The Shire of Cardwell was a

local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

. It was located on the

Coral Sea The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down the Australian northeast coast. Most of it is protected by the Fre ...

coast about halfway between the cities of

Cairns Cairns (, ) is a city in Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. The population in June 2019 was 153,952, having grown on average 1.02% annually over the preceding five years. The city is the 5th-most-p ...

and Townsville. The shire, administered from the town of Tully, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1884 until 2008, when it amalgamated with the

Shire of Johnstone The Shire of Johnstone was a local government area of Queensland. It was located on the Coral Sea coast about south of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Innisfail, covered an area of , and existed as a local governme ...

to form the Cassowary Coast Region. The shire also had responsibility for some

Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...

islands, including Dunk Island,

Goold Island Goold Island is a national park in Queensland, Australia, northwest of Brisbane. The island is close to the northern tip of Hinchinbrook Island off the coast from Cardwell in Rockingham Bay and is part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage A ...

and Hinchinbrook Island. The area's economy is based on agriculture, in particular sugar and bananas, and tourism. Part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland and Great Barrier Reef

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

s are located in Cardwell Shire.

History

The Hinchinbrook Division was created on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the ''Divisional Boards Act 1879''. On 18 January 1884, part of the Hinchinbrook Division was separated to create the new Cardwell Division. Cardwell Shire Council Chambers, Cardwell, 1911

Cardwell Shire Council Chambers, Cardwell, 1911

In 1892, the Cardwell Divisional Board built the

Cardwell Divisional Board Hall Cardwell Divisional Board Hall is a heritage-listed former town hall at 51 Victoria Street, Cardwell, Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. It is also known as the Cardwell Shire Chambers, Cardwell Shire Hall, JC Hubinger Memorial Mus ...

(now heritage-listed) at 51 Victoria Street, Cardwell. At that time,

Cardwell Cardwell may refer to: Places Australia *Cardwell, Queensland United States *Cardwell, Missouri *Cardwell, Montana * Cardwell Hall, Kansas State University Canada *Cardwell Parish, New Brunswick People *Alvin B. Cardwell (1902–1992), America ...

was regarded as the major town in the division (as reflected in the division's name). With the passage of the ''Local Authorities Act 1902'', Cardwell Division became the Shire of Cardwell on 31 March 1903. The divisional board hall then became known as the Cardwell Shire Council Chambers. To commemorate those who served in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, an honour board was erected in the Cardwell Shire Council Chambers in 1922. Composed of marble, it lists 26 servicemen and 2 nurses from the local community. The inclusion of nurses is such a memorial is relatively uncommon.

Cardwell Shire Council Chambers, circa 1930

In 1929, the decision was taken to relocate the shire council's headquarters to the newer but more populous town of Tully. The first council meeting held in Tully was on 27 June 1929. A new shire chambers was built in 1930 on the south-east corner of Bryant and Morris Streets in Tully. The former shire chambers in Cardwell was then used by the Queensland Country Women's Association (QCWA) and later by the Returned Sailors' Soldiers' and Airmen's Imperial League of Australia (RSSAILA). From 1989 to 2008, the building was used as a library. Later it became the J. C. Hubinger Memorial Museum. The presence of the honour board means that the building has been the community focus for

Anzac Day , image = Dawn service gnangarra 03.jpg , caption = Anzac Day Dawn Service at Kings Park, Western Australia, 25 April 2009, 94th anniversary. , observedby = Australia Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Cook Islands New ...

ceremonies throughout the years. Given its historical and cultural significance, the building was listed on the

Queensland Heritage Register The Queensland Heritage Register is a heritage register, a statutory list of places in Queensland, Australia that are protected by Queensland legislation, the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. It is maintained by the Queensland Heritage Council. As a ...

on 21 March 2013. In 1978, the shire chambers in Tully were replaced with the present council chambers. On 15 March 2008, under the ''Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007'' passed by the

Parliament of Queensland The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. As provided under the Constitution of Queensland, the Parliament consists of the Monarch of Australia and the Legislative Assembly. It has been the only unicameral s ...

on 10 August 2007, the Shire of Cardwell merged with the

(also formerly part of the Hinchinbrook Division) to form the Cassowary Coast Region.

Towns and localities

The Shire of Cardwell included the following settlements: Greater Tully area: * Tully **

Birkalla Birkalla is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivisio ...

Silky Oak ''Grevillea robusta'', commonly known as the southern silky oak, silk oak or silky oak, silver oak or Australian silver oak, is a flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. It is a tree, the largest species in its genus but is not closely rela ...

Localities: *

* Bilyana * Bulgun * Cardstone * Carmoo * Coquette Point *

Damper Creek A damper is a device that deadens, restrains, or depresses. It may refer to: Music * Damper pedal, a device that mutes musical tones, particularly in stringed instruments * A Mute (music), mute for various brass instruments Structure * Damper (f ...

* Djiru * Ellerbeck * Euramo * Feluga *

Hull Heads Hull Heads is a coastal town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Hull Heads had a population of 113 people. Geography The locality is mostly located on the southern side of the Hull Rive ...

* Jarra Creek * Jumbun *

Kennedy Kennedy may refer to: People * John F. Kennedy (1917–1963), 35th president of the United States * John Kennedy (Louisiana politician), (born 1951), US Senator from Louisiana * Kennedy (surname), a family name (including a list of persons with t ...

* Lower Tully * Merryburn * Midgenoo * Murray Upper * Murrigal * Rockingham *

South Mission Beach South Mission Beach is a coastal town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , South Mission Beach had a population of 932 people. Geography As the name suggests, South Mission Beach is south of Mission Beac ...

* Tully Heads *

Wongaling Beach Wongaling Beach is a tropical beachside coastal town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Wongaling Beach had a population of 1,245 people. Geography The locality takes its name from th ...

Population

Chairmen

* 1884: James Thorn Senior * 1902: Peter Smith * 1903—1904: Johann Christian Hubinger (chairman 15 times) * 1908: Johann Christian Hubinger (again, but died September 1908) * 1909: Mr Hubinger * 1910: Mr Kennedy * 1914: Mr Stamp * 1915: Arthur Henry * 1921—1924: Brice Henry * 1924—1931: James Thorn * 1931—1933: Julius August Winter * 1933—1936: Chris Teitzel * 1936—1940: Brice Henry (died February 1940) * 1940: P. White * 1943—1954: Charles Dickinson * 1985—1991: Atte Raccanello (first and only female council leader) * 2004—2008: Giuseppe (Joe) Galeano Gladys Henry was the first female council member, serving between 1976 and 1982.

References

External links