Shire of Barcoo

The Shire of Barcoo is a local government area in Central West Queensland, Australia.

Shire of Barcoo Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population	308 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	0.004981/km2 (0.012902/sq mi)
Established	1887
Area	61,830 km2 (23,872.7 sq mi)[2]
Mayor	Sally Elizabeth O'Neil
Council seat	Jundah
Region	Central West Queensland
State electorate(s)	Gregory
Federal division(s)	Maranoa
Website	Shire of Barcoo
LGAs around Shire of Barcoo: Diamantina Winton Longreach Diamantina Shire of Barcoo Longreach Outback Areas (SA) Bulloo Quilpie

It covers an area of 61,830 square kilometres (23,872.7 sq mi), and has existed as a local government entity since 1887. It is named for the Barcoo River which reaches a confluence with the Thomson River in the shire to form Cooper Creek.

The major industry in the shire is beef production and some opal mining. There has been some development of the known oil and gas reserves in the region.

In the 2021 census, the Shire of Barcoo had a population of 308 people.^[1]

History

Map of Barcoo Division and adjacent local government areas, March 1902

Kuungkari (also known as Kungkari and Koonkerri) is a language of Western Queensland. The Kuungkari language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of Longreach Shire Council and Blackall-Tambo Shire Council.^[3]

The Barcoo Division was created on 24 December 1887 out of the eastern part of the Diamantina Division,^[4] and was subject to the Divisional Boards Act 1887.

In 1927, the council met at Stonehenge.^[5]

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

It subsequently lost areas when the shires of Isisford (1908) and Quilpie (1930) were incorporated.

Its present mayor, Sally O'Neil, has been in office since 2020.

Towns and localities

The Shire of Barcoo includes the following settlements:

• Jundah
• Farrars Creek
• Stonehenge
• Tanbar Station
• Windorah

Chairmen and mayors

• 1927: H. J. Cameron^[5]
• 2000–2012: Bruce Scott (unopposed 2008)^[6]
• 2012–2016: Julie Groves (unopposed)^[7]
• 2016–2020 : Bruce Scott^[8]
• 2020–present: Sally Elizabeth O'Neil^[9]

Demographics

Year	Population	Notes
1933	957	[citation needed]
1947	835	[citation needed]
1954	1,010	[citation needed]
1961	1,037	[citation needed]
1966	909	[citation needed]
1971	734	[citation needed]
1976	657	[citation needed]
1981	711	[citation needed]
1986	566	[citation needed]
1991	556	[citation needed]
1996	492	[citation needed]
2001 census	576	[10]
2006 census	360	[11]
2011 census	350	[12]
2016 census	267	[13]
2021 census	308	[1]

Libraries

The Barcoo Shire Council operates public libraries at Jundah, Stonehenge, and Windorah.^[14]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Shire of Barcoo (LGA)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
2. "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18: Population Estimates by Local Government Area (ASGS 2018), 2017 to 2018". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
3. This Wikipedia article incorporates CC BY 4.0 licensed text from: "Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages map". State Library of Queensland. State Library of Queensland. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
4. "TO-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 17. MEETINGS". The Morning Bulletin. Rockhampton, Qld. 17 June 1890. p. 4. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
5. Pugh, Theophilus Parsons (1927). Pugh's Almanac for 1927. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
6. "2008 Barcoo Shire – Mayoral Election – Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
7. "2012 Barcoo Shire – Mayoral Election – Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
8. "2016 Barcoo Shire Council – Mayoral Election – Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 19 April 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
9. "2020 Local Government Elections: Saturday, 28 March 2020". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.^{[dead link]}
10. Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Shire of Barcoo (LGA)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
11. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Shire of Barcoo (LGA)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
12. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Shire of Barcoo (LGA)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
13. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Shire of Barcoo (LGA)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
14. "Libraries". Barcoo Shire Council. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.

Further reading

• Forrest, Peter; Forrest, Sheila (2014), Their promised land : a history of the people and places of the Barcoo Shire, Western Queensland, Jundah, Queensland Barcoo Shire Council, ISBN 978-0-9871295-6-7

External links

• "Barcoo Shire". Queensland Places. Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland.

25°17′16″S 141°58′18″E