The Shire of Johnstone 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 ...

of Queensland. 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 south of the city 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 ...

. The shire, administered from the town of Innisfail, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1881 until 2008, when it amalgamated with the Shire of Cardwell to form the Cassowary Coast Region. The Mamu tribal group are the traditional owners of much of the land in the shire. 47% of the shire is in the

Wet Tropics The Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Site consists of approximately 8,940 km2 of Australian wet tropical forests growing along the north-east Queensland portion of the Great Dividing Range. The Wet Tropics of Queensland meets all f ...

World Heritage Area.

History

The Hinchinbrook Division was created on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the ''Divisional Boards Act 1879''. On 28 October 1881, the

Johnstone Division #REDIRECT 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 , an ...

split away from it. With the passage of the ''Local Authorities Act 1902'', Johnstone Division became the Shire of Johnstone on 31 March 1903. On 22 November 1910 part of Johnstone Shire became

Shire of Eacham The Shire of Eacham was a local government area of Queensland. It was located on the Atherton Tableland, a plateau forming part of the Great Dividing Range west of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Malanda, covere ...

. In December 1932, the Johnstone Shire Hall was destroyed by fire. Despite the desire to build a replacement quickly, it was not until 1938 that the new building was completed. The 1938 Johnstone Shire Hall is now listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. The election of councillors in May 1943 created a sensation with every elected councillor being a candidate of the Ratepayers Party, ousting 7 Labor Party councillors. In February 2007, the Johnstone Shire Council was sacked by the Queensland Local Government Minister, Andrew Fraser, claiming the shire council had become ineffective due to internal conflict, inappropriate behaviour and financial problems. On 8 February 2007 the Johnstone Shire Council was sacked by the Queensland Government's Local Government Minister, Andrew Fraser claiming the shire council had become ineffective due to internal conflict, inappropriate behaviour and financial problems, despite an issued show cause presented on 2 August 2006. Among the perceived gross misconduct were the following incidences: * The purchase of a $250,000 Steinway Model D Piano with insurance money from Cyclone Larry. * Former Deputy Mayor George Pervan was quoted on commercial radio during an interview during the aftermath of Cyclone Larry requesting Southern Queenslanders to:

''"Send up a truckload of piss so we can all get fucking drunk"'' – George Pervan – 2006

While two councillors attempted to get the Queensland Government to revoke the decision Andrew Fraser stated that while the action was regrettable, it was indeed the correct decision. 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 Johnstone merged with the Shire of Cardwell to form the Cassowary Coast Region.

Towns and localities

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

Eaton Eaton may refer to: Buildings Canada * Eaton Centre, the name of various shopping malls in Canada due to having been anchored by an Eaton's store * Eaton's / John Maryon Tower, a cancelled skyscraper in Toronto * Eaton Hall (King City), a confere ...

East Innisfail East Innisfail is a suburban locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the East Innisfail had a population of 1,855 people. Geography The locality is bounded by the Johnstone River to the north, by its tributary the ...

** Eubenangee¹ ** Goondi ** Goondi Bend ** Goondi Hill **

Hudson Hudson may refer to: People * Hudson (given name) * Hudson (surname) * Henry Hudson, English explorer * Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back * Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudso ...

** Innisfail Estate ** Jubilee Heights ** Mighell ** Palmerston² **

Ngatjan Ngatjan is a locality split between the Cassowary Coast Region and the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Ngatjan had no population. The term is derived from the ethnonym of the local Ngatjan people. Geography The split between ...

¹ ** South Innisfail ** Webb **

Wooroonooran Wooroonooran is a locality split among the Cairns Region, the Cassowary Coast Region and the Tablelands Region in Queensland, Australia. In the , Wooroonooran had no population. Geography The locality is entirely within the Wooroonooran N ...

³ Localities: * Bingil Bay * Comoon Loop * Cowley *

Daradgee Daradgee is a rural town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Daradgee had a population of 74 people. Geography The locality is bounded in the south-east by the Johnstone River. Victory Creek flows thro ...

* East Palmerston * El Arish * Etty Bay *

Flying Fish Point Flying Fish Point is a coastal town, locality and headland in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Flying Fish Point had a population of 425 people. Geography Flying Fish Point is on the northern shore of the mouth of ...

* Garners Beach *

Garradunga Garradunga is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Garradunga had a population of 170 people. Geography Garradunga is located north of Innisfail. The North Coast railway line enters from the south ...

* Germantown *

Japoonvale Japoonvale is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Japoonvale had a population of 141 people. The town of Japoon is in the north-east of the locality (). History The town was named by surveyor W.J. ...

* Kurrimine Beach * Mena Creek * Midgeree Bar * Mission Beach * Moresby *

Mourilyan Mourilyan is a town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. It was established around the Mourilyan sugar mill which provided much of the employment in the area until it was destroyed by Cyclone Larry on 20 March 20 ...

Mourilyan Harbour Mourilyan Harbour is a coastal locality and harbour within the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Mourilyan Harbour had a population of 156 people. Geography The locality of Mourilyan Harbour is a coastal area bounded by th ...

* Mundoo *

Silkwood ''Silkwood'' is a 1983 American biographical drama film directed by Mike Nichols and starring Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell, and Cher. The screenplay by Nora Ephron and Alice Arlen was adapted from the book ''Who Killed Karen Silkwood?'' by ''Rollin ...

* South Johnstone * Wangan ¹ - shared with Cairns Region
² - shared with Tablelands Region
³ - shared with Cairns Region and Tablelands Region

Population

Chairmen

StateLibQld 2 195851 Mr and Mrs Jodrell of the Johnstone River region, 1907

1883 F. E. Nash * 1901: Henry Lawrence Gill * 1903: Henry Lawrence Gill * 1904: Timothy Dempsey * 1907: Charles Edward Jodrell * 1908: John Harvey Payne * 1922—1923: Leontine Joseph Duffy * 1927: Robert David Bliss * 1929—1943: Clarence Stanley Kopsen Page * 1950: Andrew John Murray Laurie Other notable council members include: * 1982—1985:

Vicky Kippin Victoria Anne Kippin (7 September 1942 – 24 March 2019) was an Australian politician. She was a National Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland from 1974 to 1980, representing the district of Mourilyan. Early life Kippin ...

, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for

References

External links