Shire of Beaudesert

Infobox Australian Place | type = lga
name = Shire of Beaudesert
state = qld


imagesize= 135px
caption = Location within Queensland
area = 2854.3
est = 1879
seat = Beaudesert
pop = 62,902
pop_footnotes = (2006 census) [Census 2006 AUS | id = LGA30550 | name = Beaudesert (S) (Local Government Area) | accessdate=2008-03-18|quick = on]
region = South East Queensland

url = http://www.bsc.qld.gov.au/default.asp
near-nw = Ipswich
near-n = Logan
near-ne = Logan
near-w = Boonah
near-e = Gold Coast
near-sw = "Kyogle (NSW)"
near-s = "Kyogle (NSW)"
near-se = "Tweed (NSW)"

The Shire of Beaudesert was a Local Government Area located in South East Queensland, Australia, stretching from the New South Wales border, along the Gold Coast hinterland to the urban fringes of the cities of Brisbane and Ipswich. The shire covered an area of convert|2854.3|km2|sqmi|1, and existed from 1879 until its abolishment on 15 March 2008, following which it was split between Logan City and the new Scenic Rim Regional Council.

History

The Tabragalba Divisional Board was incorporated on 11 November 1879 under the "Divisional Boards Act 1879", centred on Beaudesert. With the passage of the "Local Authorities Act 1902", Tabragalba became a shire council on 31 March 1903, and on 8 August 1903 was renamed Beaudesert by an Order in Council. Between 23 November 1912 and 14 September 1929, a separate Beaudesert Town Council managed the town itself.

On 9 December 1948, an Order in Council abolished the Shires of Nerang, Tamborine and Waterford and included the latter two and part of Nerang into a new Shire of Beaudesert. Waterford had existed largely unaltered since being created as a Divisional Board in 1879, while Tamborine (spelt Tambourine until 14 January 1939) had split away from Tabragalba on 4 October 1890. The Shire of Beaudesert was split into four divisions with a total of eight councillors—Division 2 with four, Division 4 with two and the others with one each. The chairman (later mayor) was to be chosen from amongst the councillors. The new council was formally established at elections on 31 May 1949 and a Special Meeting was held on 7 June. It had grown 40% in population and gained convert|1045|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on in the process.

On 8 June 1978, the Shire of Logan was created out of parts of Beaudesert and the Shire of Albert. The council lost convert|146.1|km2|sqmi|1|abbr=on of its area and 11,550 people to Logan. At the 1979 council elections, Beaudesert was resubdivided into eight divisions each electing one councillor.

On 15 March 2008, under the "Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007" passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, Beaudesert was abolished and became one of only three Queensland councils, alongside Taroom and Tiaro, to be split in two. The northern area, which while still largely rural was part of Brisbane's growth corridor, became part of Logan City, while the southern rural section became part of the Scenic Rim Regional Council alongside the Shire of Boonah.

Towns and Localities

Population

# The estimated 1947 population of the post-1949 area was 8,968. ["Queensland Year Book", No.11 (1950), p.46.]

Mayors and Chairmen of Beaudesert

* Joy Drescher (2004–2008)
* Ron Munn (2000–2004)
* Joy Drescher (1997–2000)
* Michael Fraser (1991–1997)
* Alan Struss (1979–1991)
* Eugene Tilley (1977–1979)
* Andrew Drynan (1973–1977)
* Eugene Tilley (1957–1973)
* James McDonald Sharp (1949–1957)

References

Further reading

* (59 pages)