Shire of Derby–West Kimberley explained
The Shire of Derby–West Kimberley is one of four local government areas in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia, covering an area of 104080km2, most of which is sparsely populated. The Shire's population as at the 2016 Census was almost 8,000, with most residing in the major towns of Derby, which is also the Shire's seat of government, and Fitzroy Crossing. There are also around 70 Aboriginal communities within the Shire.
The major industries of the shire include sheep and cattle for export, fishing, and tourism.
History
It was established as the West Kimberley Road District on 10 February 1887. The first Broome Road District separated on 15 November 1901 and the Municipality of Broome separated on 30 September 1904, but were re-absorbed on 24 July 1908 and 13 December 1918 respectively; the Broome area then again separated as the second Broome Road District (now the Shire of Broome) on 20 December 1918.[2]
It was declared a shire and named the Shire of West Kimberley with effect from 1 July 1961 following the passage of the Local Government Act 1960, which reformed all remaining road districts into shires. It was renamed the Shire of Derby–West Kimberley on 11 June 1983.
The area is home to many large cattle stations, One of the first established was Yeeda Station, taken up in 1880[3] by the Murray Squatting Company composed of William Paterson, G. Paterson, H. Cornish and Alexander Richardson.[4]
The lease for Fossil Downs Station had been issued in 1883 to Dan MacDonald, for an area of 100sqmi at the junction of the Margaret and Fitzroy Rivers.[5] The station was established in 1886 when cattle arrived from the eastern states to stock the lease.[6]
Other properties in the area include Mount Barnett Station, Cherrabun, Charnley River Station, Glenroy, Gogo, Kimberley Downs, Liveringa, Meda, Mornington, Mount Hart, Mount House, Myroodah and Noonkanbah Station all of which are cattle stations supplying the beef market.
Parts of the shire area have been included in the West Kimberley heritage assessment area.
Elected council
All nine councillors represent the whole of the Shire.
| Ward | Councillor | Position | |
|---|
| Unsubdivided | | | Peter McCumstie | President | [7] |
| | Geoff Haerewa | Deputy president |
| | Andrew Twaddle | |
| | Paul Bickerton | |
| | Geoff Davis | |
| | Brett Angwin | |
| | Brian Ellison | |
| | Kerrissa O’Meara | |
| | Wayne Foley | | |
Towns and localities
The towns and localities of the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley with population and size figures based on the most recent Australian census:[8] [9]
| Locality | data-sort-type=number | Population | data-sort-type=number | Area | Map |
|---|
| | | | Id: | Q5025018 | | Zoom: | 8 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| | | | Id: | Q1018373 | | Zoom: | 10 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| Durack * | | | | Id: | Q31440624 | | Zoom: | 7 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| | | | Id: | Q1421393 | | Zoom: | 12 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| | | | Id: | Q55522312 | | Zoom: | 8 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| Gibb * | | | | Id: | Q55448882 | | Zoom: | 7 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| | | | Id: | Q6160339 | | Zoom: | 12 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| | | | Id: | Q55772085 | | Zoom: | 8 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| | | | Id: | Q115693520 | | Zoom: | 6 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| | | | Id: | Q55807717 | | Zoom: | 8 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| | | | Id: | Q31432057 | | Zoom: | 7 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| Mueller Ranges * | | | | Id: | Q31432239 | | Zoom: | 6 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| Roebuck * | | | | Id: | Q31431682 | | Zoom: | 8 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| | | | Id: | Q31431747 | | Zoom: | 7 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| Waterbank * | | | | Id: | Q31431097 | | Zoom: | 8 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
|
| | | | Id: | Q31431659 | | Zoom: | 8 | | Mapframe: | yes | | Wikidata: | yes |
| |
- (* indicates locality is only partially located within this shire)
Indigenous communities
Indigenous communities in the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley:
Notable councillors
- John McLarty, West Kimberley Roads Board chairman 1884; later a state MP
Heritage-listed places
See main article: List of State Register of Heritage Places in the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley. As of 2023, 100 places are heritage-listed in the Shire of Derby–West Kimberley,[10] of which 20 are on the State Register of Heritage Places.[11]
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: 2023 Ordinary Election - Derby-West Kimberley . 2023 . www.elections.wa.gov.au . . 5 November 2023 .
- Web site: Municipality Boundary Amendments Register . Western Australian Electoral Distribution Commission . 11 January 2020.
- Web site: Paterson, William (1847–1920), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography. Anne Porter. 2012. 2 December 2013. Australian National University.
- Web site: Alexander Robert (1847–1931)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography. Cathie Clement. 2012. 2 December 2013. Australian National University.
- Web site: Assessment Documentation - Fossil Downs Homestead Group. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Register of Heritage Places. 4 May 2018. 26 February 1999.
- Web site: Assessment Documentation - Fitzroy Crossing Post Office (fmr) . Heritage Council of Western Australia. Register of Heritage Places. 4 May 2018. 18 February 2000.
- Web site: Councillors » Shire of Derby / West Kimberley. 2021-06-19. www.sdwk.wa.gov.au.
- Web site: SLIP Map . . maps.slip.wa.gov.au . . 7 January 2023 .
- Web site: NationalMap . . nationalmap.gov.au . . 7 January 2023 .
- Web site: Shire of Derby-West Kimberley Heritage Places. . inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au . Heritage Council of Western Australia . 22 February 2023.
- Web site: Shire of Derby-West Kimberley State Register of Heritage Places. . inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au . Heritage Council of Western Australia . 22 February 2023.
