Longreach Region

The Longreach Region is a local government area in Central West Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it superseded three previous local government areas that had existed for more than a century.

Longreach Region
Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population3,660 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density0.09010/km2 (0.2334/sq mi)
Established2008
Area40,619.5 km2 (15,683.3 sq mi)
MayorTony Rayner
Council seatLongreach
RegionCentral West Queensland
State electorate(s)Gregory
Federal division(s)Maranoa
WebsiteLongreach Region
LGAs around Longreach Region:
Winton Flinders Barcaldine
Winton Longreach Region Barcaldine
Barcoo Quilpie Blackall-Tambo

It has an estimated operating budget of A$22.3m.

Traditionally, pastoral activities, tourism, and rural education have been the areas of focus within the region, with a major agricultural college and attractions such as the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame and the Qantas Founders Outback Museum.

History

Longreach Region lay on the traditional tribal lands of the Iningai. Iningai (also known as Yiningay, Muttaburra, Tateburra, Yinangay, Yinangi) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Iningai people. The Iningai language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Longreach Region, particularly the towns of Longreach, Barcaldine, Muttaburra and Aramac as well as the properties of Bowen Downs and catchments of Cornish Creek and Alice River.[2]

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]

Prior to the 2008 amalgamation, the Longreach Region existed as three distinct local government areas:

In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report recommending that the three areas amalgamate. Ilfracombe was rated by a Treasury sustainability review as very weak with a negative outlook, while the other two were rated as moderate. All three councils opposed the amalgamation.[4] The legislation passed to effect the merger on 10 August 2007. A Local Transition Committee made up of staff and councillors of the three dissolving entities was formed to manage the process. On 15 March 2008, the three Shires formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council.

In January 2019, it was decided to reduce the number of localities within Longreach Region by amalgamating the localities to the north and west of the town of Longreach into the locality of Longreach. The localities amalgamated were: Camoola, Chorregon, Ernestina, Maneroo, Morella, Tocal, and Vergemont.[5] As a consequence of this amalgamation, the Longreach Region has only three localities: Longreach, Ilframcombe and Isisford.[6]

On 10 September 2021, a new locality called Yaraka was created around the town of Yaraka, the land being excised from the locality of Isisford, to avoid confusion and restore historical connections.[7][8][9]

Mayors
Tenure Mayor Notes
1994–2004 Joan Maloney "2020 Longreach thanks long serving mayor". ABC News (Australia). 2004.
2008–2012 John Palmer
2012–2016 R.L. "Joe" Owens [10]
2016–2020 Ed Warren [10]
2020–current Anthony Charles (Tony) Rayner [11]

Councillors

The council members elected in 2020 were: [12]

Position Person
Mayor Anthony Rayner
Councillor Dale Bignell
Councillor Tony Emslie
Councillor Tracy Hatch
Councillor Tony Martin
Councillor Leonie Nunn
Councillor Trevor Smith

The council members elected in 2016 were: [13][10]

Position Person
Mayor Ed Warren
Councillor Tony Emslie
Councillor Trevor Harris
Councillor Tony Martin
Councillor Leonie Nunn
Councillor Anthony Rayner
Councillor Trevor Smith

The divisions were abolished for the 2012 election, with all councillors elected by the whole region. The council members elected in 2012 were:[14][10]

Position Person
Mayor R.L. "Joe" Owens
Councillor Jocelyn Avery
Councillor Norma Rae Bowden
Councillor Tony Emslie
Councillor David Morton
Councillor Tony Nielsen
Councillor Trevor Smith

For the council election in 2008, the region was divided into six divisions, each electing one councillor. The council members elected in 2008 were:

Position Person
Mayor John Palmer
Division 1 Councillor Tony Nielsen
Division 2 Councillor Robert "Mick" Bischel
Division 3 Councillor Richard Murray
Division 4 Councillor Glennis Ford
Division 5 Councillor Norma Rae Bowden
Division 6 Councillor Ken Hoolihan

Towns and localities

The Longreach Region includes the following settlements:

Amenities

Longreach Regional Council operates public libraries at Ilfracombe, Isisford, and Longreach.[15]

Population

The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008 and combined population after amalgamation. The population has been in steady decline since the early 1960s.

Year Population
(Total)		 (Longreach) (Ilfracombe) (Isisford)
19336,0794,564642873
19475,2444,137450657
19545,6944,343544807
19616,5335,013653867
19666,3664,959660747
19715,1424,300389453
19764,9114,052428431
19814,9113,846460605
19864,6633,871327465
19915,1534,369344440
19965,0544,419333302
20015,0374,368356313
20064,8064,180279347

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Longreach (R)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  2. "Iningai". State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  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. Queensland Local Government Reform Commission (July 2007). Report of the Local Government Reform Commission (PDF). Vol. 2. pp. 194–198. ISBN 978-1-921057-11-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
  5. "Recent place name decisions: Job number 17-050: Longreach". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  7. "Recent place name decisions: Job number 19-027: Yaraka". Queensland Government. 10 September 2021. Archived from the original on 23 April 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  8. "Proposed Locality Names and Boundaries: Isisford and Yaraka" (PDF). Queensland Government. 14 May 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  9. "Locality Boundaries of Isisford and Yaraka" (PDF). Queensland Government. 10 September 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  10. "2016 Longreach Regional Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". results.ecq.qld.gov.au. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  11. "2020 Local Government Elections: Saturday, 28 March 2020". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  12. "Electoral Commission Queensland". Electoral Commission Queensland. July 2019. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  13. "2016 Longreach Regional Council - Councillor Election - Election Summary". results.ecq.qld.gov.au. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  14. "Elections - 2012 Longreach Regional Council - Councillor Election - Longreach Regional Council - Undivided Council Summary". results.ecq.qld.gov.au. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  15. "Longreach Regional Council". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 20 September 2016. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  • Maps showing the localities before and after the January 2019 amalgamations (archived before and after on 28 July 2019)
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