The City of Caloundra was a local government area about north of Brisbane in the Sunshine Coast region of South East Queensland, Australia. The shire covered an area of ; it existed as a local government entity from 1912 until 2008, when it amalgamated with councils further north to form the Sunshine Coast Region.
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 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.
The area was originally incorporated as part of the Caboolture Division on 11 November 1879 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Caboolture Division became Shire of Caboolture on 31 March 1903.
On 22 February 1912, part of the Shire of Caboolture was split away and was proclaimed as the Shire of Landsborough.Queensland Government Gazette, 22 February 1912, p. 435. 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.
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.
On 19 December 1987, the Shire of Landsborough was granted city status, and was renamed the City of Caloundra,Queensland Government Gazette, 19 December 1987, p.1465. 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.
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 The Shire was subdivided into ten numbered divisions, each of which returned one councillor, and an elected mayor.
Towns and localities The City of Caloundra included the following settlements:
Aroona Bald Knob Balmoral Ridge Battery Hill Beerburrum Beerwah Bells Creek Birtinya Bokarina Booroobin Bribie Island North Buddina Caloundra Caloundra West Cambroon Conondale
Coochin Creek Crohamhurst Curramore Currimundi Diamond Valley Dicky Beach Elaman Creek Glass House Mountains Glenview Golden Beach Harper Creek Kidaman Creek1 Kings Beach Landsborough Little Mountain Maleny
Meridan Plains Minyama Moffat Beach Mooloolah Valley Mount Mellum North Maleny Palmview Parrearra Peachester Pelican Waters Reesville Shelly Beach Warana Witta Wootha Wurtulla
1 - split with the Shire of Maroochy
Population 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 1921–1924: John H. Tytherleigh 1924–1933: J. Grigor 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 Caloundra bus station
References
Further reading (161 pages) (37 pages)
External links