Burke Shire Council

Infobox Australian Place | type = lga
name = Shire of Burke
state = qld


imagesize= 180
caption = Location in Queensland
pop = 2,129 (2001 census)
area =
est =
seat = Burketown
mayor = Annie Clarke
region =

url = http://www.burkeshirecouncil.com/
stategov = Mount Isa
fedgov = Kennedy
near-nw = "Gulf of Carpentaria"
near-n = "Gulf of Carpentaria", Mornington
near-ne = "Gulf of Carpentaria"
near-w = "Northern Territory"
near-e = Carpentaria
near-sw = "Northern Territory"
near-s = Mount Isa
near-se = CloncurryThe Shire of Burke [http://www.burkeshirecouncil.com/index.html] is a Local Government Area in far north west Queensland, Australia. The shire lies on the south coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria and abuts the border with the Northern Territory. The major town and administrative centre of the shire is Burketown.

The shire and town and the Burke River passing through both are named in honour of ill-fated explorer Robert O'Hara Burke. [Place Names of Queensland: [http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/property/placenames/detail.php?id=5355 Burketown] Accessed 12 December 2006.] From the months of August to November, a rare meteorological phenomenon known as "Morning Glory" - long, tubular clouds, some up to 1000 km in length - is often observed in the skies above Burke Shire [ ABC Australia, August 2003, [http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/august2003/ Soaring the Glory] Accessed 12 December 2006.]

The shire contains Boodjamulla National Park (formerly called Lawn Hill National Park) and the World Heritage Site Riversleigh fossil fields. The Doomadgee Aboriginal Council lies inside Burke Shire to the west of Burketown. It also includes Gregory Downs

External links

* [http://www.lgp.qld.gov.au/applications/lgdirectory/CouncilInfo/Default.aspx?OrgCode=BURK Queensland Department of Local Government & Planning] - Local Government Directory
* [http://www.aerialvideo.com.au/lawnhill.html Aerial video footage of Boodjamulla and Lawn Hill Gorge]
* [http://www.aerialvideo.com.au/burketown.html Video of Burketown and the Gulf from the air]

References