit

The Shire of Proserpine was established from part of the Shire of Wangaratta on 19 January 1910 under the Local Authorities Act 1902.[3]

On 18 February 1989, the Shire of Proserpine was renamed Shire of Whitsunday due to its inclusion of the popular Whitsunday Islands.[3]

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 Whitsunday reunited with the Shire of Bowen to form the Whitsunday Region.[3][4]

Towns and localities edit

The Shire of Whitsunday included the following settlements:

Chairmen edit

  • 1927: John Charles Edwards [5]

Population edit

Year Population
1933 3,934
1947 3,617
1954 4,576
1961 5,113
1966 6,274
1971 6,420
1976 7,746
1981 10,833
1986 11,581
1991 15,227
1996 16,791
2001 18,323
2006 21,533

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Whitsunday (S) (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  2. ^ Whitsunday Development Corporation[permanent dead link] - Whitsunday profile fact sheet. Retrieved 12 December 2006
  3. ^ a b c "Agency ID 1613, Whitsunday Shire Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  4. ^ "Agency ID 11036, Whitsunday Regional Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  5. ^ Pugh, Theophilus Parsons (1927). Pugh's Almanac for 1927. Retrieved 13 June 2014.