Cooma-Monaro Shire

This article is about the former local government area. For the current local government area, see Snowy Monaro Regional Council.

Cooma-Monaro Shire was a local government area located in the Monaro region of southern New South Wales, Australia. The area was named after the former Cooma Municipality and the former Monaro Shire, that were amalgamated to create it. The Municipality of Cooma was established in 1879,^[3] and the Monaro Shire was one of several shires established in 1906.^[4] The Monaro Shire and Cooma Municipal Council amalgamated in 1981.^[5] On 11 February 2004, Cooma-Monaro Shire absorbed a small part of the former Yarrowlumla Shire, near Michelago.

Cooma-Monaro New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Population	10,073 (2013 est)[1]
• Density	1.92637/km2 (4.9893/sq mi)
Established	1981 (1981)
Abolished	12 May 2016 (2016-05-12)
Area	5,229 km2 (2,018.9 sq mi)
Mayor	Dean Lynch
Council seat	Cooma[2]
Region	Monaro
State electorate(s)	Monaro
Federal division(s)	Eden-Monaro
Website	Cooma-Monaro
LGAs around Cooma-Monaro: Tumut ACT Palerang Snowy River Cooma-Monaro Eurobodalla Snowy River Bombala Bega Valley

A 2015 review of local government boundaries recommended that the Cooma-Monaro Shire merge with the Bombala and Snowy River shires to form a new council with an area of 15,162 square kilometres (5,854 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 21,000.^[6] On 12 May 2016, the Cooma-Monaro Shire merged with Bombala and Snowy River shires to form the Snowy Monaro Regional Council.^[7]

The last mayor of the Cooma-Monaro Shire Council was Dean Lynch, an independent politician. Lynch was appointed as the Administrator of the merged Snowy Monaro Regional Council.^[7]

Towns and localities

The Shire developed from the village of Cooma, which was first surveyed in March 1849. It also included the small towns of Nimmitabel, Numeralla, Bredbo and Michelago. Other populated areas included the villages and surrounding districts of Adaminaby, Anglers Reach, Shannons Flat, Yaouk, Old Adaminaby, Peak View, Countegany, Jerangle and Rock Flat.

Council

Composition and election method

At the time of dissolution Cooma-Monaro Shire Council was composed of nine councillors elected proportionally as one entire ward. All councillors were elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor was elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The last election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the council was as follows:^[8]

Party		Councillors
	Independents and Unaligned	9
	Total	9

The last Council, elected in 2012 and dissolved in 2016, in order of election, was:^[8]

Councillor		Party	Notes
	Dean Lynch	Independent	Mayor[9]
	Bronnie Taylor	Independent	Deputy Mayor[9]
	Rogan Corbett	Unaligned
	Winston Phillips	Independent
	Angela Ingram	Independent
	Martin Hughes	Independent
	Ignazio Mondello	Independent
	Craig Mitchell	Independent
	Tony Kaltoum	Unaligned

References

1. "3218.0 Regional Population Growth, Australia. Table 1. Estimated Resident Population, Local Government Areas, New South Wales". 3 April 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
2. "Cooma-Monaro Shire Council". Department of Local Government. Retrieved 13 November 2006.
3. "NEWS OF THE DAY". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 12, 980. New South Wales, Australia. 8 November 1879. p. 5. Retrieved 18 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "MONARO". The Queanbeyan Leader. No. 143. New South Wales, Australia. 19 June 1906. p. 4. Retrieved 18 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
5. Suzannah Plowman (September 2007). "Thematic History 1823 – 1945 Cooma-Monaro Shire New South Wales". Victoria Design & Management Pty Ltd. pp. 44–45. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
6. "Merger proposal: Bombala Shire, Cooma-Monaro Shire, Snowy River Shire" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
7. "Snowy Monaro Regional Council". New South Wales Government. 12 May 2016. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
8. "Cooma-Monaro Shire Council: Summary of First Preference Votes for each Candidate". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
9. "Minutes of Special Council Meeting" (PDF). Cooma-Monaro Shire Council. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.