Cairns Regional Council
Encyclopedia
The Cairns Region is a Local Government Area in Far North Queensland
, Queensland
, Australia
, centred on the regional centre of Cairns. Established in 2008, it was preceded by two previous local government areas which dated back to the 1870s.
It has an estimated operating budget of A$213 million.
, the Shire of Douglas
and the Shire of Mulgrave
.
The City, which for most of its existence covered only the central business district
and inner suburbs of Cairns, had its beginning in the Borough of Cairns which was proclaimed on 28 May 1885 under the Local Government Act 1878. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, it became a Town on 31 March 1903 and was proclaimed a City on 12 October 1923.
The Shire of Mulgrave had its origins in the Cairns Division, one of Queensland's 74 divisions created under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 on 11 November 1879. The Douglas Division was created on 3 June 1880. Both became Shires on 31 March 1903. On 20 December 1919, it grew to include some territory from the abolished Shire of Barron, and on 16 November 1940, the shire was renamed Mulgrave.
On 21 November 1991, the Electoral and Administrative Review Commission, created two years earlier, produced its second report, and recommended that local government boundaries in the Cairns area be rationalised, and that the Shire be dissolved and amalgamated with the City of Cairns
. The Local Government (Cairns, Douglas, Mareeba and Mulgrave) Regulation 1994 was gazetted on 16 December 1994. On 22 March 1995, the Shire was abolished and became part of the new City of Cairns
.
In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended that Cairns amalgamate with the Shire of Douglas, and that the new Cairns Regional Council be undivided with 10 councillors and a mayor. On 15 March 2008, the City and Shire formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council.
prior to 1995.
Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland, or FNQ, is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. The region, which contains a large section of the Tropical North Queensland area, stretches from the city of Cairns north to the Torres Strait...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, centred on the regional centre of Cairns. Established in 2008, it was preceded by two previous local government areas which dated back to the 1870s.
It has an estimated operating budget of A$213 million.
History
The Cairns Region began as three separate entities: the City of CairnsCity of Cairns
The City of Cairns was a Local Government Area centred on the Far North Queensland city of Cairns. Established in 1885, for most of its existence it consisted of approximately around Cairns itself, with much of the metropolitan area being located in the Shire of Mulgrave...
, the Shire of Douglas
Shire of Douglas
The Shire of Douglas was a Local Government Area in Far North Queensland. It was located on the coast north of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Mossman, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1880 until 2008, when it amalgamated with the City...
and the Shire of Mulgrave
Shire of Mulgrave
The name Shire of Mulgrave refers to one of two historic Local Government Areas in Australia:* The Shire of Mulgrave, Victoria, later renamed the City of Waverley.* The Shire of Mulgrave, which merged in 1995 into the City of Cairns....
.
The City, which for most of its existence covered only the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
and inner suburbs of Cairns, had its beginning in the Borough of Cairns which was proclaimed on 28 May 1885 under the Local Government Act 1878. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, it became a Town on 31 March 1903 and was proclaimed a City on 12 October 1923.
The Shire of Mulgrave had its origins in the Cairns Division, one of Queensland's 74 divisions created under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 on 11 November 1879. The Douglas Division was created on 3 June 1880. Both became Shires on 31 March 1903. On 20 December 1919, it grew to include some territory from the abolished Shire of Barron, and on 16 November 1940, the shire was renamed Mulgrave.
On 21 November 1991, the Electoral and Administrative Review Commission, created two years earlier, produced its second report, and recommended that local government boundaries in the Cairns area be rationalised, and that the Shire be dissolved and amalgamated with the City of Cairns
City of Cairns
The City of Cairns was a Local Government Area centred on the Far North Queensland city of Cairns. Established in 1885, for most of its existence it consisted of approximately around Cairns itself, with much of the metropolitan area being located in the Shire of Mulgrave...
. The Local Government (Cairns, Douglas, Mareeba and Mulgrave) Regulation 1994 was gazetted on 16 December 1994. On 22 March 1995, the Shire was abolished and became part of the new City of Cairns
City of Cairns
The City of Cairns was a Local Government Area centred on the Far North Queensland city of Cairns. Established in 1885, for most of its existence it consisted of approximately around Cairns itself, with much of the metropolitan area being located in the Shire of Mulgrave...
.
In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended that Cairns amalgamate with the Shire of Douglas, and that the new Cairns Regional Council be undivided with 10 councillors and a mayor. On 15 March 2008, the City and Shire formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council.
Wards
The Region is divided into 10 divisions, each of whom elects one councillor to the Cairns Regional Council. At present, Division 10 contains all of the former Shire of Douglas, whilst Division 1 covers the southern districts which were part of the Shire of MulgraveShire of Mulgrave
The name Shire of Mulgrave refers to one of two historic Local Government Areas in Australia:* The Shire of Mulgrave, Victoria, later renamed the City of Waverley.* The Shire of Mulgrave, which merged in 1995 into the City of Cairns....
prior to 1995.
Towns and localities
Central:
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Southern:
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Green Island (Queensland) Green Island is a very popular coral cay offshore from Cairns, Queensland, Australia located within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park World Heritage Area. The island is surrounded by coral reef and protected in the Green Island National Park. Most visitors come for the day... Woree, Queensland Woree is a southern suburb of the city of Cairns, Queensland, Australia.The population in 2006 was 4372 people. Woree is next to the Bruce Highway. Schools located in Woree are Woree State School, Woree State High School, Saint Mary’s College and St Gerard Majella Catholic School... |
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Northern:
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Palm Cove, Queensland Palm Cove is a beach community in Far North Queensland, Australia located north of the city of Cairns. It is named for the palm trees that line the beach. At the 2006 census, Palm Cove had a population of 1,215.-History:... Smithfield, Queensland Smithfield, about 15 km to the north of Cairns, Queensland, Australia that was first established in 1876, was a rival for dominance of the area to Cairns at that time... Stratford, Queensland Stratford is a suburb 7 kilometres north of Cairns, Queensland, Australia. The population is about 2,000. It is at the base of Mount Whitfield and Lumley Hill and on the banks of the Barron River.... Trinity Beach, Queensland Trinity Beach is a suburb of Cairns approximately from the city centre. Trinity Beach is also a beach stretching for about a mile on the eastern coast of Australia. The suburb itself is approximately 1 and a half miles wide.... Yorkeys Knob, Queensland Yorkeys Knob is one of the beach suburbs of Cairns, the regional capital of Far North Queensland, Australia. It is located approximately 13 km north of the centre of Cairns, and is the third beach suburb after Machans Beach and Holloways Beach.... |
Far Northern:
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Mossman Gorge, Queensland Mossman Gorge is located in the southern part of the Daintree National Park, 80 kilometres north of the regional town of Cairns. It also lies nearby the farming town of Mossman.It is part of the traditional homeland of the indigenous tribe of Kuku Yulanji.... Port Douglas, Queensland Port Douglas is a town in Far North Queensland, Australia, approximately north of Cairns. Its permanent population was 948 residents in 2006. The town's population can often double, however, with the influx of tourists during the peak tourism season May–September. The town is named in honour of... |
Population
The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008. The next census, due in 2011, will be the first for the new Region.| Year | Total Region | Cairns (C) | Mulgrave (S) | Douglas (S) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | 25,197 | 11,993 | 10,303 | 2,901 |
| 1947 | 29,622 | 16,644 | 10,485 | 2,493 |
| 1954 | 37,597 | 21,020 | 13,477 | 3,100 |
| 1961 | 42,985 | 25,204 | 14,427 | 3,354 |
| 1966 | 45,927 | 26,696 | 15,312 | 3,919 |
| 1971 | 51,345 | 30,288 | 16,985 | 4,072 |
| 1976 | 62,628 | 34,857 | 23,025 | 4,746 |
| 1981 | 76,388 | 39,096 | 31,335 | 5,957 |
| 1986 | 91,688 | 42,227 | 41,711 | 7,750 |
| 1991 | 116,584 | 49,361 | 54,783 | 12,440 |
| 1996 | 129,698 | 116,718 | 12,980 | |
| 2001 | 133,903 | 119,937 | 13,966 | |
| 2006 | 150,484 | 136,460 | 14,024 | |
Council members
| Position | Person | Party |
| Mayor of Cairns Mayor of Cairns This is a list of mayors of the Far North Queensland city of Cairns.Cairns was originally established as a Borough with a Chairman from 1885 until 1903, when the Local Authorities Act 1902 transformed it into a Town with a Mayor. The Town achieved City status in 1923. In 1995, when the Shire of... |
Val Schier | Cairns 1st |
| Division 1 Councillor | Paul Gregory | Independent |
| Division 2 Councillor | Nancy Lanskey | Independent |
| Division 3 Councillor | Robert Pyne | Independent |
| Division 4 Councillor | Kirsten Lesina | Cairns 1st |
| Division 5 Councillor | Alan Blake | Independent |
| Division 6 Councillor | Linda Cooper | Cairns Unity |
| Division 7 Councillor | Diane Forsyth | Cairns 1st |
| Division 8 Councillor | Margaret Cochrane | Independent |
| Division 9 Councillor | Sno Bonneau | Independent |
| Division 10 Councillor | Julia Leu | Independent |