The Scenic Rim Region is a local government area (LGA) in the West Moreton region of South East Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it was preceded by several previous local government areas with histories extending back to the early 1900s and beyond. The main town of the region is Beaudesert.
It has an estimated operating budget of A$33 million.
In the , the Scenic Rim Region had a population of 42,984 people.
History Prior to 2008, the new Scenic Rim Region was an entire area of three previous and distinct local government areas:
the Shire of Boonah; the southern part of the Shire of Beaudesert; and the Harrisville and Peak Crossing areas from the City of Ipswich.
In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended that the areas amalgamate. It identified a rural community of interest as well as ecotourism potential from the Scenic Rim, a group of mountain ranges forming part of the Great Dividing Range, and recommended the transfer of the entire urban growth corridor previously within Beaudesert to Logan City. Along with Lockyer Valley and Somerset, it was expected to provide a rural hinterland for urban South East Queensland. The arrangement was Boonah's second preference (its first was simply absorbing the rural areas of Ipswich) while Beaudesert opposed splitting or amalgamation.
The legislation passed to effect the merger on 10 August 2007. A Local Transition Committee made up of staff and councillors of the dissolving entities was formed to manage the process. On 15 March 2008, the Shires formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council.
Geography
The region is mostly rural, with Beaudesert and Boonah the main towns. It lies within the catchment areas of the Bremer River, the Logan River/Albert River and the Coomera River/Nerang River. The centre of the area is dominated by the Flinders Peak Group and broad sweep of mountainous terrain forming a southern boundary with the local government area on Queensland's southern border with New South Wales. Many high-altitude areas are covered by forests and protected in national parks (including World Heritage listings) at Tamborine Mountain, McPherson Range, Main Range National Park, Mount Barney National Park and landforms including Cunninghams Gap and Fassifern Valley. South East Queensland's highest mountain is Mount Barney, reaching above sea level. Wyaralong Dam is the region's newest reservoir.
In the south east of the local government area is the Lamington National Park. It includes villages such as Canungra, Kooralbyn, Rathdowney, Beechmont and Harrisville. The peak at Mount French, part of Moogerah Peaks National Park is noted for its traditional rock climbing and does not have bolted climbing routes. The peak also boasts a '32' rated climb (one of the hardest in the world) which attracts international rock climbing visitors to the area. The area of Boonah is fairly flat with large areas of very productive soils for the growing of vegetables and other crops. Beechmont and O'Reillys are mountainous areas overlooking the Gold Coast hinterland. These areas attract visitors for camping, bushwalking and bird watching.
Council The council is split into six wards (divisions), each returning one councillor, along with a directly-elected mayor.
Current composition The current council, elected in 2024, is: WardCouncillorParty Mayor Tom Sharp Independent Division 1 Amanda Hay Independent Division 2 Kerri Cryer Independent Division 3 Stephen Moriarty Independent Division 4 Jennifer Sanders Independent Division 5 Marshall Chalk Independent Division 6 Duncan McInnes Independent
Mayors John Brent was the region's first mayor. He was first elected as a councillor in the Shire of Boonah in 1976 and was chairman of the Shire of Boonah beginning on 12 April 1994, becoming mayor of the Scenic Rim Region following the amalgamation.
2008−present No.PortraitMayorPartyTerm startTerm end Council control (term) 1 John Brent Independent 15 March 2008 19 March 2016Independents majority 2 Greg Christensen Independent LNP 19 March 2016 26 April 2023 (2) Independent 27 April 2023 16 March 2024 3 Tom SharpIndependent 16 March 2024 incumbent
Deputy mayors In 2016, the council resolved to review the position of deputy mayor annually, instead of having it be the longer-term position it was from 2008 to 2016.
No.PortraitMayorPartyTerm startTerm end Mayor 1 Dave Cockburn Independent 2008 2012Brent 2 Virginia West Independent 2012 2016 3 Nigel Waistell Independent 2016 2017Christensen 4 Nadia O'Carroll Independent 2017 2018 5 Rick Stanfield Independent 2018 2019 6 Duncan McInnes Independent 2019 2021 7 Michael Enright Independent 2021 2022 8 Jeff McConnell Independent 2021 2024 9 Duncan McInnes Independent 2024 incumbentSharp
Past councillors
2008−present + YearDivision 1Division 2Division 3Division 4Division 5Division 6Councillor PartyCouncillor PartyCouncillor PartyCouncillor PartyCouncillor PartyCouncillor Party 2008 Derek Swanborough Independent Richard Adams Independent Virginia West Independent Dave Cockburn Independent Kathy Bensted Independent Heather Wehl Independent 2012 Nigel Waistell Independent Nadia O'Carroll Independent Jennifer Sanders Independent Rick Stanfield Independent Duncan McInnes Independent 2016 Michael Enright Independent 2020 Derek Swanborough Independent Jeff McConnell Independent Marshall Chalk Independent 2023 Amanda Hay Independent2024Amanda HayIndependentKerri CryerIndependentStephen MoriartyIndependentJennifer SandersIndependentMarshall ChalkIndependentDuncan McInnesIndependent
Towns and localities
The Scenic Rim Region includes the following settlements:
Beaudesert area: Beaudesert Beechmont Benobble Biddaddaba Birnam Boyland Bromelton Canungra Christmas Creek Cryna Gleneagle Hillview Innisplain Josephville
Kerry Kooralbyn Lamington Lamington National Park Laravale Palen Creek Rathdowney Tabooba Tabragalba Tamborine Mountain Tamrookum Tamrookum Creek Witheren Wonglepong
Boonah area: Boonah Aratula Charlwood Coulson Fassifern Harrisville1 Kalbar Maroon Moogerah Mount Alford Mount Walker Roadvale Rosevale Silverdale Tarome Templin Warrill View
Other areas:
Allandale Allenview Anthony Barney View Binna Burra Blantyre Bunburra Bunjurgen Burnett Creek Cainbable Cannon Creek Carneys Creek Chinghee Creek Clumber Coleyville Coochin Croftby Darlington Dugandan Fassifern Valley Ferny Glen Flying Fox Frazerview
Frenches Creek Hoya Illinbah Kagaru Kents Lagoon Kents Pocket Knapp Creek Kulgun Limestone Ridges1 Lower Mount Walker Merryvale Milbong Milford Milora Moorang Morwincha Mount Barney Mount Edwards Mount Forbes1 Mount French Mount Gipps Mount Lindesay Mount Walker West
Munbilla Mutdapilly1 Nindooinbah North Tamborine Oaky Creek Obum Obum O'Reilly Peak Crossing1 Radford Running Creek Sarabah Southern Lamington Tamborine2 Teviotville Undullah2 Veresdale2 Veresdale Scrub2 Wallaces Creek Washpool Wilsons Plains Woolooman Wyaralong
1 - split with the City of Ipswich 2 - split with Logan City
Demographics
The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008.
Year Population 1986 22,992 1991 28,512 1996 32,997 2001 35,342 2006 34,659
In the , the Scenic Rim Region had a population of 36,456 people.
In the , the Scenic Rim Region had a population of 40,072 people.
In the , the Scenic Rim Region had a population of 42,984 people.
Heritage register In 2014, the Scenic Rim Regional Council established its local heritage register as required by the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. In February 2015, it listed 54 places based on criteria in the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter 1999.
Libraries The Scenic Rim Regional Council operate libraries in Beaudesert, Boonah, Canungra and Tamborine Mountain. The council commenced a mobile library service in 2008, which serves Beechmont, Harrisville, Hillview, Kalbar, Kooralbyn, Peak Crossing, Rathdowney and Tamborine.
References
Further reading
External links