The Cassowary Coast Region 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 the

Far North Queensland Far North Queensland (FNQ) is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. Its largest city is Cairns and it is dominated geographically by Cape York Peninsula, which stretches north to the Torres Strait, and west to the Gulf Co ...

region 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 ...

, Australia, south 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 centred on the towns of Innisfail, Cardwell and Tully. It was created in 2008 from a merger of the

Shire of Cardwell The Shire of Cardwell was a local government area of Queensland. It was located on the Coral Sea coast about halfway between the cities of Cairns and Townsville. The shire, administered from the town of Tully, covered an area of , and existed ...

and 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 govern ...

. The Regional Council, which administers the Region, has an estimated operating budget of A$64 million.

History

Prior to the 2008 amalgamation, the Cassowary Coast Region consisted of the entire area of two previous local government areas: *

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 split away from it. On 18 January 1884, the

Cardwell Division #REDIRECT Shire of Cardwell The Shire of Cardwell was a local government area of Queensland. It was located on the Coral Sea coast about halfway between the cities of Cairns and Townsville. The shire, administered from the town of Tully, cove ...

also split away. With the passage of the ''Local Authorities Act 1902'', both Cardwell and Johnstone became shires on 31 March 1903. In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended that Cardwell and Johnstone merge. Cardwell was in particular opposed because Johnstone was rated as "financially distressed" and its council had just been sacked by the state government. On 15 March 2008, the two shires formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect six councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council.

Mayors

* 2008 - 2016: Bill Shannon * 2016 - 2020: John Kremastos *2020 – Present: Timothy Mark Nolan

Wards and councillors

Although the commission recommended the council be undivided with six councillors and a mayor, the gazetted form was that of six divisions each electing a single councillor, plus a mayor. Those elected in April 2016 were: * Mayor: John Kremastos * Division 1 councillor: Glenn Raleigh * Division 2 councillor: Rick Taylor * Division 3 councillor: Wayne Kimberley * Division 4 councillor: Mark Nolan * Division 5 councillor: Jeff Baines * Division 6 councillor: Ben Heath

Towns and localities

The Cassowary Coast Region includes the following settlements: Greater Innisfail area: * Innisfail **

Belvedere Belvedere (from Italian, meaning "beautiful sight") may refer to: Places Australia *Belvedere, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region Africa * Belvedere (Casablanca), a neighborhood in Casablanca, Morocco * Belvedere, Harare, Z ...

** Cullinane **

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 conferen ...

** East Innisfail ** Eubenangee¹ ** Goondi ** Goondi Bend ** Goondi Hill ** Hudson ** Innisfail Estate ** Jubilee Heights ** Mighell **

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 and ...

² ** Ngatjan¹ ** South Innisfail ** Sundown **

Webb Webb most often refers to James Webb Space Telescope which is named after James E. Webb, second Administrator of NASA. It may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Webb Glacier (South Georgia) * Webb Glacier (Victoria Land) * Webb Névé, Victor ...

** Wooroonooran³ Greater Tully area: * Tully ** Birkalla ** Dingo Pocket **

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 ...

Cardwell area: * Cardwell * Carruchan * Bilyana * Bulgun * Cardstone * Carmoo * Coquette Point * Damper Creek * Djiru * East Feluga * Ellerbeck * Euramo * Feluga * Hull Heads * Jarra Creek * Jumbun * Kennedy * Lower Tully * Lumholtz * Merryburn * Midgenoo * Murray Upper * Murrigal * Rockingham * South Mission Beach * Tam O'Shanter * Tully Heads * Walter Hill *

Wongaling Beach Wongaling Beach is a tropical beachside coastal town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Wongaling Beach had a population of 1,245 people. Geography ...

Johnstone area: *

Basilisk In European bestiaries and legends, a basilisk ( or ) is a legendary reptile reputed to be a serpent king, who causes death to those who look into its eyes. According to the '' Naturalis Historia'' of Pliny the Elder, the basilisk of Cyre ...

* Bingil Bay * Camp Creek * Comoon Loop *

Coconuts The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or t ...

* Coorumba * Cowley * Daradgee *

East Palmerston East Palmerston is a rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the East Palmerston had a population of 173 people. East Palmerston is a prominent banana farming community. It is home to many large farms such as ...

El Arish ʻArish or el-ʻArīsh ( ar, العريش ' , ''Hrinokorura'') is the capital and largest city (with 164,830 inhabitants ) of the North Sinai Governorate of Egypt, as well as the largest city on the entire Sinai Peninsula, lying on the Medit ...

* Etty Bay * Fitzgerald Creek * Flying Fish Point * Garners Beach * Garradunga *

Germantown Germantown or German Town may refer to: Places Australia * Germantown, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region United States * Germantown, California, the former name of Artois, a census-designated place in Glenn County * G ...

* Gulngai * Japoonvale * Kurrimine Beach * Maria Creeks * Mena Creek * Midgeree Bar * Mission Beach * Moresby * Mourilyan *

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 t ...

* Mundoo * New Harbourline * Silkwood *

South Johnstone South Johnstone is a rural town and locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , South Johnstone had a population of 413 people. Geography South Johnstone is in North Queensland, approximately south-west of Innisfai ...

* Vasa Views * Wangan ¹ - shared with Cairns Region
² - shared with Tablelands Region
³ - shared with Cairns Region and Tablelands Region

Libraries

The Cassowary Coast Regional Council operate public libraries in Cardwell, Tully (Dorothy Jones Library), Innisfail and

Population

The total population recorded at each census before the foundation of the Cassowary Coast Region combines the population of its component entities prior to their amalgamation in 2008. Its population was officially recorded for the first time in the 2011 Census.

Heritage places

As part of preparing the Cassowary Coast Planning Scheme 2014, the council consulted with the region's heritage groups to compile a list of local heritage places.

References

External links

* 2008 Election results �
Mayoral
* 2008 Election results �

University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Cassowary Coast Regional Council
* {{coord, 18, 05, 40.79, S, 145, 51, 05.18, E, type:adm2nd_region:AU-QLD_source:GNS-enwiki, display=title Local government areas of Queensland Far North Queensland 2008 establishments in Australia