The Shire of Mount Morgan was a local government area located in the Capricornia region of Central Queensland, Queensland, Australia, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of the regional city of Rockhampton. The shire, roughly the region surrounding the former gold mining town of Mount Morgan, covered an area of 492.0 square kilometres (190.0 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1890 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils to become the Rockhampton Region.

Shire of Mount Morgan
Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population2,925 (2006 census)[1]
 • Density5.9451/km2 (15.398/sq mi)
Established1890
Area492.0 km2 (190.0 sq mi)
Council seatMount Morgan
RegionCapricornia
WebsiteShire of Mount Morgan
LGAs around Shire of Mount Morgan:
Fitzroy Fitzroy Fitzroy
Banana Shire of Mount Morgan Fitzroy
Banana Banana Banana

History

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Mount Morgan came into being with the discovery of gold in the area in 1882. It was established as the Borough of Mount Morgan on 22 May 1890, becoming the Town of Mount Morgan on 31 March 1903 with the enactment of the Local Authorities Act 1902. On 17 March 1909, the surrounding area, previously part of the Shire of Banana, was incorporated as the Shire of Calliungal, which had its offices in Mount Morgan.[2][3] On 5 November 1931, the two merged to form the Shire of Mount Morgan.

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 Mount Morgan merged with the City of Rockhampton and the Shires of Livingstone and Fitzroy to form the Rockhampton Region.

Towns and localities

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The Shire of Mount Morgan included the following settlements:

Chairmen and Mayors

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Shire of Calliungal

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  • 1927: Francis Sylvester Cunningham [3]

Town of Mount Morgan

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Shire of Mount Morgan

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  • 1931–1933: Henry Searle[6]
  • 1933–1942: Michael Enright[7]
  • 1942–1947: Alexander Edward Holt[8][9]
  • 1947–1970: James Griffin Carmody[10][11]
  • 1970–198?: Arthur David Timms OAM[12]
  • 2000–2004: Stanley George Lean OAM OAM[13][14]
  • 2004–2008: Gavin Finch[15]

Population

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Year Population
1933 4,404
1947 4,954
1954 5,060
1961 4,871
1966 4,421
1971 3,967
1976 3,467
1981 3,136
1986 3,108
1991 3,093
1996 2,858
2001 2,776
2006 2,925

References

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  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Mount Morgan (S) (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  2. ^ "Order in Council". Queensland Government Gazette. 17 March 1909. p. 92:735.
  3. ^ a b Pugh, Theophilus Parsons (1927). Pugh's Almanac for 1927. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Queensland Mayors and Shire Chairmen". The Queenslander. 24 February 1906. p. 22. Retrieved 1 October 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ Australian History Publishing Co (1936), Queensland and Queenslanders : incorporating 'Prominent Queenslanders', Australian History Publishing Co, p. 302, retrieved 1 October 2015 — available online Archived 2017-02-16 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Mt Morgan Shire: Cr. H. Searle, Chairman". The Morning Bulletin. 10 December 1931. Retrieved 7 April 2024. Cr. Searle was elected by three votes to two.
  7. ^ "Mt Morgan election". The Morning Bulletin. 2 May 1933. p. 5. Retrieved 7 April 2024. Mr. M. Enright, a member of the past council , was returned unopposed to the present council as chairman
  8. ^ "Death of Mr Michael Enright, Chairman of Mt Morgan Shire Council". The Morning Bulletin. 23 February 1942. p. 3. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Cr. Holt appointed chairman". The Morning Bulletin. 28 February 1942. p. 6. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  10. ^ "Cr Carmody new chairman of Mt Morgan Shire". The Morning Bulletin. 28 May 1947. p. 5. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Pride in your town". Mount Morgan Argus. 28 February 2013. p. 2. Retrieved 7 April 2024. named after James Griffin Carmody who was Chairman of Mount Morgan Shire Council from May 1947 till April 1970...
  12. ^ Aitchison, Ray (14 August 1986). "Arthur Timms interviewed by Ray Aitchison (sound recording)". Trove. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 7 April 2024. Aitchison: You've been chairman of the shire council since 1970? Timms: Yes
  13. ^ "Lean secures Mt Morgan mayoral spot". ABC News. 2 April 2004. Retrieved 7 April 2024. Stan Lean has been declared mayor of the Mount Morgan Shire for a second term.
  14. ^ "Mt Morgan prepares for mayoral election". ABC News. 8 November 2004. Retrieved 7 April 2024. Stan Lean suddenly resigned a month ago over internal problems.
  15. ^ "Butcher beefs up support to secure mayoral spot". ABC News. 20 December 2004. Retrieved 7 April 2024. Local butcher Gavin Finch is the new Mayor of Mount Morgan

23°38′40.21″S 150°23′14.39″E / 23.6445028°S 150.3873306°E / -23.6445028; 150.3873306