Cairns Region

Last updated

Cairns Region
Queensland
Cairns regional LGA Qld.png
Location within Queensland, 2013, prior to de-amalgamation of Shire of Douglas
Population166,943 (2021) (38th)
 • Density98.841/km2 (256.00/sq mi)
Established2008
Area1,689 km2 (652.1 sq mi) [1]
MayorAmy Eden
Council seat Cairns City
Region Far North Queensland
State electorate(s) Barron River, Cairns, Cook, Hill, Mulgrave
Federal division(s)
Cairns regional council.svg
Website Cairns Region
LGAs around Cairns Region:
Mareeba Wujal Wujal

Shire of Douglas
Coral Sea
Mareeba Cairns Region Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire
Tablelands Cassowary Coast Coral Sea

The Cairns Region is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Queensland, Australia, centred on the regional city of Cairns. It was established in 2008 by the amalgamation of the City of Cairns and the Shires of Douglas and Mulgrave. However, following public protest and a referendum in 2013, on 1 January 2014, the Shire of Douglas was de-amalgamated from the Cairns Region and re-established as a separate local government authority.

Contents

The Cairns Regional Council's 2023-24 operating budget is A$433.5 million. [2]

History

First Nations

Yidinji (also known as Yidinj, Yidiny, and Idindji) is an Australian Aboriginal language and a traditional Indigenous country. Its traditional language region is within the local government areas of Cairns Region and Tablelands Region, in such localities as Cairns City (CBD), Gordonvale, and the Mulgrave River, and the southern part of the Atherton Tableland including Atherton and Kairi. [3]

Tjapukai (also known as Djabuganydji, Djabugay, and Djabuganydji) is the traditional Aboriginal country and language north of the Barron River in the Cairns Region, with the traditional group extending west towards Mareeba and north towards Douglas Shire and Port Douglas. [4]

Post colonialisation

Prior to the 2008 amalgamation, the Cairns Region consisted of the entire area of three previous local government areas:

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. [5] 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. [6]

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. They became the Shire of Cairns and the Shire of Douglas 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. [7] 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.

In 2012, a proposal was made to de-amalgamate the Shire of Douglas from the Cairns Region. [8] On 9 March 2013, the citizens of the former Douglas shire voted in a referendum to de-amalgamate. [9] The shire was re-established on 1 January 2014. [10] [11]

Towns and localities

The Cairns Region includes the following settlements:

1 – shared with Cassowary Coast Region
2 – shared with Cassowary Coast Region and Tablelands Region

Libraries

The Cairns Regional Council operate public libraries at Babinda, Cairns City, Earlville, Edmonton, Gordonvale, Manunda, Smithfield and Stratford. [12]

Population

The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008.

The only census in which the Cairns Region included the Douglas Shire was conducted in 2011.

YearTotal RegionCairns (C)Mulgrave (S)Douglas (S)
193325,19711,99310,3032,901
194729,62216,64410,4852,493
195437,59721,02013,4773,100
196142,98525,20414,4273,354
196645,92726,69615,3123,919
197151,34530,28816,9854,072
197662,62834,85723,0254,746
198176,38839,09631,3355,957
198691,68842,22741,7117,750
1991116,58449,36154,78312,440
1996129,698116,71812,980
2001133,903119,93713,966
2006150,484136,46014,024
2011167,355156,16911,186
2016168,615156,90111,714
2021179,280166,94312,337

Council

Cairns Regional Council
CRC Logo.svg
Type
Type
Leadership
Amy Eden, Team Eden
Deputy Mayor
Brett Olds, Independent
Structure
Seats10 elected representatives, including a Mayor and 9 councillors
Political groups
  •   Independents (3)
  •   Cairns Unity (3)
  •   Team Eden (2)
  •   Independent LNP (1)
Elections
Last election
16 March 2024
Next election
25 March 2028

On 1 January 2014, Julia Leu ceased to be a Councillor upon the de-amalgamation of the Shire of Douglas.

On 31 January 2015, Rob Pyne was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland and resigned as a Councillor. Cathy Zeiger was appointed on 12 March 2015 to replace Rob Pyne by a panel comprising Mayor Bob Manning and former Councillors Fran Lindsay and Jeff Pezzutti. [13]

Bob Manning announced his retirement as mayor on 17 November 2023. [14] Councillor Terry James was elected as mayor on 22 November 2023. [15]

Current composition

The current council, elected in 2024, is:

WardCouncillorParty
Mayor  Amy Eden Team Eden
Division 1 Brett Moller Cairns Unity
Division 2 Matthew Tickner Independent LNP
Division 3 Cathy ZeigerIndependent
Division 4 Trevor Tim Team Eden
Division 5  Rob Pyne Ind. Socialist Alliance
Division 6 Kristy Vallely Cairns Unity
Division 7 Anna MiddletonIndependent
Division 8 Rhonda Coghlan Cairns Unity
Division 9 Brett OldsIndependent

Mayors

Past councillors

2008−present

YearDivision 1Division 2Division 3Division 4Division 5Division 6Division 7Division 8Division 9Division 10
CouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillor
2008  Paul Gregory (Ind.) Nancy Lanskey (Ind.)  Rob Pyne (Ind. Labor) Kristen Lesina (Ind.) Alan Blake (Ind.) Linda Cooper (Ind.) Diane Forsyth (Ind.) Margaret Cochrane (Ind.) Sno Bonneau (Ind.) Julia Leu (Ind.)
2012  Steve Brain (Ind.) John Schilling (Unity) Terry James (Unity) Richie Bates (Unity/Ind.) Max O'Halloran (Unity) Jessie Richardson (Unity) Greg Fennell (Unity)
2014 9 wards (2014−present)
2015 Cathy Zeiger (Ind.)
2016  Brett Moller (Unity) Brett Olds (Ind. LNP/Ind.)
2017 
2020   Rob Pyne
(Ind. Socialist/ Ind. Socialist Alliance)
  Amy Eden (Unity/Team Eden) Kristy Vallely (Unity) Rhonda Coghlan (Unity)
2020 
2021 
2023 
2024 Jeremy Neal (Unity)
2024  Matthew Tickner (Ind. LNP) Trevor Tim (Team Eden)  Rob Pyne (Ind. Socialist Alliance) Anna Middleton (Ind.)

Election results

2024

2024 Queensland local elections: Cairns
PartyVotes %SwingSeatsChange
  Cairns Unity 3Decrease2.svg 2
  Independent 3Increase2.svg 1
  Team Eden 1Steady2.svg
  Independent LNP 1Increase2.svg 1
  Independent Socialist Alliance 1Steady2.svg
  Community First 0Steady2.svg
  Independent Labor 0Steady2.svg
 Independent Democratic0Steady2.svg

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cairns</span> City in Queensland, Australia

Cairns is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the 2021 census, Cairns had a population of 153,181 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordonvale, Queensland</span> Town in Queensland, Australia

Gordonvale is a rural sugar-growing town and locality situated on the southern side of Cairns in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Gordonvale had a population of 6,944 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atherton Tableland</span> Fertile plateau in northern Queensland, Australia

The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau, which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It has very deep, rich basaltic soils and the main industry is agriculture. The principal river flowing across the plateau is the Barron River, which was dammed to form the irrigation reservoir named Lake Tinaroo. Unlike many other rural areas, the Tablelands is experiencing a significant growth in population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Far North Queensland</span> Region in Queensland, Australia

Far North Queensland (FNQ) is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. Its largest city is Cairns and it is dominated geographically by Cape York Peninsula, which stretches north to the Torres Strait, and west to the Gulf Country. The waters of Torres Strait include the only international border in the area contiguous with the Australian mainland, between Australia and Papua New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire of Mareeba</span> Local government area in Queensland, Australia

The Shire of Mareeba is a local government area at the base of Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, inland from Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Mareeba, covered an area of 53,491 square kilometres (20,653.0 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1879 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several councils in the Atherton Tableland area to become the Tablelands Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire of Douglas</span> Local government area in Queensland, Australia

The Shire of Douglas is a local government area in Far North Queensland. It is located on the coast north of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Mossman, covers an area of 2,428 square kilometres (937.5 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1880 until 2008, when it was amalgamated with the City of Cairns to become the Cairns Region. Following a poll in 2013, the Shire of Douglas was re-established on 1 January 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Cairns</span> Local government area in Queensland, Australia

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 51.5 square kilometres (19.9 sq mi) around Cairns itself, with much of the metropolitan area being located in the Shire of Mulgrave. The Shire amalgamated into the City on 22 March 1995, as did small sections of neighbouring shires.

Thomas Alfred Pyne was an Australian politician. He was the shire chairman of the Shire of Mulgrave from 1979 to 1995, and following the amalgamation of Mulgrave with the City of Cairns, was Mayor of Cairns from 1995 to 2000. His son, Rob Pyne, was a Cairns City Councillor and State Member for Cairns in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassowary Coast Region</span> Local government area in Queensland, Australia

The Cassowary Coast Region is a local government area in the Far North Queensland region of Queensland, Australia, south of Cairns and centred on the towns of Innisfail, Cardwell and Tully. It was created in 2008 from a merger of the Shire of Cardwell and the Shire of Johnstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tablelands Region</span> Local government area in Queensland, Australia

The Tablelands Region is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Australia inland from the city of Cairns. Established in 2008, it was preceded by four previous local government areas which dated back more than a century. On 1 January 2014, one of those local government areas, the Shire of Mareeba, was re-established independent of the Tablelands Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Local government in Queensland</span>

Local government in Queensland, Australia, includes the institutions and processes by which towns and districts can manage their own affairs to the extent permitted by the Local Government Act 1993–2007. Queensland is divided into 78 local government areas, which may be called Cities, Towns, Shires, or Regions. Each area has a council that is responsible for providing a range of public services and utilities and derives its income from both rates and charges on resident ratepayers and grants and subsidies from the state and Commonwealth governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire of Mulgrave (Queensland)</span> Local government area in Queensland, Australia

The Shire of Mulgrave was a local government area surrounding the City of Cairns in the Far North region of Queensland. The shire, administered from Cairns, covered an area of 1,718.3 square kilometres (663.4 sq mi); it existed as a local government entity from 1879 until 1995, when it was dissolved and amalgamated into the City of Cairns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mulgrave River</span> River in Queensland, Australia

The Mulgrave River, incorporating the East Mulgrave River and the West Mulgrave River, is a river system in Far North Queensland, Australia. The 70-kilometre (43 mi)-long river flows towards the Coral Sea and is located approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Cairns.

The Yidiny, are an Aboriginal Australian people in Far North Queensland. Their language is the Yidiny language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goldsborough, Queensland</span> Suburb of Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia

Goldsborough is a locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Goldsborough had a population of 1,099 people.

The 1995 Queensland local elections were held on 11 March 1995 to elect the councils of three of the local government areas (LGAs) of Queensland, Australia.

The 2013 Queensland local elections were held on 9 November 2013 to elect the mayors and councils of four local government areas in Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1995 Cairns City Council election</span>

The 1995 Cairns City Council election was held on 11 March 1995 to elect a mayor and councillors to the City of Cairns, a local government area (LGA) of Queensland, Australia.

References

  1. "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.
  2. Council, Cairns Regional (19 June 2023). "Budget". Cairns Regional Council. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  3. CC BY icon-80x15.png This Wikipedia article incorporates CC-BY-4.0 licensed text from: "Yidinji". Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages map. State Library of Queensland . Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  4. "First people cultural history". Cairns Regional Council. Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  5. Queensland Government Gazette, Vol. XXXVI (1885), p.1733.
  6. Queensland Government Gazette, Vol. CXXI, 12 October 1923, p.1108.
  7. Queensland Local Government Reform Commission (July 2007). Report of the Local Government Reform Commission (PDF). Vol. 2. Local government Reform Commission. pp. 65–70. ISBN   978-1-921057-11-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 March 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  8. "A Proposal to the Minister for Local Government Honourable David Crisafulli M.P. in support of de-amalgamation of the former Douglas Shire from Cairns Regional Council" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  9. "Douglas Area De-amalgamation Poll – Douglas – Poll Area Summary". Electoral Commission Queensland. Archived from the original on 12 May 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  10. "De-amalgamation". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 26 August 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  11. "Local Government (De-amalgamation Implementation) Regulation 2013" (PDF). Local Government Act 2009. Queensland Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 May 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  12. "Cairns Libraries". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 20 September 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  13. "Cathy the toast of kids". The Cairns Post. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  14. Council, Cairns Regional (17 November 2023). "Mayor Bob Manning retires from office". Cairns Regional Council. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  15. Council, Cairns Regional (22 November 2023). "Terry James appointed as new Mayor of Cairns". Cairns Regional Council. Retrieved 25 November 2023.

16°55′24″S145°46′26″E / 16.92333°S 145.77389°E / -16.92333; 145.77389