Huon Valley
Encyclopedia
The Huon Valley Council is a Local Government Area of Tasmania
. It is the southern-most local government area in Australia
.
It encompasses the town of Huonville
, on the Huon River
, some surrounding towns, and many protected areas and forestry
plantations. The Tahune Airwalk is also in the area, located near the township of Geeveston
.
In 1993 the Municipalites of Esperance, Huon and Port Cygnet were amalgamated to form the Huon Valley Council. Remote subantarctic Macquarie Island
, which is located some 1400 km southeast of Tasmania proper, was part of Esperance until then, and has been part of Huon Valley since then.
The municipality has seven townships:
For election purposes, Huon Valley is un-subdivided. Councillors serve divided four year terms, with elections every two years using the Hare-Clark system of proportional representation. The terms of four Councillors expire at one two yearly election, and the terms of five Councillors expire at the other. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are each directly elected for a two year term. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor must also be elected Councillors. Unless a non-retiring Councillor they are ineligible to hold the position of Mayor or Deputy Mayor if they fail to win election to a Councillor position as well. The current composition of the Council, with place of residence, is:
Elected 2007 for a term expiring 2011:
Elected 2009 for a term expiring 2013:
Neither the Australian Labor Party
nor the Liberal Party of Australia
endorse local government candidates in Tasmania. Most councillors are non-partisan. Two Councillors, Liz Smith and Rosalie Woodruff, are members of the Australian Greens
.
Huon Valley Council has one of the highest birth rates in all of Australia, although the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) went down from 2.60 in 2001 to 2.35 in 2006. http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3301.0/
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. It is the southern-most local government area in 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...
.
It encompasses the town of Huonville
Huonville, Tasmania
Huonville is a town on the Huon River, in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia. The town lies within the Huon Valley Council area. It lies 38 km south of Hobart on the Huon Highway. At the 2006 census, Huonville had a population of 1,806....
, on the Huon River
Huon River
The Huon River is the fourth largest river in Tasmania, Australia. It is 170 km in length, and runs through the fertile Huon Valley. From Scotts Peak Dam at Lake Pedder where it begins, it flows south-east to the Tahune Airwalk, where the Picton River joins, before heading through the rural...
, some surrounding towns, and many protected areas and forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
plantations. The Tahune Airwalk is also in the area, located near the township of Geeveston
Geeveston, Tasmania
Geeveston is a small Australian town located in the south of Tasmania on the Huon River, 62 km south west of Hobart, making it Australia's most southerly administrative centre. The town takes its name from William Geeves, an English settler who was given a land grant by Lady Jane Franklin in the...
.
In 1993 the Municipalites of Esperance, Huon and Port Cygnet were amalgamated to form the Huon Valley Council. Remote subantarctic Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica, at 54°30S, 158°57E. Politically, it has formed part of the Australian state of Tasmania since 1900 and became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 1978. In 1997 it became a world heritage...
, which is located some 1400 km southeast of Tasmania proper, was part of Esperance until then, and has been part of Huon Valley since then.
The municipality has seven townships:
- CygnetCygnet, TasmaniaCygnet is a small town 55 kilometres south west of Hobart, in the Huon Valley in Tasmania. At the 2006 census, Cygnet had a population of 839.-History:...
- Dover (on Esperance Bay)
- FranklinFranklin, TasmaniaFranklin is a small township on the western side of the Huon River in the south-east of Tasmania, between Huonville and Geeveston. At the 2006 census, Franklin had a population of 453....
- GeevestonGeeveston, TasmaniaGeeveston is a small Australian town located in the south of Tasmania on the Huon River, 62 km south west of Hobart, making it Australia's most southerly administrative centre. The town takes its name from William Geeves, an English settler who was given a land grant by Lady Jane Franklin in the...
- Port Huon
- Glen Huon
- HuonvilleHuonville, TasmaniaHuonville is a town on the Huon River, in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia. The town lies within the Huon Valley Council area. It lies 38 km south of Hobart on the Huon Highway. At the 2006 census, Huonville had a population of 1,806....
For election purposes, Huon Valley is un-subdivided. Councillors serve divided four year terms, with elections every two years using the Hare-Clark system of proportional representation. The terms of four Councillors expire at one two yearly election, and the terms of five Councillors expire at the other. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are each directly elected for a two year term. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor must also be elected Councillors. Unless a non-retiring Councillor they are ineligible to hold the position of Mayor or Deputy Mayor if they fail to win election to a Councillor position as well. The current composition of the Council, with place of residence, is:
- Mayor for a term expiring 2011: Robert Armstrong (Cygnet)
- Deputy Mayor for a term expiring 2011: Bruce Heron (Grove)
Elected 2007 for a term expiring 2011:
- Robert Armstrong (Cygnet)
- Liz Smith (Cygnet)
- Ian Paul (Judbury)
- Gary Doyle (Dover)
Elected 2009 for a term expiring 2013:
- Bruce Heron (Grove)
- Mike Wilson (Port Huon)
- Tony Duggan (Huonville)
- Rohan Gudden (Cygnet)
- Rosalie Woodruff (Cygnet)
Neither the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
nor the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
endorse local government candidates in Tasmania. Most councillors are non-partisan. Two Councillors, Liz Smith and Rosalie Woodruff, are members of the Australian Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
.
Huon Valley Council has one of the highest birth rates in all of Australia, although the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) went down from 2.60 in 2001 to 2.35 in 2006. http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3301.0/
Further reading
- Tyson, Nell. and Rushton, Annie (1995) Family bushwalks in Tasmania’s Huon valley Dover,Tas.: Driftwood Publishing. ISBN 064626155X