| Palerang New South Wales | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Location inNew South Wales | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 35°15′S149°27′E / 35.250°S 149.450°E /-35.250; 149.450 | ||||||||||||||
| Population | 15,306 (2013 est)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 2.9813/km2 (7.7215/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 11 February 2004 (2004-02-11) | ||||||||||||||
| Abolished | 12 May 2016 (2016-05-12) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 5,134 km2 (1,982.2 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Last Mayor | Pete Harrison | ||||||||||||||
| Council seat | Bungendore[2] | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Southern Tablelands | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | |||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Eden-Monaro | ||||||||||||||
| Website | Palerang | ||||||||||||||
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ThePalerang Council was alocal government area located in theSouthern Tablelands region ofNew South Wales, Australia. On 12 May 2016 theMinister for Local Government announced dissolution of the Palerang Council with immediate effect. Together withQueanbeyan City the combined council areas were merged to establish theQueanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.[3] Both councils had opposed the amalgamation. Elections for the new Council area were held in September 2017. The former mayor of Queanbeyan City Council was appointed by the New South Wales Government as administrator until that date.
The lastmayor of the Palerang Council wasCr. Pete Harrison, anindependent politician.
Originally known as the Eastern Capital City Regional Council (Until 8 December), Palerang was proclaimed on 11 February 2004 whenTallaganda Shire was amalgamated with most ofYarrowlumla Shire and small parts ofCooma-Monaro Shire,Gunning Shire andMulwaree Shire.[4]
A2015 review of local government boundaries recommended that the Palerang Council merge with adjoining councils. TheNew South Wales Government considered three options. The first two options were to merge parts of the Palerang Council with theGoulburn Mulwaree Council to form a new council with an area of 4,748 square kilometres (1,833 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 31,000;[5] and to merge the remaining parts of Palerang with theCity of Queanbeyan to form a new council with an area of 3,791 square kilometres (1,464 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 55,000.[6] The alternative, proposed by Palerang Council on 29 January 2016, was for an amalgamation of the whole of Palerang with Queanbeyan City Council.[7] On 12 May 2016 theMinister for Local Government announced dissolution of the Palerang Council with immediate effect. Together with Queanbeyan City the combined council areas were merged to establish theQueanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.[3]
The former area was named after Mount Palerang, located close to the geographical centre, and one of the highest points in the former council's area. The area that was covered under administration extended toLake George in the north, theTallaganda State Forest in the south,Queanbeyan to the west and theMorton andBudawang National Parks to the east. TheKings Highway and theSydney-Canberra railway pass through the former Palerang Council area.
Predominantly rural in nature, the Palerang Council area comprised the towns ofBungendore,Braidwood andCaptains Flat, and the villages ofAraluen,Majors Creek,Mongarlowe andNerriga. It also encompasses the rural residential areas ofWamboin,Bywong,Burra,Urila,Hoskinstown,Rossi and parts ofCarwoola,Royalla, andSutton.
Around two-thirds of the Palerang population was concentrated in Bungendore and the rural residential areas adjacent to theAustralian Capital Territory border, with many residents commuting daily to Canberra or Queanbeyan. Cattle grazing is the primary agricultural pursuit in the former area, with more recent development of niche rural industries such as vineyards, olive groves and alpaca breeding. About one quarter of the former Palerang Council area is managed for conservation, with significant areas of national park.[citation needed]
Until its dissolution, Palerang Council was composed of ninecouncillors electedproportionally as one entireward. All councillors were elected for a fixed four-year term of office. Themayor was elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The most recent and last election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the former council was as follows:[8]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Independents and Unaligned | 8 | |
| Country Labor | 1 | |
| Total | 9 | |
The last council, elected in 2012 and dissolved in 2016, in order of election, was:[8]
| Councillor | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pete Harrison | Independent | Mayor[9] | |
| Mark Schweikert | Independent | ||
| Belinda Hogarth-Boyd | Unaligned | Deputy Mayor | |
| Garth Morrison | Country Labor | ||
| Keith France | Independent | ||
| Trevor Hicks | Independent | ||
| Paul Cockram | Independent | ||
| Peter Marshall | Unaligned | Member of The Greens | |
| Richard Graham | Independent | ||
