Shire of Burdekin

Shire of Burdekin
Local government area
Location within Queensland
Location within Queensland
Official logo of Shire of Burdekin
CountryAustralia
StateQueensland
RegionNorth Queensland
Established1888
Council seatAyr
Government
 • MayorPierina Dalle Cort
 • State electorate
 • Federal divisions
Area
 • Total
5,044 km2 (1,947 sq mi)
Population
 • Total16,692 (2021 census)
 • Density3.3093/km2 (8.5710/sq mi)
WebsiteShire of Burdekin
LGAs around Shire of Burdekin
City of Townsville Coral Sea Coral Sea
City of Townsville Shire of Burdekin Coral Sea
Charters Towers Charters Towers Whitsunday

The Shire of Burdekin is a local government area located in North Queensland, Australia in the Dry Tropics region. The district is located between Townsville and Bowen in the delta of the Burdekin River. The shire covers an area of 5,044 square kilometres (1,947 sq mi). It has existed as a local government entity since 1888. In the 2021 census, the Shire of Burdekin had a population of 16,692 people.

History

Yuru (also known as Juru, Euronbba, Juru, Mal Mal, Malmal) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Yuru country. The Yuru language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Shire of Burdekin, including the town of Home Hill.

Map of Ayr Division and its adjacent local government areas, March 1902

On 16 January 1888, the Ayr Division was created out of Subdivision 3 of the Thuringowa Division in 1888 under the Divisional Boards Act 1887.

With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Ayr Division became the Shire of Ayr on 31 March 1903.

On 12 June 1982, the Shire of Ayr was renamed the Shire of Burdekin, a change long desired by the residents of Home Hill.

Council members were elected to represent different divisions within the shire until the election of March 1994 at which all council members are elected by all shire residents. The title of Mayor replaced the former title of Shire Chairman and the title of Shire Clerk was replaced by Chief Executive Officer from that same election.

New shire chambers were opened on 9 October 1999. The cost was $2.8 million.

From 2000, council elections were held every four years to elect a mayor and ten councillors. From 2008, this was reduced to a mayor and six councillors.

Facilities

The public library headquarters of the Burdekin Shire Council Library Services is located at 108 Graham Street, Ayr. The Burdekin Shire also operate a public library in Home Hill at 77–79 Ninth Avenue. Both libraries opened in 1984.

Towns and localities

The Shire of Burdekin includes the following settlements:

Demographics

Year Population Notes
193312,073[citation needed]
194712,462[citation needed]
195415,208[citation needed]
196116,758[citation needed]
196618,693[citation needed]
197117,443[citation needed]
197618,421[citation needed]
198118,477[citation needed]
198618,337[citation needed]
199118,148[citation needed]
199618,870[citation needed]
2001 census18,234
2006 census17,020
2011 census17,364
2016 census17,074
2021 census16,692

In the 2021 census, the Burdekin Shire had a population of 16,692 people. 37.0% described their ancestry as Australian. This is followed by 34.5% who described their ancestry as English, then Italian (17.2%), Scottish (10.6%) and Irish at 10.2%. 84.7% spoke only English at home followed by the next most common languages: 2.0% Italian, 0.3% Afrikaans, 0.3% Greek, 0.3% Vietnamese and 0.3% Pidgin. Indigenous Australians were listed as making up 6.6% of the Burdekin population.

Council

Burdekin Shire Council
Type
Type
Leadership
Mayor
Pierina Dalle Cort, Independent
Deputy Mayor
Max Musumeci, Independent
Structure
Seats7 elected representatives, including a Mayor and 6 councillors
Political groups
  • Majority:
  •   Independent (6)
Elections
Last election
16 March 2024
Next election
25 March 2028

Below is the current council, elected in 2024:

Councillor Party Notes
Pierina Dalle Cort Independent Mayor
Max Musumeci Independent Deputy Mayor
Michael Detenon Independent
John Furnell Independent
Amanda Hall Liberal National
Callan Oar Independent
Delfine Vasta Independent

Chairmen and mayors

Dates Chairman / Mayors Notes
1896 James Henry Rae
1888 Charles Young
1896 J. H. Rae
1927 Herbert Barsby
1952–1970 E.W. Ford
1970–1976 R. W. Rossiter
1976–1982 F.J. Mills
1982–1991 J.W. Trace
1991–1994 E.N. Honeycombe
1994–2004 John F. Woods First to use the title "Mayor"
2004–2012 Lynette Angela (Lyn) McLaughlin
2012–2016 William Charles (Bill) Lowis
2016–2024 Lynette Angela (Lyn) McLaughlin
2024-present Pierina Dalle Cort

References

  1. 1 2 "Arts and Cultural Strategy 2021-2030". Burdekin Shire Council. p. 12. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Shire of Burdekin (LGA)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  3. ↑ CC-BY license icon This Wikipedia article incorporates CC BY 4.0 licensed text from: "Yuru". Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages map. State Library of Queensland. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  4. ↑ "Proclamation [Ayr Division]". Queensland Government Gazette. 21 January 1888. p. 43:170.
  5. 1 2 "Agency ID 6068, Burdekin Shire Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Scott, Laura A; Lower Burdekin Historical Society (2014), Mastering the dream : Home Hill : jubilee to centenary, Home Hill, Q The Lower Burdekin Historical Society Inc, ISBN 978-0-9871987-1-6
  7. ↑ "Burdekin Library Directory of Public Libraries". Public Libraries Connect. 26 July 2017. Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  8. ↑ "Home Hill Library Directory of Public Libraries". Public Libraries Connect. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 19 January 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  9. ↑ "Queensland Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-2017" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. November 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  10. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Shire of Burdekin (LGA)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 June 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  11. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Shire of Burdekin (LGA)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  12. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Shire of Burdekin (LGA)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 June 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  13. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Shire of Burdekin (LGA)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  14. ↑ "2021 Burdekin, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". abs.gov.au. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Mayor and Councillors".
  16. ↑ Consolidated Index to Queensland Government Gazette 1859-1919. Queensland Family History Society. 2004. ISBN 1-876613-79-3.
  17. ↑ "History of the Burdekin - Burdekin Shire Council". Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  18. ↑ "Queensland Government Gazette consolidated index 1859-1919 - Details - Trove". trove.nla.gov.au. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  19. ↑ Pugh, Theophilus Parsons (1927). Pugh's Almanac for 1927. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  20. ↑ "Former councillor ousts Burdekin mayor". ABC News. 27 March 2004. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  21. ↑ "Mayor Candidate Profile : 2012 Burdekin Shire - Mayoral Election". results.ecq.qld.gov.au. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  22. ↑ "2016 Burdekin Shire Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 19 April 2016. Archived from the original on 15 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  23. ↑ "2020 Local Government Elections: Saturday, 28 March 2020". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.

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