Cairns Region

Cairns Region Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population:	158,653 (2008)[1]
Established:	2008
Area:	4135 km² (1,596.5 sq mi)
Mayor:	Val Schier
Council Seat:	Cairns
Region:	Far North Queensland
State District:	Barron River, Cairns, Cook, Mulgrave
Federal Division:	Leichhardt
Website: http://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/
LGAs around Cairns Region: Cook Wujal Wujal Coral Sea Tablelands Cairns Region Yarrabah Tablelands Cassowary Coast Coral Sea

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 AUD213m.

History

The Cairns Region began as three separate entities: the City of Cairns, 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.^[2] 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.^[3]

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.^[4] The legislation passed to effect the merger on 10 August 2007. A Local Transition Committee made up of staff and councillors of the two dissolving entities was formed to manage the process. 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 Mulgrave prior to 1995.

Towns and localities

Council members

The working logo of the Council (2008)

References

External links

• Cairns Regional Council

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