The Shire of Diamantina is 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 ...

in Central West Queensland, bordering South Australia and the Northern Territory. Its administrative centre is in the town of

Bedourie Bedourie is a town and a locality in the Shire of Diamantina, Queensland, Australia. In the , Bedourie had a population of 122 people. Geography Bedourie is located in the Channel Country of Central West Queensland, Australia, lying on Eyre ...

. Like most places in Queensland with the "Diamantina" name, it was named after Lady Diamantina Bowen (née Roma), the wife of the first governor of Queensland, Sir George Bowen. It covers an area of , and is the second largest LGA in the state. The shire was established in 1879. The town of Birdsville is home to the

Birdsville Races The Birdsville Races are horse races held each year in September in the Queensland, Australia, town of Birdsville. Funds are raised in aid of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. The population is swelled from about 100 to around 7,000 ...

, a horse race meeting to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

History

'' Wangkangurru (''also known as ''Arabana/Wangkangurru, Wangganguru, Wanggangurru, Wongkangurru)'' is an

Australian Aboriginal language The Indigenous languages of Australia number in the hundreds, the precise number being quite uncertain, although there is a range of estimates from a minimum of around 250 (using the technical definition of 'language' as non-mutually intellig ...

spoken on Wangkangurru country. It is closely related to Arabana language of South Australia. The Wangkangurru language region was traditionally in the South Australian-Queensland border region taking in Birdsville and extending south towards Innamincka and Lake Eyre, including the local government areas of the Shire of Diamantina as well as the Outback Communities Authority of South Australia''.'' ''

Yawarrawarrka The Yawarrawarrka (also written Yawarawarka, Jauraworka) were an in Indigenous people of South Australia. Country According to the calculations of Norman Tindale the Yauraworka's tribal lands encompassed some , running north of Cooper Creek to ...

'' (also known as ''Yawarawarka'', ''Yawarawarga'', ''Yawarawarka'', ''Jauraworka'', ''Jawarawarka'') is an Australian Aboriginal language of Far Western Queensland. The traditional language region includes the local government area of the Shire of Diamantina extending into the Outback Communities Authority of South Australia towards Innamincka. Karuwali (also known as Garuwali, Dieri) is a language of far western Queensland. The Karuwali language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Diamantina Shire Council, including the localities of Betoota and Haddon Corner. Diamantina Division, March 1902

On 11 November 1879, the Diamantina Division was established as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the ''Divisional Boards Act 1879'' with a population of 1153. In October 1880, part of Diamantina Division was separated to create

Gregory Division Gregory may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gregory (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Gregory (surname), a surname Places Australia *Gregory, Queensland, a town in the Shire of ...

. On 21 June 1883, the boundaries between Diamantina Division and Bulloo Division were adjusted. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Diamantina Division became the Shire of Diamantina on 31 March 1903. The seat of the Council moved from Birdsville to Bedourie in 1953. In the 2021 census, Diamantina Shire had 266 people, down from 292 in 2018.

Towns and localities

The Shire of Diamantina includes the following: ; Settlements *

* Betoota (ghost town) * Birdsville ; National parks * Astrebla National Park * Diamantina National Park *

Simpson Desert National Park Munga-Thirri National Park, formerly known as the Simpson Desert National Park, is the largest national park in Queensland, Australia, 1,495 km west of Brisbane, Australia, Brisbane. The park covers an area of in the Simpson Desert surroun ...

; Archaeological sites *

Bilpa Morea Bilpa Morea is a claypan in Bedourie in the Shire of Diamantina in the extreme southwest of Queensland, Australia. It has been investigated as a possible location for land speed record attempts due to its flat and hard surface. An archaeological ...

, associated with the Burke and Wills expedition

Amenities

Diamantina Shire Council operates public libraries in

and Birdsville.

Chairmen and mayors

;Chairmen * 1889: William Blair (owner of the

Birdsville Hotel Birdsville Hotel is a heritage-listed hotel at Burt Street, Birdsville, Shire of Diamantina, Queensland, Australia. It was built . It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. The town Birdsville was known as ''Diama ...

) * 1927: Harry Afford ; Mayors * 2008–2012: Robbie Dare (elected unopposed) * 2012–2020: Geoffrey (Geoff) Moreton *2020–present: Robert Martin Dare

Population

References

External links

Diamantina Shire Council

Birdsville Library

University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Diamantina Shire
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diamantina Shire Local government areas of Queensland 1879 establishments in Australia Central West Queensland