Shire of Mareeba

Shire of Mareeba Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population:	18,212(2006 census)[1]
Established:	1879
Area:	53610.8 km² (20,699.2 sq mi)
Council Seat:	Mareeba
Region:	Far North Queensland
Website: http://www.msc.qld.gov.au/
LGAs around Shire of Mareeba: Carpentaria Cook Douglas Carpentaria Shire of Mareeba Coral Sea, Cairns Etheridge Herberton Atherton

The Shire of Mareeba was a Local Government Area at the base of Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, inland from Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Mareeba, covered an area of 53,610.8 square kilometres (20,699.2 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1879 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several councils in the Atherton Tableland area to become the Tablelands Region.

History

Woothakata Divisional Board, based in the mining town of Thornborough on the Hodginson goldfield, was created on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879. Woothakata is a Wakaman and Kuku Djungan Aboriginal word which describes the way (the journey) they traveled to Ngarrabullgan Mount Mulligan an important meeting place. The name Woothakata lives on as the name of a property at Chillagoe.

On 18 May 1889, Walsh Division centred on Irvinebank was created, and on 20 December 1890, the Barron Division was created closer to Cairns.

With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, all three Divisions became shire councils on 31 March 1903. A fourth Shire, based at Chillagoe, was established on 16 December 1908.

In 1919, Woothakata's seat of administration moved to Mareeba. Thornborough had declined steadily in importance, having a population of 58 in 1921 and 29 in 1933. The same year, on 20 December, the Shire of Barron was abolished, with its area being split between the Shire (later City) of Cairns and Shire of Woothakata.

On 25 June 1932, the Shires of Walsh and Chillagoe merged into the Shire of Woothakata,^[2] which was renamed the Shire of Mareeba on 20 December 1947.

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 Mareeba merged with the Shires of Atherton, Eacham and Herberton to form the Tablelands Region.

Towns and localities

• Mareeba
• Almaden
• Biboohra
• Bilwon
• Chewko
• Chillagoe
• Dimbulah
• Irvinebank
• Julatten
• Koah
• Kowrowa
• Kuranda
• Mount Carbine
• Mount Carbine Tableland
• Mount Molloy
• Mungana
• Mutchilba
• Myola
• Paddys Green
• Petford
• Speewah
• Thornborough
• Watsonville
• Wrotham

Prior to 1996, Mareeba also included the localities of Barron Gorge, Lamb Range and Redlynch to the west of Cairns. These were incorporated into the City of Cairns.

Population

Year	Population
1933	8,248
1947	6,312
1954	7,595
1961	10,212
1966	10,789
1971	11,676
1976	12,136
1981	14,003
1986	15,563
1991	17,129
1996	18,044
2001	17,961
2006	18,212

References

1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Mareeba (S) (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=LGA34850&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 2009-04-16. 
2. ^ Queensland Government Gazette: p. 137:1553. 23 April 1932.