View source for Shire of Paroo

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox Australian place | type = lga
| name     = Shire of Paroo
| state    = qld
| image    = Paroo LGA Qld.png
| image_upright = 0.81
| caption  = Location in [[Queensland]]
| pop      = 1679
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes = <ref name=Census2021/>
| area     = 47623
| area_footnotes = 
| est      = 1879
| seat     = [[Cunnamulla]]
| mayor    = Suzette Catherine Beresford
| region   = 
| logo     = Paroo Shire Council Logo.png
| logo_upright   = 1.2
| url      = http://www.paroo.qld.gov.au/
| stategov = [[Electoral district of Warrego|Warrego]]
| fedgov   = [[Division of Maranoa|Maranoa]]
| near-nw  = [[Shire of Quilpie|Quilpie]]
| near-n   = [[Shire of Murweh|Murweh]]
| near-ne  = [[Maranoa Region|Maranoa]]
| near-w   = [[Shire of Bulloo|Bulloo]]
| near-e   = [[Shire of Balonne|Balonne]]
| near-sw  = ''[[Unincorporated Far West Region|Far West]] ([[New South Wales|NSW]])''
| near-s   = ''[[Bourke Shire|Bourke]] ([[New South Wales|NSW]])''
| near-se  = ''[[Brewarrina Shire|Brewarrina]] ([[New South Wales|NSW]])''
}}

The '''Shire of Paroo''' is a [[Local government in Australia|local government area]] in [[South West Queensland]], Australia. The administrative centre is the town of [[Cunnamulla]]. The Paroo Shire covers an area of {{convert|47623|km2|sqmi}}. In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the Shire of Paroo had a population of 1,679 people.<ref name=Census2021/>

== Geography ==
The region incorporates the towns of [[Cunnamulla]], [[Yowah]], [[Eulo, Queensland|Eulo]] and [[Wyandra, Queensland|Wyandra]], with [[Cunnamulla]] being the hub of the Shire and is centrally situated on the crossroads of the [[Shire of Balonne|Balonne]] and [[Mitchell Highway|Mitchell Highways]]. [[Cunnamulla]], meaning "long stretch of water", gets its name from the  [[Warrego River]] which flows past the town. The Paroo Shire is bounded by the Open Mitchell Grass Flood Plains in the East to the [[Yowah opal fields]] where the [[Yowah nut]] is found and the [[Mulga Lands|Mulga lands]] to the West.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} 

Main industries within the Shire are [[beef]], [[Goat meat|goat]], fat [[Lamb and mutton|lamb]], [[wool]], [[Opal|opal mining]] and [[Tourism in Australia|tourism]]. Located in a semi-arid zone, the region has temperatures in summer ranging from 15 degrees to 37 degrees Celsius and winter temperature ranges from 2 to 25 degrees Celsius.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

== History ==
[[File:Paroo Division, March 1902.jpg|thumb|Map of Paroo Division and adjacent local government areas, March 1902]]
[[Gunya language|Gunya]] (Kunya, Kunja, Kurnja) is an [[Australian Aboriginal language]] spoken by the Gunya people. The Gunya language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Paroo Shire Council, taking in [[Cunnamulla]] and extending north towards [[Augathella]], east towards [[Bollon, Queensland|Bollon]] and west towards [[Thargomindah]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://maps.slq.qld.gov.au/iyil/view/16?embed=true|title=Gunya|date=21 January 2020|website=[[State Library of Queensland]]}}</ref>

[[Paroo Division]] was established on 11 November 1879 as one of the original divisions proclaimed under the ''Divisional Boards Act 1879'' with a population of 799.<ref name="dba1879">{{Gazette QLD|title=Proclamation [Paroo Division]|volume=25|page=1000|date=11 November 1879}}</ref><ref name="div">{{cite QSA Agency|1472|Paroo Divisional Board|21 September 2013}}</ref>

On 3 June 1880, the western part of the Paroo Division was separated to create the [[Bulloo Division]].<ref>{{Gazette QLD | title = Proclamation [Bulloo Division] | volume = 26 | page = 1316 | date = 5 June 1880}}</ref>

With the passage of the ''Local Authorities Act 1902'', Paroo Division became the Shire of Paroo on 31 March 1903.<ref name=div/><ref>{{cite QSA Agency|1473|Paroo Shire Council|21 September 2013}}</ref>

In 1924, a new shire hall was being built, but it was wrecked in a violent dust storm on 5 February.<ref>{{cite news |date=7 February 1924 |title=SEVERE DUST STORM. |page=5 Edition: DAILY |newspaper=[[The Queensland Times]] |publisher=National Library of Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122052525 |access-date=14 January 2014}}</ref> However, they were able to straighten and strengthen the building<ref>{{cite news |date=21 April 1924 |title=CUNNAMULLA. |page=9 |newspaper=[[The Brisbane Courier]] |publisher=National Library of Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20671724 |access-date=14 January 2014}}</ref> and it was finally opened on 6 December 1924 by the Minister for Public Instruction, [[Frank Brennan (judge)|Frank Brennan]].<ref>{{cite news |date=11 December 1924 |title=NEW BUILDINGS AT CUNNAMULLA. |page=19 |newspaper=[[The Brisbane Courier]] |publisher=National Library of Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22884938 |access-date=14 January 2014}}</ref> In 2018, an inspection revealed the foundations of the building had shifted and the building was unsafe; it was demolished in 2019. In 2020, construction commenced on a new civic centre, which was officially opened on 28 April 2021 by the Queensland Deputy General for Local Government, Natalie Wilde, and Paroo Shire Mayor, Suzette Beresford.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Transformation of the Civic Centre building to the new Civic and Community Enterprise Centre (CCEC) |url=https://www.paroo.qld.gov.au/community/facilities/ccec |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=Paroo Shire Council |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Facilities |url=https://www.paroo.qld.gov.au/community/facilities |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=Paroo Shire Council |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Construction starts for $6.374m Civic and Community Enterprise Centre (CCEC) in Cunnamulla |url=https://www.paroo.qld.gov.au/news/article/157/construction-starts-for-6-374m-civic-and-community-enterprise-centre-ccec-in-cunnamulla |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=Paroo Shire Council |language=en}}</ref>

== Towns and localities ==
The Shire of Paroo includes the following settlements:{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

* [[Barringun, Queensland|Barringun]]
* [[Cunnamulla]]
* [[Coongoola, Queensland|Coongoola]]
* [[Eulo, Queensland|Eulo]]
* [[Humeburn, Queensland|Humeburn]]
* [[Tuen, Queensland|Tuen]]
* [[Wyandra, Queensland|Wyandra]]
* [[Yowah]]

== Amenities ==
[[File:Paroo Shire Hall and Council Chambers, Cunnamulla, circa 1930.jpg|thumb|Paroo Shire Hall and Council Chambers, Cunnamulla, circa 1930]]
[[File:Cunnamulla Fella.JPG|thumb|The previous Paroo Shire Hall with statue of the [[Cunnamulla Fella]] (from the [[Stan Coster]] song famously performed by [[Slim Dusty]]) in the foreground ]]

The Paroo Shire Council Civic Centre is located on the corner of Stockyard Street and Louise Street in Cunnamulla.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}[[File:Cunnamulla library operated by the Paroo Shire Council, 2019.jpg|thumb|Cunnamulla library, 2019]]
Paroo Shire Council operates public libraries at Cunnamulla, Wyandra and Yowah.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://plconnect.slq.qld.gov.au/networking/directory-of-public-libraries/services/paroo|title=Paroo Shire Council|date=20 September 2016|website=Public Libraries Connect|publisher=[[State Library of Queensland]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206103443/http://plconnect.slq.qld.gov.au/networking/directory-of-public-libraries/services/paroo|archive-date=6 February 2018|url-status=live|access-date=6 February 2018}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Population
! Notes
|- 
| 1933 || 3,505 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|- 
| 1947 || 3,165 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|- 
| 1954 || 4,143 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|- 
| 1961 || 4,099 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|- 
| 1966 || 3,600 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|-
| 1971 || 3,310 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|-
| 1976 || 3,021 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|- 
| 1981 || 2,691 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|- 
| 1986 || 2,733 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|-
| 1991 || 2,733 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|- 
| 1996 || 2,432 || {{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
|-
| 2001 || 2,299 || <ref name=Census2001>{{Census 2001 AUS|id=LGA35800|name=Shire of Paroo (LGA)|access-date=22 June 2024|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| 2006 || 1,928 || <ref name=Census2006>{{Census 2006 AUS|id=LGA35800|name=Shire of Paroo (LGA)|access-date=22 June 2024|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| 2011 || 1,857 || <ref name=Census2011>{{Census 2011 AUS|id=LGA35800|name=Shire of Paroo (LGA)|access-date=22 June 2024|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| 2016 || 1,640 || <ref name=Census2016>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=LGA35800|name=Shire of Paroo (LGA)|access-date=20 October 2018|quick=on}}</ref>
|-
| 2021 || 1,679 || <ref name=Census2021>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=LGA35800|name=Shire of Paroo (LGA)|access-date=6 December 2022|quick=on}}</ref>
|}

== Chairmen and mayors ==
{{Incomplete list|date=November 2017}}
* 1907: William Duncan Rankin <ref name=ggindex>{{cite book|title=Consolidated Index to Queensland Government Gazette 1859-1919|year=2004|publisher=[[Queensland Family History Society]]|isbn=1-876613-79-3}}</ref>
* 1924: Mr Mackay <ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20691595 |title=CUNNAMULLA. |newspaper=[[The Brisbane Courier]] |issue=20,663 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=14 April 1924 |access-date=16 April 2018 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
* 1927: John Henry Kerr <ref name="pughs1927">{{cite book|last1=Pugh|first1=Theophilus Parsons|title=Pugh's Almanac for 1927|date=1927|url=http://www.textqueensland.com.au/pughs-almanac|access-date=13 June 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304095034/http://www.textqueensland.com.au/pughs-almanac|archive-date=4 March 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
*1952: Jack Tonkin
* 1965–1988: Darby Land
*2006: Ian Tonkin 
* 2008–2012:  Jo Sheppard<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2008/ParooShireCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html|title=2008 Paroo Shire - Mayoral Election - Election Summary|website=results.ecq.qld.gov.au|access-date=4 December 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401021321/http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/lg2008/ParooShireCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html|archive-date=1 April 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 2012–2020: Lindsay Godfrey<ref>{{cite web|title=Meet Your Councillors|url=http://www.paroo.qld.gov.au/meet-your-councillors|publisher=[[Paroo Shire Council]]|access-date=27 December 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228050415/http://www.paroo.qld.gov.au/meet-your-councillors|archive-date=28 December 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2012/ParooShireCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html|title=2012 Paroo Shire - Mayoral Election - Election Summary|website=results.ecq.qld.gov.au|access-date=4 December 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405044049/http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2012/ParooShireCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html|archive-date=5 April 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2016/ParooShireCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html|title=2016 Paroo Shire Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary|website=results.ecq.qld.gov.au|access-date=4 December 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204114736/http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2016/ParooShireCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html|archive-date=4 December 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
*2020–present: Suzette Catherine Beresford<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020|title=2020 Local Government Elections: Saturday, 28 March 2020|url=https://prodresults.elections.qld.gov.au/lga2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223051226/https://prodresults.elections.qld.gov.au/lga2020|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 December 2020|access-date=16 June 2020|publisher=[[Electoral Commission of Queensland]]}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Koroit opal field]]
* [[Cunnamulla Fella]] 
* [[Darby McCarthy]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Citation | author1=Blake, Thom | author2=Paroo Shire, Queensland. Council | title=Cunnamulla : a brief history of the Paroo Shire | publication-date=1979 | publisher=Paroo Shire Council | isbn=978-0-9595353-0-3 }}
* {{Citation | author1=Longhurst, Robert | title=Paroo Shire history : Volume 1 : World War II 1847–1936 | publication-date=2003 | publisher=Paroo Shire Council | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/164306177 | access-date=14 January 2014 }}

== External links ==
* {{cite web|title=Paroo Shire|url=http://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/paroo-shire|work=Queensland Places|publisher=Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland}}

{{Shire of Paroo}}
{{Local Government Areas of Queensland}}

{{coord|28|04|00|S|145|41|00|E|type:adm2nd_region:AU-QLD|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paroo Shire}}
[[Category:Shire of Paroo| ]]
[[Category:Local government areas of Queensland]]
[[Category:1879 establishments in Australia]]