The Shire of Barcoo is a local government area in

Central West Queensland Central West Queensland is a remote region in the Australian state of Queensland which covers 396,650.2 km2. The region lies to the north of South West Queensland and south of the Gulf Country. It has a population of approximately 12,387 peo ...

, Australia. In June 2018, the shire had a population of 267 people. It covers an area of , and has existed as a local government entity since 1887. It is named for the

Barcoo River The Barcoo River in western Queensland, Australia rises on the northern slopes of the Warrego Range, flows in a south-westerly direction and unites with the Thomson River to form Cooper Creek. The first European to see the river was Thomas ...

which reaches a confluence with the Thomson River in the shire to form

Cooper Creek The Cooper Creek (formerly Cooper's Creek) is a river in the Australian states of Queensland and South Australia. It was the site of the death of the explorers Burke and Wills in 1861. It is sometimes known as the Barcoo River from one of its t ...

. The major industry in the shire is beef production and some

opal Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Due to its amorphous property, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline form ...

mining. There has been some development of the known oil and gas reserves in the region.

History

Kuungkari (also known as Kungkari and Koonkerri) is a language of Western Queensland. The Kuungkari language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of

Longreach Shire Council The Shire of Longreach was a local government area located in central western Queensland, centred on the town of Longreach, from which the shire was administered. It covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1900 until ...

and Blackall-Tambo Shire Council. The Barcoo Division was created on 24 December 1887 out of the eastern part of the Diamantina Division, and was subject to the ''Divisional Boards Act 1887''. In 1927, the council met at Stonehenge. With the passage of the ''Local Authorities Act 1902'', Barcoo Division became the Shire of Barcoo on 31 March 1903. It subsequently lost areas when the shires of Isisford (1908) and

Quilpie Quilpie ( ) is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Quilpie, Queensland, Australia. In the , Quilpie had a population of 595 people. The town is the administrative centre of the Quilpie Shire local government area. The town of Toompine ...

(1930) were incorporated. Its present mayor, Sally O'Neil, has been in office since 2020.

Towns and localities

The Shire of Barcoo includes the following settlements: *

Jundah Jundah is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Barcoo, Queensland, Australia. Jundah is the administrative centre of the Barcoo Shire local government area. In the , the locality of Jundah had a population of 106 people. Geography The t ...

* Farrars Creek * Stonehenge * Tanbar Station *

Windorah Windorah is a town and a locality in the Shire of Barcoo, Queensland, Australia. It is one of only three towns in the Shire of Barcoo in Central West Queensland. In the , Windorah had a population of 115 people. Geography Located downstream f ...

Chairmen and mayors

* 1927: H. J. Cameron * 2000–2012: Bruce Scott (unopposed 2008) * 2012–2016: Julie Groves (unopposed) * 2016–2020 : Bruce Scott *2020–: Sally Elizabeth O'Neil

Population

Libraries

The Barcoo Shire Council operates public libraries at

, Stonehenge, and

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Barcoo Shire Local government areas of Queensland 1887 establishments in Australia Central West Queensland