The City of Caloundra was a local government area about 90 kilometres (56 mi) north of Brisbane in the Sunshine Coast region of South East Queensland, Australia. The shire covered an area of 1,093.1 square kilometres (422.0 sq mi); it existed as a local government entity from 1912 until 2008, when it amalgamated with councils further north to form the Sunshine Coast Region.

City of Caloundra
Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population90,341 (2006 census)[1]
 • Density82.647/km2 (214.054/sq mi)
Established1912
Area1,093.1 km2 (422.0 sq mi)
Council seatCaloundra
RegionSunshine Coast
WebsiteCity of Caloundra
LGAs around City of Caloundra:
Maroochy Maroochy Pacific Ocean
Kilcoy City of Caloundra Pacific Ocean
Caboolture Caboolture Pacific Ocean

The City covered the urban localities of Caloundra and Kawana Waters and surrounding suburbs, the northern half of Bribie Island and the western hinterland towns of Landsborough, Maleny and Witta.

History

edit

In 1868, the Queensland Government opened up large areas of land for settlement in the Caloundra area which became home to pioneers and timber cutters seeking red cedar wood.[2]

The area was originally incorporated as part of the Caboolture Division on 11 November 1879 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879.[3] With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Caboolture Division became Shire of Caboolture on 31 March 1903.[3][4]

On 22 February 1912, part of the Shire of Caboolture was split away and was proclaimed as the Shire of Landsborough.[4][5][6] John Tytherleigh, a local businessman with stores in the area, was elected its first chairman and they quickly set to work building the (now heritage-listed) Landsborough Shire Council Chambers in Landsborough. It was reconstructed from local timbers under the guidance of architect Walter Voller in 1924, and the building is today used as a museum housing artefacts including former Premier Frank Nicklin's personal collection.[7]

The first female councillor was Miriam Westaway (née Costello) who represented Division 5 from 29 April 1961 to 30 March 1973. She was one of the first teachers at Caloundra State School. She was active in community groups such as the RSL Women's Auxiliary and a founder of the Caloundra Branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association and the local branch of the Red Cross.[8]

On 19 December 1987, the Shire of Landsborough was granted city status, and was renamed the City of Caloundra,[6][9] reflecting the population boom in the coastal section of the City. The Council Chambers were relocated to Omrah Avenue, Caloundra, and Jack Beausang, the long-serving Chairman of the Shire of Landsborough, was sworn in as its first mayor. He retired undefeated on 17 March 1988, and Don Aldous was elected to replace him.

 
Caloundra, Sunshine Coast

On 15 March 2008, under the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, the City of Caloundra merged with the Shire of Noosa and the Shire of Maroochy to form the Sunshine Coast Region. However, in 2014, Shire of Noosa was re-established as independent of the Sunshine Coast Region.

Structure

edit

The Shire was subdivided into ten numbered divisions, each of which returned one councillor, and an elected mayor.

Towns and localities

edit

The City of Caloundra included the following settlements:

1 - split with the Shire of Maroochy

Population

edit
Year Population-
1933 4,752
1947 6,460
1954 7,765
1961 8,319
1966 8,798
1971 11,314
1976 16,982
1981 29,705
1986 36,486
1991 53,434
1996 66,336
2001 75,261
2006 90,341

Chairmen and mayors

edit
  • 1921–1924: John H. Tytherleigh
  • 1924–1933: J. Grigor[10]
  • 1933–1949: H. M. Bray
  • 1949–1955: A. Fleming
  • 1955–1958: Duncan MacDonald
  • 1958–1961: H. W. Anning
  • 1961–1964: Duncan MacDonald
  • 1964–1988: Jack Beausang
  • 1988–1991: Don C. Aldous
  • 1991–1994: Barry Gray
  • 1994–2000: Des J. Dwyer
  • 2000–2008: Don C. Aldous

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Caloundra (C) (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 21 March 2008. Map
  2. ^ City of Caloundra. "Caloundra's Heritage and History". Archived from the original on 20 January 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2008.
  3. ^ a b "Agency ID 549, Caboolture Divisional Board". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Agency ID 550, Caboolture Shire Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  5. ^ Queensland Government Gazette, 22 February 1912, p. 435.
  6. ^ a b "Agency ID 1069, Landsborough Shire Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  7. ^ Museum & Gallery Services Queensland. "Landsborough Museum – A Caloundra City Heritage Centre" (PDF). Retrieved 21 March 2008.
  8. ^ Unknown (2012). "Landsborough Shire Councillor Miriam Westaway, ca 1965". Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  9. ^ Queensland Government Gazette, 19 December 1987, p.1465.
  10. ^ Pugh, Theophilus Parsons (1927). Pugh's Almanac for 1927. Retrieved 13 June 2014.

Further reading

edit
  • Riis, Erica (2002). The growth of Caloundra. Shire of Landsborough Historical Society Museum. (161 pages)
  • Wensley, Anne (1977). An introduction to the history of Caloundra. Shire of Landsborough Historical Society Museum. ISBN 0-9596510-0-4. (37 pages)
edit

26°48′15.34″S 153°07′28.12″E / 26.8042611°S 153.1244778°E / -26.8042611; 153.1244778