Collie Road District

Last updated

The former Roads Board Office in Collie in April 2022 Old Roads Board Office, Collie, April 2022 02.jpg
The former Roads Board Office in Collie in April 2022

The Collie Road District was an early form of local government area in the Collie region of Western Australia.

It was established on 26 January 1900, separating the area in and around the town of Collie from the Dardanup and Brunswick Road Districts. The township of Collie separated from the new road district as the Municipality of Collie on 17 May 1900. [1] [2] [3]

The road board built permanent offices in Throssell Street, Collie in 1905–06, holding their first meeting in the new offices in August 1906. The 1906 office was replaced in 1930 with a new building constructed in front of the old one, opening in September 1930. The 1930 building is now used as the Collie Museum. [4] [5] [3]

The Western Mail wrote in 1930: "To the west of the municipality the boundary of the road board extends about six miles; to the north and south its boundaries are nine miles from the town; and the most distant point is 12 miles to the eat. Four timber mills and six coalmines are within its confines. These mines and mills contribute more than half of the board’s revenue". [3] At its abolition in 1950, the road district was described as consisting of 238,000 acres, including 10,000 acres of townsites, 20,000 acres of freehold land owned by a timber company, 22,000 acres of mining leases, 30,000 acres of farming lands and a substantial area held by the Forestry Department in reserve. [6]

It ceased to exist on 2 March 1951, when it amalgamated with the Municipality of Collie to form the Collie Coalfields Road District. The amalgamation followed a report by the secretary to the Department of Local Government recommending that outcome. [1] [7] The road board endorsed the report's outcome as "satisfactory". [8] The road district became the west, south and northwards of the new district, each electing two members out of the 14-member board. [7]

John Ewing and Herbert Wells both served as chairmen of the road board. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire of Beverley</span> Local government area in Western Australia

The Shire of Beverley is a local government area in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia about 130 kilometres (80 mi) southeast of Perth, the state capital. The Shire covers an area of 2,372 square kilometres (916 sq mi), starting 20 kilometres (12 mi) outside Armadale in the Darling Scarp and extending eastwards beyond the scarp into agricultural lands which support broad acre activities such as livestock and cropping. Its seat of government is the town of Beverley, which accommodates just over half of the Shire's population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire of Collie</span> Local government area in Western Australia

The Shire of Collie is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, about 60 kilometres (37 mi) east of Bunbury and about 200 kilometres (124 mi) south of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of 1,711 square kilometres (661 sq mi), and its seat of government is the town of Collie.

The Shire of Tableland was a local government area in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The Shire of Marble Bar was a local government area in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It was established as the Bamboo Road District on 4 September 1896, and was based in the now-former town of Bamboo Creek. The first election was held in January 1897.

The Shire of Bridgetown was a local government area in Western Australia. It was established as the Nelson Road District on 10 February 1887, with the board seat in Bridgetown.

The Broad Arrow Road District was an early form of local government area on the Western Australian goldfields. It was established on 15 December 1899, providing basic local government to the rural areas around the mining town of Broad Arrow, which had already been incorporated as the Municipality of Broad Arrow in 1897. The board's office was located in Broad Arrow township.

The Bulong Road District was an early form of local government area on the Western Australian goldfields. It was formally established on 20 December 1899, providing a basic form of local government to the rural areas around the mining town of Bulong, which had already incorporated as the Municipality of Bulong in 1896. However, it took several months before the road board had practically established itself, and in March 1900 the Kalgoorlie Sun wrote: "...a roads board has been gazetted for Bulong, all on its own. But now they have their roads board, they don't know what to do with it." The first road board election took place on 3 April 1900. The road board met at the municipality's office, the council chambers, in Bulong township.

The Norseman Road District was an early form of local government area on the Western Australian goldfields.

The Geraldton Road District was an early form of local government area in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It was based in the town of Geraldton, although Geraldton was not part of the road district, having been separately incorporated as the Municipality of Geraldton.

The Kanowna Road District was an early form of local government area on the Western Australian goldfields.

The North Coolgardie Road District was an early form of local government area on the Western Australian goldfields. It was based in the town of Menzies, although that township was outside the board's boundaries, having been incorporated as the Municipality of Menzies in 1895.

The Nannine Road District was an early form of local government area on the Western Australian goldfields of the Mid West region.

The Municipality of Victoria Park was a local government area in the inner eastern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia.

The Municipality of Beverley was a local government area in Western Australia centred on the town of Beverley.

The Municipality of Broome was a local government area in Western Australia centred on the coastal town of Broome. It existed from 1904 to 1918.

The Sussex Road District was an early form of local government area in the Busselton region of Western Australia.

The Municipality of Busselton was a local government area in Western Australia, centred on the town of Busselton.

The Bunbury Road District was an early form of local government area in the region surrounding Bunbury, Western Australia from 1899 to 1950.

The Municipality of Collie was a local government area in Western Australia, centred on the town of Collie. It covered an area of 1,170 acres in the Collie and Worsley townsites in 1950.

The Municipality of Esperance was a local government area in Western Australia centred on the coastal town of Esperance. It existed from 1895 until 1908.

References

  1. 1 2 "Municipality Boundary Amendments Register" (PDF). Western Australian Electoral Distribution Commission. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  2. "COLLIE MUNICIPALITY". The Collie Miner . Western Australia. 25 May 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 9 February 2020 via Trove.
  3. 1 2 3 "Old Roads Board Office". inHerit. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  4. "Collie Road Board Office". Collie Mail . Western Australia. 2 October 1930. p. 2. Retrieved 9 February 2020 via Trove.
  5. "THE DISTRICT TODAY". Western Mail . Western Australia. 28 November 1935. p. 10. Retrieved 9 February 2020 via Trove.
  6. "Local Authorities' Merger". Collie Mail . Western Australia. 23 November 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 9 February 2020 via Trove.
  7. 1 2 "NEW LOCAL AUTHORITY". Collie Mail . Western Australia. 4 January 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 9 February 2020 via Trove.
  8. "REPORT "SATISFACTORY"". Collie Mail . Western Australia. 7 December 1950. p. 6 (NOEDITION 2). Retrieved 9 February 2020 via Trove.
  9. John Ewing – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  10. Herbert Edward Wells, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 4 January 2017.