Boundary Changes

The Local Government Elections of March 2000 saw the realignment of local government boundaries including areas previously part of Ipswich City Council. Mt Walker, Warrill View, Rosevale and parts of Harrisville and Mutdapilly were removed from Ipswich City Council boundaries and were included in the boundaries of the Boonah Shire Council. Kholo, Karana Downs and Mount Crosby were removed from Ipswich City Council boundaries and were included in the boundaries of Brisbane City Council.

On March 11 1995 Ipswich City Council and Moreton Shire Council merged to form the new Council of the City of Ipswich as recommended by Greg Hoffman, the Local Government Commissioner.

An article in the Queensland Times on 11 March 1995 explained that:

'One of the biggest shake-ups of local government in Australia begins today as more than 300,000 voters in three of Queensland's biggest population pockets go to the polls to elect super councils to manage their regions' rapid growth. At the end of counting, three mayors and 27 councillors will be out of a job and the three local authorities of Albert, Mulgrave and Moreton will cease to exist, leaving in their wake the all-encompassing cities of the Gold Coast, Cairns and Ipswich.

The regionalisation of Queensland's local authorities has been on the agenda since the creation of the Fitzgerald-inspired Electoral and Administrative Review Commission and while some smaller councils have already merged, today's elections are the real test of the push to 'bigger government'.

The area surrounding the Shell Roadhouse at Gailes and an area of Carole Park (formerly part of Moreton Shire) were handed over to Brisbane City Council.

Under the ‘Local Government Acts, 1936 to 1948’ the Shires of Normanby and Rosewood were abolished.

Shire of Moreton

The Shire of Rosewood and part of the Shire of Normanby were included in the Shire of Moreton with the remaining part of Normanby being included in the Shire of Boonah. The Shire of Moreton was divided into three divisions with the Council of the Shire of Moreton being composed of a chairman and ten members. Three members being assigned to division one, four members being assigned to division two and three members being assigned to division three.

Shire of Boonah

The Council of the Shire of Boonah was composed of nine members, with three members being assigned to division one, three members being assigned to division two and three members being assigned to division three.

City of Ipswich

The boundaries of the City of Ipswich were altered to include part of the Shire of Moreton. The Council of the City of Ipswich was composed of eleven members.

In 1949 part of Goodna between the Bundamba and Woogaroo Creek (formerly part of Brisbane) was included in the City of Ipswich.

The Shire of Goolman was renamed and designated to be called the ‘Shire of Boonah’ as gazetted on the 16 October, 1937.

On the 16 August 1930 the boundaries of the Shire of Moreton were altered to include part of the Shire of Waterford.

On the 16 January 1926 the boundaries of the Shire of Moreton were altered to include part of the City of Ipswich.

Maps of the proposed ‘Greater Ipswich’ were placed on display on the 22 July, 1916, later this year 5 Shires were abolished, they were Brassall, Bundanba, Lowood, Purga and Walloon. On the 13 October, 1916 the Queensland Government Gazette announced that the boundaries of the Shires of Ipswich, Esk and Rosewood were altered by including parts of the Shires of Brassall and Bundanba in the City of Ipswich, including the Shire of Lowood in the Shire of Esk; and including part of the Shire of Walloon in the Shire of Rosewood.

City of Ipswich

The City of Ipswich was redivided into four wards with the Council being composed of twelve members, three members being assigned to each ward.

Shire of Ipswich (later ‘Shire of Moreton’)

The remaining parts of the Shires of Brassall, Bundanba and Walloon formed a new shire named ‘Shire of Ipswich’. The new Shire of Ipswich was divided into six divisions with the Council being composed of twelve members, two members being assigned to each division.

However, the ‘Shire of Ipswich’ was renamed and gazetted as the ‘Shire of Moreton’ on the 28 July 1917. The boundaries of the Shire of Moreton were extended on the 16 January 1926 to include part of the City of Ipswich and on the 16 August 1930 to include parts of the Shire of Waterford.

Shire of Rosewood

The Shire of Rosewood was redivided into four divisions with the Council being composed of nine members, three members being assigned to division one and two members assigned to divisions two, three and four.

On the 18 December 1909 the boundaries of the Shire of Brassall were altered by including part of the City of Ipswich; and the boundaries of the City of Ipswich were altered by excluding the part of the shire included in the shire of Brassall.

On the 4 July 1905 the boundaries of the Shire of Normanby were altered by including part of the Shire of Mutdapilly, the boundaries of the Shire of Walloon were altered by including part of the Shire of Rosewood and the shires of Mutdapilly and Rosewood were united.

Rosewood

The Shires of Rosewood and Mutdapilly were united into one area and named ‘the Shire of Rosewood’. This shire was divided into three divisions and was governed by a Council composed of seven members. Three members were assigned to division one and two members each were assigned to divisions two and three.

On the 1 December, 1904 Ipswich was proclaimed a City, the Mayor at this time being Alderman Hugh Reilly.

The boundaries of the Shire of Normanby were extended on the 13 January, 1904 to include parts of the Shire of Goolman and Mutdapilly. The Shire of Normanby was divided into three divisions and the Council was increased from six members to nine members.

Part of the Shire of Goolman (division 3) was abolished and the Council was decreased from nine members to six members.

Shire of Normanby

On the 13 January 1904 the boundaries of the Shire of Normanby were altered to include part of the Shire of Mutdapilly and the Shire of Normanby was divided into three Divisions. The Council of the Shire of Normanby was increased from six members to nine members with three members being assigned to each division.

The existing members of the ‘Council of the Shire of Normanby shall go out of office at the conclusion of the election herinafter appointed to be held’ and that a new election of members for each division of the Shire of Normanby shall be held on the third day of February, 1904, and that Bryan Walter Wells shall be the Returning Officer to conduct such election’.

Goolman

Division three of the Shire of Goolman was abolished with the remaining area being divided into two divisions. The Council of the Shire of Goolman was decreased from nine members to six members with three members being assigned to each division.

The Divisions of Rosewood, Normanby and Mutdapilly were gazetted on the 11 October, 1890. The Division of Normanby to be governed by a board consisted of six members.

The Queensland Government Gazette of 11 November 1879 (Vol XXV No. 75) provided the following details for proposed names for Divisions of the Colony.

No. Proposed Name Census District

11 Goolman Fassifern
12 Mutdapilly Fassifern & West Moreton
13 Walloon West Moreton

On the 3rd March 1860 Ipswich was proclaimed a Municipality with the boundaries of the municipality being proclaimed on the 16th March 1860. Elections to nominate and select the first Aldermen of the Ipswich Municipal Council were held on the 12 April 1860 with the first Mayor, Alderman John Murphy being elected at the first meeting of the Council.