Lockyer Valley Region
Local government area
Location withinSouth EastQueensland
Country	Australia
State	Queensland
Region	West Moreton
Established	2008
Council seat	Gatton
Government
• Mayor	Tanya Milligan
• State electorate	Lockyer
• Federal division	Wright
Area [1]
• Total	2,269 km2 (876 sq mi)
Population
• Total	41,011 (2018)[1]
• Density	18.074/km2 (46.813/sq mi)
Website	Lockyer Valley Region
LGAs around Lockyer Valley Region Toowoomba Somerset Somerset Toowoomba Lockyer Valley Region Ipswich Southern Downs Southern Downs Scenic Rim

TheLockyer Valley Region is alocal government area (LGA) in theWest Moreton region ofSouth EastQueensland, Australia. The region is located between the cities ofIpswich andToowoomba, and is bordered by theSomerset andSouthern Downs regions to the north and south, respectively. Lockyer Valley was created in 2008 from a merger of the former shires ofGatton andLaidley. TheLockyer Valley Regional Council has an estimated operating budget of A$35m.^{[citation needed]}

The region is named after the British soldier and explorer MajorEdmund Lockyer (1784–1860) who surveyed theBrisbane River for approximately 150 miles on the instructions of theGovernor of theColony of New South Wales,Sir Thomas Brisbane.^{[citation needed]}

Prior to European settlement, the Lockyer Valley region was home to theKitabulAboriginal people.^{[citation needed]}

Tarampa Division, as it was then known, was created on 15 January 1880 under theDivisional Boards Act 1879, with its first board meeting being held on 20 February 1880. On 25 April 1888, the Laidley district broke away and separately incorporated as theLaidley Division, and later on 25 January 1890, theForest Hill area moved from Tarampa to Laidley.^[2] On 1 July 1902, the town ofLaidley was created as a separate municipality with its own Borough Council.^{[citation needed]}

With the passage of theLocal Authorities Act 1902, the borough and divisions became a town and shires respectively on 31 March 1903. The town council was dissolved on 8 February 1917, and Laidley absorbed part of theShire of Rosewood.^{[citation needed]}

On 3 September 1938, Tarampa was renamed the Shire of Gatton.^[3] On 19 March 1949, it grew to incorporate parts of the former Shires ofDrayton andHighfields, while losing some of its original area to theCity of Toowoomba andShire of Crows Nest.^[4]

In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended that Gatton and Laidley amalgamate, uniting the major farming, cropping and horticultural production area of South East Queensland under one local authority. While both councils opposed the amalgamation, they identified each other as preferred partners if it had to go ahead.^[5] On 15 March 2008, the two Shires formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect six councillors and a mayor to the Lockyer Valley Regional Council.^[5]

After the deadly2010–11 Queensland floods, which destroyed the town ofGrantham, the council responded quickly to relocate the town to non-flood prone land.^[6] The council purchased freehold land adjoining the existing town for the voluntary resettlement of eligible residents.^[6] To speed the recovery process normal land use planning procedures were dropped although there was a public consultation period. Support from the state government was muted, partly because the new urban development was contrary to theSouth East Queensland Regional Plan.^{[citation needed]}

The council has also responded to floods by installing a network of cameras around the region which can be viewed by members of the public on a web page.^[7]

The Lockyer Valley Region includes the following settlements:

Notes

Prior to 2008, the populations given relate to the previous component entities. The 2011 census marks the first for the region to be recorded as a single area.

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council remains undivided and its elected body consists of six councillors and a popularly elected mayor, elected for a four-year term. A deputy mayor is also appointed by council for a four-year term.^{[citation needed]}

The current council, elected in 2024, is:

Steve Jones, former mayor of Gatton, was elected as first mayor of the Lockyer Valley Region. He died in office on 19 February 2016. Deputy mayor Tanya Milligan was acting mayor until she was elected as mayor in her own right on 16 April 2016.^[10]

No.	Portrait	Mayor	Party	Term start	Term end	Council control (term)
1		Steve Jones	Independent	15 March 2008	19 February 2016 †		Independents majority (2008–present)
−		Tanya Milligan	Independent	19 February 2016	16 April 2012
2				16 April 2012	incumbent

No.	Portrait	Mayor	Party	Term start	Term end	Mayor
		Tanya Milligan	Independent	2012	19 February 2016		Jones (Independent)
		Jason Cook	Independent	2016	incumbent		Milligan (Independent)

The Lockyer Valley Region Council provide public libraries inGatton andLaidley.^[11]

• Ageo, Japan, since July 2014^[12][13]

Media related toLockyer Valley Region at Wikimedia Commons

27°33′31.8″S152°16′41.4″E / 27.558833°S 152.278167°E /-27.558833; 152.278167

• Populated places established in 2008
• 2008 establishments in Australia
• Lockyer Valley Region
• Local government areas of Queensland

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