Gympie Region | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Location withinQueensland | |||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||
| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||
| State | Queensland | ||||||||||||
| Region | Wide Bay–Burnett | ||||||||||||
| Established | 2008 | ||||||||||||
| Council seat | Gympie | ||||||||||||
| Government | |||||||||||||
| • Mayor | Glen Hartwig | ||||||||||||
| • State electorates | |||||||||||||
| • Federal division | |||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||
• Total | 6,884 km2 (2,658 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 53,242 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||||||
| • Density | 7.7342/km2 (20.0314/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Website | Gympie Region | ||||||||||||
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TheGympie Region is alocal government area in theWide Bay–Burnett region ofQueensland, Australia, about 170 kilometres (110 mi) north ofBrisbane, the state capital. It is between theSunshine Coast andHervey Bay and centred on the town ofGympie. It was created in 2008 from a merger of the Shires ofCooloola andKilkivan and part of theShire of Tiaro.
The Regional Council, which governs the Region, has an estimated operating budget ofA$50 million.
In the2021 census, the Gympie Region had a population of 53,242 people.[1]
Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi, Cabbee, Carbi, Gabi Gabi) is anAustralian Aboriginal language spoken on Gubbi Gubbi country. The Gubbi Gubbi language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of theSunshine Coast Region and Gympie Region, particularly the towns ofCaloundra,Noosa Heads,Gympie and extending north towardsMaryborough and south toCaboolture.[3]
Prior to the 2008 amalgamation, the Gympie Region existed as four distinct local government areas:
The Gympie area was originally settled for grazing purposes. The discovery of gold in 1867 led to agold rush and the development of theMary River valley for closer agricultural pursuits.[citation needed]
The Widgee Divisional Board was incorporated on 11 November 1879 under theDivisional Boards Act 1879. On 3 July 1886, its western part separately incorporated as theDivision of Kilkivan. With the passage of theLocal Authorities Act 1902, both Widgee and Kilkivan became shires on 31 March 1903.[citation needed] On 21 November 1940, the Widgee Shire Council moved into new premises formerly occupied by theBank of New South Wales at 242 Mary Street, Gympie.[citation needed]
The Municipal Borough of Gympie was incorporated on 25 June 1880, holding its first elections on 25 August. A town hall was built in 1890. It became a town under the new Act on 31 March 1903, and on 7 January 1905 was proclaimed a city by theGovernor of Queensland.[4]
On 2 November 1993, theShire of Widgee and theCity of Gympie merged under the terms of theLocal Government (Shire of Cooloola) Regulation 1993 to form theShire of Cooloola. The first elections were held on 27 November 1993 and Adrian McClintock, the former Widgee chairman, was elected for a four-year term.[citation needed]
In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended that Cooloola and Kilkivan amalgamate with part of theShire of Tiaro. The first two councils opposed amalgamation, but in the event of amalgamation, thought the commission's proposal the best option. Tiaro wished to amalgamate with theShire of Woocoo and opposed the plan.[5]
On 15 March 2008, the three shires ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect eight councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council. Ron Dyne, the former mayor of Kilkivan, was elected as the region's first mayor.[citation needed] The formerCooloola Shire Council Chambers is now used as theGympie Regional Council Chambers.[citation needed]
The council remains undivided and its elected body consists of eight councillors and a mayor, elected for a four-year term.
The mayor of the Gympie Regional Council is Glen Charles Hartwig. Mayor Glen Hartwig was elected in the Gympie Regional Council election on Saturday, 28 March 2020.[6][7]
The councillors are:,[8]
The Gympie Region includes the following settlements:
Gympie area: | Widgee area: |
Kilkivan area: | South Tiaro - Division 3 area:
|
1 - split withFraser Coast Region
The Gympie Regional Council operate public libraries atGoomeri,Gympie,Imbil,Kilkivan,Rainbow Beach, andTin Can Bay.[14]
The Gympie Regional Council established and maintains theGympie Local Heritage Register.[15]
The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008. Estimates for the Tiaro component, not included in the figures below, are: 1,315 (1991); 1,695 (1996); 1,789 (2001) and 2,197 (2006).
| Year | Population (Region total) | Population (Gympie) | Population (Widgee) | Population (Kilkivan) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 15,142 | 6,539 | 5,556 | 3,047 |
| 1933 | 20,722 | 7,749 | 8,686 | 4,287 |
| 1947 | 20,388 | 8,413 | 7,834 | 4,141 |
| 1954 | 22,026 | 9,964 | 8,139 | 3,923 |
| 1961 | 22,678 | 11,094 | 7,948 | 3,636 |
| 1966 | 22,114 | 11,279 | 7,490 | 3,345 |
| 1971 | 21,027 | 11,096 | 6,959 | 2,972 |
| 1976 | 22,171 | 11,280 | 8,240 | 2,651 |
| 1981 | 24,460 | 11,420 | 10,540 | 2,500 |
| 1986 | 27,118 | 11,430 | 12,970 | 2,718 |
| 1991 | 30,626 | 14,122 | 13,651 | 2,853 |
| 1996 | 34,901 | 15,099 | 16,637 | 3,165 |
| 2001 | 36,112 | 15,021 | 17,968 | 3,123 |
| 2006 | 39,478 | 16,454 | 19,616 | 3,408 |
| 2016 | 49,559 | [16] | ||
| 2021 | 53,242 | [1] | ||
This Wikipedia article incorporatesCC BY 4.0licensed text from:"Gubbi Gubbi".Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages map.State Library of Queensland. Retrieved23 January 2020.
Media related toGympie Region at Wikimedia Commons
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