Lockyer Valley Region

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The Lockyer Valley Region is a local government area (LGA) in the West Moreton region of South East Queensland, Australia. The region is located between the cities of Ipswich and Toowoomba, and is bordered by the Somerset and Southern Downs regions to the north and south, respectively. Lockyer Valley was created in 2008 from a merger of the former shires of Gatton and Laidley. The Lockyer Valley Regional Council has an estimated operating budget of A$35m.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

The region is named after the British soldier and explorer Major Edmund Lockyer (1784–1860) who surveyed the Brisbane River for approximately 150 miles on the instructions of the Governor of the Colony of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".


File:StateLibQld 2 75963 Forest Hill railway station, 1914.jpg
Forest Hill railway station, 1914

Prior to European settlement, the Lockyer Valley region was home to the Kitabul Aboriginal people.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Tarampa Division, as it was then known, was created on 15 January 1880 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879, with its first board meeting being held on 20 February 1880. On 25 April 1888, the Laidley district broke away and separately incorporated as the Laidley Division, and later on 25 January 1890, the Forest Hill area moved from Tarampa to Laidley.[2] On 1 July 1902, the town of Laidley was created as a separate municipality with its own Borough Council.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, the borough and divisions became a town and shires respectively on 31 March 1903. The town council was dissolved on 8 February 1917, and Laidley absorbed part of the Shire of Rosewood.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

On 3 September 1938, Tarampa was renamed the Shire of Gatton.[3] On 19 March 1949, it grew to incorporate parts of the former Shires of Drayton and Highfields, while losing some of its original area to the City of Toowoomba and Shire of Crows Nest.[4]

In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended that Gatton and Laidley amalgamate, uniting the major farming, cropping and horticultural production area of South East Queensland under one local authority. While both councils opposed the amalgamation, they identified each other as preferred partners if it had to go ahead.[5] 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 Lockyer Valley Regional Council.[5]

After the deadly 2010–11 Queensland floods, which destroyed the town of Grantham, the council responded quickly to relocate the town to non-flood prone land.[6] The council purchased freehold land adjoining the existing town for the voluntary resettlement of eligible residents.[6] To speed the recovery process normal land use planning procedures were dropped although there was a public consultation period. Support from the state government was muted, partly because the new urban development was contrary to the South East Queensland Regional Plan.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

The council has also responded to floods by installing a network of cameras around the region which can be viewed by members of the public on a web page.[7]

Towns and localities

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The main street of Laidley, 2011
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Warrego Highway looking towards Toowoomba

The Lockyer Valley Region includes the following settlements:

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Notes

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Population

Prior to 2008, the populations given relate to the previous component entities. The 2011 census marks the first for the region to be recorded as a single area.

Year Population
(Region total)
Population
(Gatton)
Population
(Laidley)
1933 11,153 6,053 5,100
1947 11,158 6,403 4,755
1954 11,754 7,137 4,617
1961 12,387 7,594 4,793
1966 12,661 7,814 4,847
1971 12,592 8,099 4,493
1976 13,324 8,689 4,635
1981 15,055 9,675 5,380
1986 18,546 11,734 6,812
1991 22,273 13,810 8,463
1996 26,846 14,730 12,116
2001 27,561 14,925 12,636
2006 29,883 15,572 14,311
Population of Lockyer Valley Region
Year Population Notes
2011 34,954 [8]
2016 38,609 [9]
2021 41,101

Council

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council remains undivided and its elected body consists of six councillors and a popularly elected mayor, elected for a four-year term. A deputy mayor is also appointed by council for a four-year term.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Current composition

The current council, elected in 2024, is:

Position Councillor Party
Mayor Tanya Milligan N/A
Councillor Chris Wilson N/A
Michael Hagan N/A
David Neuendorf N/A
Julie Reck N/A
Cheryl Steinhardt N/A
Anthony Wilson N/A

Mayors

Steve Jones, former mayor of Gatton, was elected as first mayor of the Lockyer Valley Region. He died in office on 19 February 2016. Deputy mayor Tanya Milligan was acting mayor until she was elected as mayor in her own right on 16 April 2016.[10]

2008−present

No. Portrait Mayor Party Term start Term end Council control
(term)
1 File:3x4.svg Steve Jones Independent 15 March 2008 19 February 2016 Independents majority
(2008–present)
File:3x4.svg Tanya Milligan Independent 19 February 2016 16 April 2012
2 16 April 2012 incumbent

Deputy mayors

No. Portrait Mayor Party Term start Term end Mayor
File:3x4.svg Tanya Milligan Independent 2012 19 February 2016 Jones
(Independent)
File:3x4.svg Jason Cook Independent 2016 incumbent Milligan
(Independent)

Past councillors

2008−present

Year Councillor Party Councillor Party Councillor Party Councillor Party Councillor Party Councillor Party
2008 rowspan="4" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Peter Friend Independent rowspan="8" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Janice Holstein Independent rowspan="5" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Jim McDonald Independent LNP rowspan="4" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Tanya Milligan Independent rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Graham Moon Independent rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Dave Neuendorf Independent
2012a rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Katter's Australian
2012b rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Vacant
2012 rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Kathy McLean Independent rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Derek Pingel Independent
2016 rowspan="4" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Jason Cook Independent rowspan="4" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Michael Hagan Independent rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Chris Wilson Independent
2018 rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Rick Vela Independent
2020 rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style Brett Qualischefski Independent LNP
2024 rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style A Better Lockyer

Libraries

The Lockyer Valley Region Council provide public libraries in Gatton and Laidley.[11]

Sister City Relations

References

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  1. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
  2. Queensland Government Gazette, 25 April 1888, p.1403.
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  9. Template:Census 2016 AUS
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External links

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Template:Lockyer Valley Region Template:Local government areas in Brisbane Template:Local Government Areas in South East Queensland Template:Local Government Areas of Queensland

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