The Shire of Eacham was a local government area of

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 , establishe ...

. 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, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1910 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in the Tableland area to become the

Tablelands Region The Tablelands Region is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Australia inland from the city of Cairns. Established in 2008, it was preceded by four previous local government areas which dated back more than a century. On 1 January ...

. Despite its tropical latitude, the high altitude on the tableland allows a dairy industry to operate.

History

On 22 Nov 1910 the area around Lake Eacham was incorporated as the Shire of Eacham, taking in part of each of the Shires of Tinaroo, Johnstone and Cairns. Its first meeting was held at

Yungaburra Yungaburra is a rural town and locality in the Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Yungaburra had a population of 1,239 people. Geography Yungaburra is on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland. The lan ...

's community hall on 22 February 1911. In April 1912, a site for a shire hall was reserved in Malanda. On 12 April 1913, the shire relocated its offices to Malanda. However, the planned council chambers did not open until 22 Feb 1939. Malanda Falls Swimming Pool, Eacham Shire Council sign, 2016

Malanda Falls Swimming Pool, Eacham Shire Council sign, 2016

Around 1920, the shire council began an active role in developing the Malanda Falls into the (now heritage-listed)

Malanda Falls Swimming Pool Malanda Falls Swimming Pool is a heritage-listed swimming pool at Malanda Falls Park, Malanda, Queensland, Malanda, Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1906 onwards. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 5 ...

and associated infrastructure, initially for local recreation but then increasingly to attract tourists to the area via Cairns. On 15 March 2008, under the ''Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007'' passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, the Shire of Eacham merged with the Shires of Atherton, Herberton and

Mareeba Mareeba is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Mareeba in Far North Queensland, Australia. Between 2008 and 2013, it was within the Tablelands Region. The town's name is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning ''meeting of the waters'' ...

to form the

Towns and localities

The Shire of Eacham included the following settlements: * Malanda *

* Butchers Creek * Glen Allyn * Jaggan * Lake Eacham * Maalan * Millaa Millaa * North Johnstone *

Palmerston Palmerston may refer to: People * Christie Palmerston (c. 1851–1897), Australian explorer * Several prominent people have borne the title of Viscount Palmerston ** Henry Temple, 1st Viscount Palmerston (c. 1673–1757), Irish nobleman an ...

¹ * Peeramon * Tarzali * Upper Barron² ¹ - shared with

Cassowary Coast Region The Cassowary Coast Region is a local government area in the Far North Queensland region of Queensland, Australia, south of Cairns and centred on the towns of Innisfail, Cardwell and Tully. It was created in 2008 from a merger of the Shire ...

² - split with the former

Shire of Atherton The Shire of Atherton 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 Atherton, cov ...

Population

Chairmen and mayors

* 1927: R. E. McHugh * 1988-2000: Philip English * 2000-2004: Mary Lyle * 2004-2008: Ray Byrnes

References

External links

University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Eacham Shire
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Eacham Shire Former local government areas of Queensland Far North Queensland 2008 disestablishments in Australia Populated places disestablished in 2008