The Shire of Hinchinbrook is a local government area in North Queensland, Queensland, Australia. The shire, administered from the town of Ingham, covers an area of 2,807 square kilometres (1,083.8 sq mi), and has existed since its creation on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879.

Shire of Hinchinbrook
Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population10,920 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density3.8903/km2 (10.076/sq mi)
Established1879
Area2,807 km2 (1,083.8 sq mi)[2]
MayorRamon Jayo
Council seatIngham
RegionNorth Queensland
State electorate(s)Hinchinbrook
Federal division(s)Kennedy
WebsiteShire of Hinchinbrook
LGAs around Shire of Hinchinbrook:
Tablelands Cassowary Coast Coral Sea
Charters Towers Shire of Hinchinbrook Palm Island
Charters Towers Charters Towers Townsville

The council consists of a mayor plus six councillors, each of whom represents the entire Shire. Prior to 2008, the council consisted of a mayor plus eight councillors.

In the 2021 census, the Shire of Hinchinbrook had a population of 10,920 people.[1]

History

edit
 
Map of Hinchinbrook Division and adjacent local government areas, March 1902

The Hinchinbrook Division was created on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 with a population of 326.[3] It originally covered a much larger area, extending well into the Tablelands Region.

On 3 September 1881, the Tinaroo Division was created on 3 September 1881 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 out of parts of the Cairns, Hinchinbrook and Woothakata Divisions.[4]

On 28 October 1881, part of Hinchinbrook Division was separated to create the Johnstone Division.[5]

On 18 January 1884 part of Hinchinbrook Division was separated to create the Cardwell Division.[6][7][8]

With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Hinchinbrook Division became Shire of Hinchinbrook on 31 March 1903.

Hinchinbrook was one of the few shires outside of remote areas in Queensland not to be affected by amalgamations in 2007–2008. It was considered for amalgamation into the Cassowary Coast Region with Cardwell and Johnstone, but the Local Government Commissioners accepted arguments by the council that there was no significant community of interest between the three, that amalgamation would not improve financial sustainability and that the resulting council would have a large north-south distance which would impact upon economies of scale.[9]

Shire hall

edit
 
Shire Hall building, Ingham, ca. 1922

The first shire hall was constructed in 1883, but was destroyed by fire in May 1916. A new double-storey building was built at a different site in 1919. The present shire hall opened in 1963.[10]

Libraries

edit
 
Hinchinbrook Shire Library, 2010

Hinchinbrook Shire Council operates public libraries at Ingham and Halifax.[11]

Towns and localities

edit

The Shire of Hinchinbrook includes the following settlements:

Demographics

edit
Year Population Notes
1933 10,179 [citation needed]
1947 9,212 [citation needed]
1954 11,381 [citation needed]
1961 11,890 [citation needed]
1966 13,644 [citation needed]
1971 13,373 [citation needed]
1976 13,864 [citation needed]
1981 13,683 [citation needed]
1986 13,476 [citation needed]
1991 13,496 [citation needed]
1996 13,450 [citation needed]
2001 census 14,529 [12]
2006 census 11,558 [13]
2011 census 11,568 [14]
2016 census 10,885 [15]
2021 census 10,920 [1]

Chairmen and mayors

edit
Chairmen of the Hinchinbrook Divisional Board
Chairmen of the Hinchinbrook Shire Council
  • 1903: Frank Fraser[16]
  • 1904–1905: R.G. Johnson (resigned)[16][17]
  • 1905–1909: Francis Andrew O'Connor Cassady[16]
  • 1910–1913: Martin Flynn (resigned)[16]
  • 1913–1915: Francis Andrew O'Connor Cassady (again)[16]
  • 1916–1920: J. W. Cartwright[16]
  • 1921–1936: Francis Andrew O'Connor Cassady (again, died 23 March 1936)[16][18][19][20]
  • 1936: F. J. Heard (temporary)[16]
  • 1936–1942: James Lawrence Kelly[16][21][22]
  • 1943–1945: F. N. Alston[16]
  • 1946–1954: James Lawrence Kelly (again)[16]
  • 1955–1977: W. O. Garbutt (died)[16][23]
  • May 1977 – 1981 : S. Cavallaro[16][24]
  • 1982–1984: A. J. Andrews[16]
  • 1985–1987: J. J. Williams[16]
  • 1988–1993 : R. S. Brown[16]
Mayors of Hinchinbrook Shire
  • 1994–1999 : Giuseppantonio (Pino) Giandomenico[16]
  • 2000–2003 : Keith Thomas Phillips[16]
  • 2004–2011: Giuseppantonio (Pino) Giandomenico[16][25]
  • 2012–2016 : Mansell (Rodger) Bow[16]
  • 2016–present: Ramon Jayo[26][27]

Council

edit
Hinchinbrook Shire Council
Type
Type
Leadership
Mayor
Ramon Jayo, Independent
Deputy Mayor
Andrew Cripps, Liberal National
Structure
Seats7 elected representatives, including a Mayor and 6 councillors
Political groups
  • Majority:
  •   Independent (4)
Elections
Last election
28 March 2020
Next election
16 March 2024

Below is the current council, elected in 2020:[28]

Names Party Notes
Mary Brown Independent
Andrew Cripps Liberal National Deputy Mayor
Ramon Jayo Independent Mayor
Andrew Lancini Independent
Donna Marbelli Independent
Kate Milton Liberal National
Wally Skinner Liberal National

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Shire of Hinchinbrook (LGA)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.  
  2. ^ "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18: Population Estimates by Local Government Area (ASGS 2018), 2017 to 2018". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Proclamation [Hinchinbrook Division]". Queensland Government Gazette. 11 November 1879. p. 25:1007.
  4. ^ "Proclamation [Tinaroo]". Queensland Government Gazette. 10 September 1881. p. 29:564.
  5. ^ "Proclamation [Johnstone Division]". Queensland Government Gazette. 29 October 1881. p. 29:1009.
  6. ^ "Proclamation [Cardwell Division constituted]". Queensland Government Gazette. 19 January 1884. p. 34:170.
  7. ^ "Proclamation [Hinchinbrook Division amended]". Queensland Government Gazette. 19 January 1884. p. 34:169.
  8. ^ "Agency ID 743, Cardwell Divisional Board". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  9. ^ Queensland Local Government Reform Commission (July 2007). Report of the Local Government Reform Commission (PDF). Vol. 2. Local government Reform Commission. pp. 156–159. ISBN 978-1-921057-11-3. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
  10. ^ "Ingham". Australian Heritage: Historical Towns Directory. Heritage Australia Publishing. Archived from the original on 31 August 2006. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  11. ^ "Hinchinbrook Shire Council". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  12. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Shire of Hinchinbrook (LGA)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 June 2024.  
  13. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Shire of Hinchinbrook (LGA)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  14. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Shire of Hinchinbrook (LGA)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 June 2024.  
  15. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Shire of Hinchinbrook (LGA)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.  
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad List of Chairmen and Council Members. Hinchinbrook Shire Council.
  17. ^ Consolidated Index to Queensland Government Gazette 1859–1919. Queensland Family History Society. 2004. ISBN 1-876613-79-3.
  18. ^ "OBITUARY". Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 – 1954). Qld.: National Library of Australia. 24 March 1936. p. 6. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  19. ^ "OBITUARY". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 25 March 1936. p. 25. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  20. ^ "Frank A. Cassady 1936". Hinchinbrook Shire Library. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  21. ^ "James Lawrence Kelly". Hinchinbrook Shire Library. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  22. ^ "Opening of the Ingham Aerodrome 1939". Hinchinbrook Shire Library. 25 June 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  23. ^ "Hinchinbrook Shire Council Members 1958". Hinchinbrook Shire Library. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  24. ^ "100 Years of Local Government". Monument Australia. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  25. ^ "Hinchinbrook Channel" (PDF). Parliament of Australia. 30 July 1998. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  26. ^ "2016 Hinchinbrook Shire Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 5 May 2016. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  27. ^ "2020 Local Government Elections: Saturday, 28 March 2020". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.[dead link]
  28. ^ "Mayor and Councillors".
edit

18°39′S 146°10′E / 18.650°S 146.167°E / -18.650; 146.167