StateLibQld 1 179307 Brisbane's first Town Hall, ca

StateLibQld 2 243944 Early street scene featuring Town Hall, Brisbane, ca

The Town of Brisbane 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 ...

for

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

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 ...

, Australia from 1859 to 1903.

History

The Municipality of Brisbane was gazetted on 25 May 1859 and proclaimed by the

Governor of New South Wales The governor of New South Wales is the viceregal representative of the Australian monarch, King Charles III, in the state of New South Wales. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia at the national level, the governors of the A ...

on 7 September 1859. The first local government area in Queensland, Brisbane was the only one incorporated prior to the establishment of

as a separate colony. After the passing of the Municipal Institutions Act 1864 the area could establish a

municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

to administer the district – with powers relating to by-laws, to rating, to borrowings, to the control or regulation of public infrastructure and utilities, and to the provision of public amenities such as gardens and hospitals. The council was led by a

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

and the role was generally rotated among the aldermen. Thus many mayors served for only one year and some served multiple times some years apart. The council "year" commenced and ended in about February to avoid a change-over during the summer holidays, so the mayor for 1890 would, strictly speaking, be the mayor into early 1891. Most of the early aldermen and mayors of the Municipality of Brisbane were prominent local men rather than representatives of political parties. The foundation stone of Brisbane's first town hall in Queen Street was laid on 28 January 1864 by

Queensland Governor The governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the monarch of Australia. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia at the national level, the governor performs constitutional and ceremonial funct ...

George Bowen Sir George Ferguson Bowen (; 2 November 1821 – 21 February 1899), was an Irish author and colonial administrator whose appointments included postings to the Ionian Islands, Queensland, New Zealand, Victoria, Mauritius and Hong Kong.R. B. ...

. It was designed by

William Coote William Coote (1863 – 14 December 1924) was an Irish Unionist politician. He was elected unopposed as Member of Parliament for South Tyrone at the February 1916 by-election caused by the death of the incumbent Andrew Horner. He was re-electe ...

. On 7 January 1888, a separate

Town of South Brisbane The City of South Brisbane was a local government area on the southern side of the Brisbane River, Queensland, Australia. It was established in 1888 and existed until 1925 when it was amalgamated into the City of Brisbane. History When the ...

was created out of the South Ward of the Municipality of Brisbane (together with the

Woolloongabba Division Woolloongabba is a suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Woolloongabba had a population of 5,631 people. Geography Woolloongabba is located south of the CBD. It contains the Brisbane Cricket Ground ('the Gabba') and ...

). On 13 January 1903, the

Booroodabin Division Booroodabin Division is a former local government area of Queensland, Australia, located in inner northern Brisbane immediately north of the Brisbane CBD today. It existed from 1879 to 1903. History Booroodabin Division came into existence on 1 ...

was abolished and absorbed into the Town of Brisbane. The ''Local Authorities Act 1902'' consolidated local government and established two classes: Towns and Shires, with the additional provision for Towns to be proclaimed as Cities. Accordingly, Brisbane municipality was proclaimed a city from the date of commencement of the Act, 31 March 1903, and its governing body became the

City of Brisbane The City of Brisbane is a local government area (LGA) which comprises the inner portion of the metropolitan area of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia. Its governing body is the Brisbane City Council. Unlike LGAs in the other mainlan ...

. The first town hall was used until January 1928, after which the business of the City of Brisbane was conducted from the new (almost complete)

Brisbane City Hall Brisbane City Hall, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is the seat of the Brisbane City Council. It is located adjacent to King George Square, where the rectangular City Hall has its main entrance. The City Hall also has frontages and entrance ...

References

External links

Photo of the mayor and alderman in 1859

Google map of Pre 1925 merger Brisbane Councils

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brisbane Town Former local government areas of Queensland History of Brisbane 1859 establishments in Australia 1903 disestablishments in Australia Pre-Separation Queensland

History

See also

References

External links

External links