List of former local government areas of Queensland

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Main article: Local government areas of Queensland
Local government areas (municipalities, shires and divisions) in Queensland, March 1902

The local government areas (LGAs) of Queensland, Australia are the defined areas within which legally constituted local government authorities, known as councils, have responsibilities to provide local services. Determining the size and shape of the local government areas is the sole responsibility of the Queensland Government.

In the past, many local government areas (especially in South East Queensland and the Darling Downs region) have been amalgamated or abolished, either voluntarily or involuntarily. The most significant of these processes took place in March 2008, when 97 local government areas and 20 indigenous councils were amalgamated under a statewide reform process — until this time, the majority of Queensland's local government areas had remained unchanged for decades and some even dated back to the establishment of local government for regional areas in 1879.

Local Government De-amalgamations in 2014[]

In 2014, after referendums were held, 4 previously amalgamated Shires were de-amalgamated.

  • The Shire of Douglas separated from Cairns Region
  • The Shire of Mareeba separated from Tablelands Region
  • The Shire or Livingstone separated from Rockhampton Region
  • The Shire of Noosa separated from Sunshine Coast Region

The Resulting List of councils and their Number Code

Administrative Area LGA Code
AURUKUN SHIRE 250
BALONNE SHIRE 300
BANANA SHIRE 370
BARCALDINE REGIONAL 410
BARCOO SHIRE 450
BLACKALL TAMBO REGIONAL 760
BOULIA SHIRE 900
BRISBANE CITY 1000
BULLOO SHIRE 1750
BUNDABERG REGIONAL 1820
BURDEKIN SHIRE 1900
BURKE SHIRE 1950
CAIRNS REGIONAL 2080
CARPENTARIA SHIRE 2250
CASSOWARY COAST REGIONAL 2260
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS REGIONAL 2270
CHARTERS TOWERS REGIONAL 2310
CHERBOURG ABORIGINAL SHIRE 2330
CLONCURRY SHIRE 2450
COOK SHIRE 2500
CROYDON SHIRE 2600
DIAMANTINA SHIRE 2750
DOOMADGEE ABORIGINAL SHIRE 2770
DOUGLAS SHIRE 2810
ETHERIDGE SHIRE 3100
FLINDERS SHIRE 3200
FRASER COAST REGIONAL 3220
GLADSTONE REGIONAL 3360
GOLD COAST CITY 3430
GOONDIWINDI REGIONAL 3610
GYMPIE REGIONAL 3620
HINCHINBROOK SHIRE 3800
HOPE VALE ABORIGINAL SHIRE 3830
IPSWICH CITY 3960
ISAAC REGIONAL 3980
KOWANYAMA ABORIGINAL SHIRE 4420
LIVINGSTONE SHIRE 4530
LOCKHART RIVER ABORIGINAL SHIRE 4570
LOCKYER VALLEY REGIONAL 4580
LOGAN CITY 4590
LONGREACH REGIONAL 4710
MACKAY REGIONAL 4770
MAPOON ABORIGINAL SHIRE 4830
MARANOA REGIONAL 4860
MAREEBA SHIRE 4880
MCKINLAY SHIRE 4800
MORETON BAY REGIONAL 5010
MORNINGTON SHIRE 5250
MOUNT ISA CITY 5300
MURWEH SHIRE 5600
NAPRANUM ABORIGINAL SHIRE 5670
NOOSA SHIRE 5740
NORTH BURNETT REGIONAL 5760
NORTHERN PENINSULA AREA REGIONAL 5780
PALM ISLAND ABORIGINAL SHIRE 5790
PAROO SHIRE 5800
PORMPURAAW ABORIGINAL SHIRE 6070
QUILPIE SHIRE 6150
REDLAND CITY 6250
RICHMOND SHIRE 6300
ROCKHAMPTON REGIONAL 6370
SCENIC RIM REGIONAL 6510
SOMERSET REGIONAL 6580
SOUTH BURNETT REGIONAL 6630
SOUTHERN DOWNS REGIONAL 6660
SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL 6720
TABLELANDS REGIONAL 6820
TOOWOOMBA REGIONAL 6910
TORRES SHIRE 6950
TORRES STRAIT ISLAND REGIONAL 6960
TOWNSVILLE CITY 7010
WEIPA TOWN 7300
WESTERN DOWNS REGIONAL 7310
WHITSUNDAY REGIONAL 7340
WINTON SHIRE 7400
WOORABINDA ABORIGINAL SHIRE 7550
WUJAL WUJAL ABORIGINAL SHIRE 7570
YARRABAH ABORIGINAL SHIRE 7600

Local government areas amalgamated in 2008[]

In April 2007, an extensive Local Government Reform process was set up by the Beattie Government, who set up a Local Government Reform Commission to report on the State's local government areas other than the City of Brisbane.[1] This was in part due to the number of financially weak councils with small populations in rural areas, dating from an earlier time when industry and population had justified their creation. The Commission reported back on 27 July 2007, recommending massive amalgamations all over the State into "regional councils" centred on major towns or centres, based on a range of criteria such as economy of scale, community of interest and financial sustainability. On 10 August 2007, the Commission's amalgamation recommendations passed into law as the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007, with only a few name changes as alterations. "Local Transition Committees" (LTCs) were created for each new area, made up of councillors and staff from the original areas, and on 15 March 2008, the old entities formally ceased to exist and elections were held to fill the new councils.

LGA Type Seat Region Established Area (km²) Pop 2006 Notes
Aramac Shire Aramac Central West 1879 23,364.1 754 Amalgamated into Barcaldine
Atherton Shire Atherton Far North 1879 623.1 11,483 Amalgamated into Tablelands
Barcaldine Shire Barcaldine Central West 1892 8,448.4 1,818 Amalgamated into Barcaldine
Bauhinia Shire Springsure Central Queensland 1879 23,649.6 2,742 Amalgamated into Central Highlands
Beaudesert Shire Beaudesert South East 1948 2,854.3 62,902 Split between Scenic Rim and Logan
Belyando Shire Clermont Central Queensland 1865 30,281.3 11,823 Amalgamated into Isaac
Bendemere Shire Yuleba Darling Downs 1911 3,926.8 962 Amalgamated into Maranoa
Biggenden Shire Biggenden Wide Bay–Burnett 1905 1,314.5 1,506 Amalgamated into North Burnett
Blackall Shire Blackall Central West 1879 16,366.8 1,524 Amalgamated into Blackall-Tambo
Boonah Shire Boonah South East 1880 1,921.6 8,770 Amalgamated into Scenic Rim
Booringa Shire Mitchell Darling Downs 1879 27,835.3 1,859 Amalgamated into Maranoa
Bowen Shire Bowen North Queensland 1960 21,184.4 14,625 Amalgamated into Whitsunday
Broadsound Shire St Lawrence Central Queensland 1879 18,546.0 8,021 Amalgamated into Isaac
Bundaberg City Bundaberg Wide Bay–Burnett 1881 95.5 46,573 Amalgamated into Bundaberg
Bungil Shire Roma Darling Downs 1880 13,336.9 2,242 Amalgamated into Maranoa
Burnett Shire Bargara Wide Bay–Burnett 1994 2,000.8 27,232 Amalgamated into Bundaberg
Caboolture Shire Caboolture South East 1879 1,224.4 132,459 Amalgamated into Moreton Bay
Cairns City Cairns Far North 1885 1,691.4 148,261 Amalgamated into Cairns
Calliope Shire Calliope Central Queensland 1879 6,547.2 17,002 Amalgamated into Gladstone
Caloundra City Caloundra South East 1912 1,093.1 90,341 Amalgamated into Sunshine Coast
Cambooya Shire Greenmount Darling Downs 1914 638.5 5,652 Amalgamated into Toowoomba
Cardwell Shire Tully Far North 1884 3,062.2 11,133 Amalgamated into Cassowary Coast
Charters Towers City Charters Towers North Queensland 1877 42.0 8,155 Amalgamated into Charters Towers
Chinchilla Shire Chinchilla Darling Downs 1912 8,700.3 6,574 Amalgamated into Western Downs
Clifton Shire Clifton Darling Downs 1879 867.5 2,549 Amalgamated into Toowoomba
Cooloola Shire Gympie Wide Bay–Burnett 1993 2,968.8 36,956 Amalgamated into Gympie
Crows Nest Shire Crows Nest Darling Downs 1913 1,629.9 12,595 Amalgamated into Toowoomba
Dalby Town Dalby Darling Downs 1863 47.9 9,857 Amalgamated into Western Downs
Dalrymple Shire Charters Towers North Queensland 1879 68324.5 3,782 Amalgamated into Charters Towers
Douglas Shire Mossman Far North 1879 2,436.7 16,754 Amalgamated into Cairns
Duaringa Shire Duaringa Central Queensland 1881 17,751.8 8,102 Amalgamated into Central Highlands
Eacham Shire Malanda Far North 1910 1,126.4 6,589 Amalgamated into Tablelands
Eidsvold Shire Eidsvold Wide Bay–Burnett 1890 4,809.4 876 Amalgamated into North Burnett
Emerald Shire Emerald Central Queensland 1902 10,362.2 16,082 Amalgamated into Central Highlands
Esk Shire Esk Wide Bay–Burnett 1879 3,936.3 15,002 Amalgamated into Somerset
Fitzroy Shire Gracemere Central Queensland 1899 5,898.7 10,310 Amalgamated into Rockhampton
Gatton Shire Gatton South East 1880 1,571.8 15,572 Amalgamated into Lockyer Valley
Gayndah Shire Gayndah Wide Bay–Burnett 1879 2,709.3 2,911 Amalgamated into North Burnett
Gladstone City Gladstone Central Queensland 1863 162.5 29,523 Amalgamated into Gladstone
Goondiwindi Town Goondiwindi Darling Downs 1888 14.6 4,873 Amalgamated into Goondiwindi
Herberton Shire Herberton Far North 1895 9,607.0 5,563 Amalgamated into Tablelands
Hervey Bay City Torquay Wide Bay–Burnett 1917 2,356.3 56,427 Amalgamated into Fraser Coast
Ilfracombe Shire Ilfracombe Central West 1895 6,575.5 279 Amalgamated into Longreach
Inglewood Shire Inglewood Darling Downs 1879 5,876.7 2,575 Amalgamated into Goondiwindi
Isis Shire Childers Wide Bay–Burnett 1886 1,702.2 6,663 Amalgamated into Bundaberg
Isisford Shire Isisford Central West 1904 10,482.6 347 Amalgamated into Longreach
Jericho Shire Alpha Central West 1913 21,864.9 920 Amalgamated into Barcaldine
Johnstone Shire Innisfail Far North 1881 1,639.1 19,154 Amalgamated into Cassowary Coast
Jondaryan Shire Oakey Darling Downs 1890 1,910.0 13,965 Amalgamated into Toowoomba
Kilcoy Shire Kilcoy Wide Bay–Burnett 1912 1,445.2 3,424 Amalgamated into Somerset
Kilkivan Shire Kilkivan Wide Bay–Burnett 1886 3,263.4 3,431 Amalgamated into Gympie
Kingaroy Shire Kingaroy Wide Bay–Burnett 1912 2,420.3 12,285 Amalgamated into South Burnett
Kolan Shire Gin Gin Wide Bay–Burnett 1879 2,650.6 4,638 Amalgamated into Bundaberg
Laidley Shire Laidley South East 1888 700.6 14,311 Amalgamated into Lockyer Valley
Livingstone Shire Yeppoon Central Queensland 1879 11,776.3 29,950 Amalgamated into Rockhampton
Longreach Shire Longreach Central West 1899 23,561.4 4,180 Amalgamated into Longreach
Mackay City Mackay Central Queensland 1869 2,897.5 85,399 Amalgamated into Mackay
Mareeba Shire Mareeba Far North 1919 53,610.8 18,561 Amalgamated into Tablelands
Maroochy Shire Nambour South East 1890 1,162.7 151,599 Amalgamated into Sunshine Coast
Maryborough City Maryborough Wide Bay–Burnett 1861 1,233.9 26,597 Amalgamated into Fraser Coast
Millmerran Shire Millmerran Darling Downs 1913 4,520.8 3,078 Amalgamated into Toowoomba
Mirani Shire Mirani Central Queensland 1916 3,280.2 5,404 Amalgamated into Mackay
Miriam Vale Shire Miriam Vale Central Queensland 1882 3,778.1 5,715 Amalgamated into Gladstone
Monto Shire Monto Wide Bay–Burnett 1932 4,320.8 2,577 Amalgamated into North Burnett
Mount Morgan Shire Mount Morgan Central Queensland 1890 492.0 2,925 Amalgamated into Rockhampton
Mundubbera Shire Mundubbera Wide Bay–Burnett 1915 4,192.8 2,236 Amalgamated into North Burnett
Murgon Shire Murgon Wide Bay–Burnett 1914 664.7 3,454 Amalgamated into South Burnett
Murilla Shire Miles Darling Downs 1879 6,075.8 2,758 Amalgamated into Western Downs
Nanango Shire Nanango Wide Bay–Burnett 1888 1,735.4 9,049 Amalgamated into South Burnett
Nebo Shire Nebo Central Queensland 1883 10,034.6 4,359 Amalgamated into Isaac
Noosa Shire Tewantin South East 1910 868.7 51,962 Amalgamated into Sunshine Coast
Peak Downs Shire Capella Central Queensland 1882 8,125.8 3,759 Amalgamated into Central Highlands
Perry Shire Mount Perry Wide Bay–Burnett 1879 2,357.7 445 Amalgamated into North Burnett
Pine Rivers Shire Strathpine South East 1888 774.5 140,103 Amalgamated into Moreton Bay
Pittsworth Shire Pittsworth Darling Downs 1913 1,089.5 4,688 Amalgamated into Toowoomba
Redcliffe City Redcliffe South East 1888 41.3 51,332 Amalgamated into Moreton Bay
Rockhampton City Rockhampton Central Queensland 1860 188.7 59,943 Amalgamated into Rockhampton
Roma Town Roma Darling Downs 1867 77.9 6,664 Amalgamated into Maranoa
Rosalie Shire Goombungee Darling Downs 1879 2,200.7 8,893 Amalgamated into Toowoomba
Sarina Shire Sarina Central Queensland 1912 1,444.3 10,632 Amalgamated into Mackay
Stanthorpe Shire Stanthorpe Darling Downs 1879 2,697.7 9,968 Amalgamated into Southern Downs
Tambo Shire Tambo Central West 1881 14,083.8 615 Amalgamated into Blackall-Tambo
Tara Shire Tara Darling Downs 1912 11,682.3 3,591 Amalgamated into Western Downs
Taroom Shire Taroom Darling Downs 1879 18,644.5 2,340 Split between Banana (S) and Western Downs
Thuringowa City Thuringowa Central North Queensland 1879 1,866.9 59,164 Amalgamated into Townsville (C)
Tiaro Shire Tiaro Wide Bay–Burnett 1879 2,185.3 5,233 Split between Fraser Coast and Gympie
Toowoomba City Toowoomba Darling Downs 1860 116.5 90,466 Amalgamated into Toowoomba
City of Townsville City Townsville North Queensland 1866 1,868.7 95,464 Amalgamated into Townsville (C)
Waggamba Shire Goondiwindi Darling Downs 1879 13,400.8 2,951 Amalgamated into Goondiwindi
Wambo Shire Dalby Darling Downs 1879 5,709.7 5,178 Amalgamated into Western Downs
Warroo Shire Surat Darling Downs 1881 13,657.4 1,095 Amalgamated into Maranoa
Warwick Shire Warwick Darling Downs 1994 4,422.3 21,417 Amalgamated into Southern Downs
Whitsunday Shire Proserpine North Queensland 1910 2,678.3 23,804 Amalgamated into Whitsunday
Wondai Shire Wondai Wide Bay–Burnett 1910 3,577.6 4,375 Amalgamated into South Burnett
Woocoo Shire Oakhurst Wide Bay–Burnett 1914 2,007.9 3,351 Amalgamated into Fraser Coast

Local government areas amalgamated in the 1990s[]

LGA Type Seat Region Established Area (km²) Pop 1991 Notes
Albert Shire Nerang South East 1949 1,223.8 143,697 Amalgamated into Gold Coast
Allora Shire Allora Darling Downs 1869 702.0 2,132 Amalgamated into Warwick
Glengallan Shire Glengallan Darling Downs 1879 1,699.6 2,132 Amalgamated into Warwick
Gooburrum Shire Bundaberg Wide Bay–Burnett 1886 1,312.6 7,117 Amalgamated into Bundaberg/Burnett
Gympie City Gympie Wide Bay–Burnett 1880 17.8 10,784 Amalgamated into Cooloola
Moreton Shire Churchill South East 1916 1,787.8 46,722 Amalgamated into Ipswich
Mulgrave Shire Cairns Far North 1879 2,820.1 40,614 Shire of Cairns until 1940.
Amalgamated into Cairns
Pioneer Shire Mackay Central Queensland 1879 2,820.1 40,614 Amalgamated into Mackay
Rosenthal Shire Rosenthal Heights Darling Downs 1888 1,984.1 2,241 Amalgamated into Warwick
Warwick City Warwick Darling Downs 1861 25.1 10,393 Amalgamated into Warwick
Widgee Shire Gympie Wide Bay–Burnett 1879 2,906.8 17,059 Amalgamated into Cooloola
Woongarra Shire Bundaberg Wide Bay–Burnett 1885 722.4 16,491 Amalgamated into Bundaberg/Burnett

Amalgamations in 1948-9[]

In 1948, the Queensland Government proposed three sets of LGA amalgamations: south of Brisbane, around Ipswich and around Toowoomba.

South Coast[]

On 9 December 1948, as part of a major reorganisation of local government in South East Queensland, an Order in Council replacing ten former local government areas between the City of Brisbane and the New South Wales border with only four.[2][3] The Order came into effect on 10 June 1949, when the first elections were held.

LGA Type Seat Region Established Area (km²) Pop Notes
Beenleigh Shire South East Amalgamated into Albert
Cleveland Shire South East Amalgamated into Redland
Coolangatta Town South East Amalgamated into South Coast
Coomera Town South East Amalgamated into Albert
Nerang (Burleigh Heads area) Shire South East Amalgamated into South Coast
Nerang (except Burleigh Heads area) Shire South East Amalgamated into Albert
Southport Town South East Amalgamated into South Coast
Tamborine Shire South East Amalgamated into Beaudesert
Tingalpa (northern part) Shire South East Amalgamated into Redland
Tingalpa (southern part) Shire South East Amalgamated into Albert
Waterford (western part) Shire South East Amalgamated into Beaudesert
Waterford (eastern part) Shire South East Amalgamated into Albert

Amalgamations into Greater Brisbane in 1925[]

LGA Type Seat Region Established Abolished Area (km²) Notes
Balmoral Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Belmont Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Brisbane (former) City Brisbane CBD South East 1859 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Coorparoo Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Enoggera Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Hamilton Town Hamilton South East 1890 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Ithaca Town Ithaca South East 1887 1925 Town in 1903. Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Kedron Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Moggill Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Sandgate Town Sandgate South East 1880 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Sherwood Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
South Brisbane City South Brisbane South East 1888 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Stephens Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Taringa Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Tingalpa (part of) Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Toombul Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Toowong Town Toowong South East 1880 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Windsor Town Windsor South East 1887 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Wynnum Town Wynnum South East 1888 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane
Yeerongpilly (part of) Shire South East 1925 Amalgamated into City of Brisbane

Other former local government areas[]

LGA Type Seat Region Established Abolished Area (km²) Notes
Adavale Shire Adavale South West 1889 1930 Amalgamated into Quilpie, Murweh, Isisford and Barcoo
Allora Town Allora Darling Downs 1869 1915 Abolished and recreated as Shire
Barron Shire Cairns Far North 1890 1919 Amalgamated into Cairns and Woothakata
Beenleigh Shire Beenleigh South East 1879 1948 260 Amalgamated into Albert
Bowen Town Bowen North Queensland 1863 1960 12.3 Amalgamated into Shire of Bowen
Brassall Shire Brassall South East 1879 1916 Amalgamated into Ipswich and Moreton
Bundanba Shire Bundamba South East 1879 1916 Amalgamated into Ipswich and Moreton
Chillagoe Shire Chillagoe Far North 1908 1932 4,005 Amalgamated into Woothakata
Cleveland Shire Cleveland South East 1879 1948 73 Amalgamated into Redland
Cooktown Town Cooktown Far North 1876 1932 39 Amalgamated into Cook
Coolangatta Town Coolangatta South East 1914 1948 17 Amalgamated into Gold Coast
Coomera Shire Coomera South East 1879 1948 305 Amalgamated into Albert and Beaudesert
Daintree Shire Daintree Far North 1879 1919 Amalgamated into Cook
Drayton Shire Drayton Darling Downs 1887 1949 140 Amalgamated into Toowoomba and Cambooya
Hann Shire Maytown Far North 1879 1919 Amalgamated into Cook
Highfields Shire Highfields Darling Downs 1879 1949 710 Amalgamated into Toowoomba and Crows Nest
Hughenden Town Hughenden North West 1887 1958 67 Amalgamated into Flinders
Mutdapilly Shire Mutdapilly South East 1879 1905 Amalgamated into Rosewood
Nerang Shire Nerang South East 1879 1948 635 Amalgamated into Albert, Beaudesert and Gold Coast
Normanby Shire Normanby South East 1890 1949 600 Amalgamated into Moreton and Boonah
Purga Shire Purga South East 1879 1916 Amalgamated into Moreton
Rosewood Shire Rosewood South East 1890 1949 635 Amalgamated into Moreton
Southport Town Southport South East 1883 1948 105 Shire until 1918. Amalgamated into Gold Coast
Tamborine Shire Tamborine South East 1890 1948 710 Amalgamated into Beaudesert
Thursday Island Town Thursday Island Far North 1912 1952 3.2 Replaced by administrators
Tingalpa Shire Mount Cotton South East 1879 1948 260 Amalgamated into Redland and Albert
Walsh Shire Irvinebank Far North 1889 1932 8,490 Amalgamated into Woothakata
Walloon Shire Walloon South East 1879 1916 Amalgamated into Rosewood
Wangaratta Shire Bowen North Queensland 1879 1960 23,070 Amalgamated into Bowen
Waterford Shire Waterford South East 1879 1948 350 Amalgamated into Albert and Beaudesert

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Local government reform". Department of Local Government (Queensland). Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 24 April 2007.
  2. ^ "New coast names". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 10 December 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  3. ^ "DETAILS OF SOUTH COAST SHIRES". Queensland Times. Ipswich, Queensland: National Library of Australia. 10 December 1948. p. 1 Edition: DAILY. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
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