:City of Stirling

Stirling was established on 24 January 1871 as the Perth Road District under the District Roads Act 1871.{{cite web | url=http://www.boundaries.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/documents//2003_municipal_boundary_amendments_register.pdf | title=Municipality Boundary Amendments Register | publisher=Western Australian Electoral Distribution Commission | access-date=11 January 2020}} The district at that time included what are now the Cities of Wanneroo, Joondalup, Bayswater and Belmont.

With the passage of the Local Government Act 1960, which reformed all road districts into shires, it became the Shire of Perth on 1 July 1961. The Shire of Perth had a population of 84,000 in 1961. It was declared a city and renamed Stirling on 24 January 1971.{{rp|95}}{{Gazette WA|title=Local Government Act 1960 — Order in Council|file=LG 619/69|date=30 October 1970|page=1970:3346}} Nominates 24 January 1971 as effective date.

At a meeting of electors in May 2021, electors passed a motion that the City of Stirling be renamed,{{cite news |title=Stirling electors want name change |date=2021-05-22 |work=Post |publisher=Post Newspapers |location=Shenton Park |page=7 |volume=48 |number=21 |url=https://www.pressreader.com/australia/post-newspapers/20210522/page/7 |access-date=2021-06-05 }} causing it to be considered at the next council meeting. The rationale for the name change is the personal involvement of James Stirling, the first governor of Western Australia and the namesake of the city, in the Pinjarra Massacre on 28 October 1834.{{cite news |last1=Manfield |first1=Evelyn |title=City of Stirling to consider changing name under proposal to recognise traditional owners |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-19/city-of-stirling-to-consider-name-change-for-traditional-owners/100150288 |website=ABC News |date=19 May 2021 |access-date=9 June 2021}} Following the well-conceived ambush and subsequent massacre of 15 to 80 Binjareb Noongar men, women, and children lasting at least one hour that Stirling led personally, Stirling threatened the Noongar people with genocide should they continue to resist colonisation.{{cite web |url=https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialmassacres/detail.php?r=887 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308010045/https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialmassacres/detail.php?r=887 |archive-date=2020-03-08 |title=Pinjarra |year=2017 |last1=Ryan |first1=Lyndall |last2=Pascoe |first2=William |last3=Debenham |first3=Jennifer |last4=Gilbert |first4=Stephanie |last5=Richards |first5=Jonathan |last6=Smith |first6=Robyn |last7=Owen |first7=Chris |last8=Anders |first8=Robert J |last9=Brown |first9=Mark |last10=Price |first10=Daniel |last11=Newley |first11=Jack |last12=Usher |first12=Kaine |website=Colonial Frontier Massacres in Australia |publisher=University of Newcastle |access-date=2019-11-23 }}{{cite web |url=http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Admin/api/file/a32f1bff-4af9-564a-68ce-8409d0c9f3cc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223043515/http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Admin/api/file/a32f1bff-4af9-564a-68ce-8409d0c9f3cc |archive-date=2019-12-23 |title=Register of Heritage Places – Assessment Documentation, Pinjarra Massacre Site 1 |date=18 December 2007 |website=Heritage Council of Western Australia |access-date=23 November 2019 }}{{cite conference |url=https://www.supremecourt.wa.gov.au/_files/35th_Annual_Australia_and_New_Zealand_Law_and_History_Society_Conference_Martin_CJ_5_Dec_2016.pdf|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223051757/https://www.supremecourt.wa.gov.au/_files/35th_Annual_Australia_and_New_Zealand_Law_and_History_Society_Conference_Martin_CJ_5_Dec_2016.pdf |archive-date=2019-12-23 |title=Aboriginal People at the Periphery |last1=Martin |first1=Wayne |date=2016-12-05 |publisher=Curtin Law School |book-title=35th Annual Australia and New Zealand Law and History Society Conference |pages=1–36 |location=Perth |access-date=2019-11-26 }}{{rp|25}}{{cite book |last1=Collard |first1=Len |last2=Palmer |first2=Dave |title=Nidja Boodjar Binjarup Nyungar, Kura, Yeye, Boorda |date=May 1996|publisher=Gcalyut Research and Training Project |location=Fremantle|doi=10.13140/RG.2.1.3593.0485}} Historian Chris Owen has argued that James Stirling's involvement in the Pinjarra massacre was on the historical record, and "there's no ambiguity in it any more, Stirling set out to punish the Noongar tribe down there for blocking expansion of the colony. He told everyone what he was going to do, went down there, did it and reported on it."{{cite news |title=Stirling Range named after governor involved in 1834 massacre should be renamed, say WA Greens |date=2021-06-09 |first1=John |last1=Dobson |first2=Tyne |last2=Logan |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-09/wa-greens-call-for-name-change/12336104 |access-date=2021-12-15 }}

The motion made national news,{{cite news |title=WA's first governor James Stirling had links to slavery, as well as directing a massacre. Should he be honoured? |first=Georgina |last=Arnott |date=2021-06-08 |work=The Conversation |publisher=The University of Melbourne |url=https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/news/15066-wa's-first-governor-james-stirling-had-links-to-slavery--as-well-as-directing-a-massacre.-should-he-be-honoured%3F |access-date=2021-12-19 |quote=Stirling's direction of an 1834 massacre in Pinjarra, south of Perth, means we cannot honour him. Doing so dishonours those killed in that massacre, and its survivors, as well as their descendants. }}{{cite news |title=Mervyn Eades says if Stirling won't change its name, then its reconciliation plan needs to be thrown out |first=Ben |last=O'Shea |date=2021-06-11 |work=news.com.au |url=https://www.news.com.au/national/western-australia/mervyn-eades-says-if-stirling-wont-change-its-name-then-its-reconciliation-plan-needs-to-be-thrown-out/news-story/be2dd9cac1a01ac791dcf69881e6c0bb |access-date=2021-12-19 |quote=Early on the morning of October 28, 1834, Stirling and 24 troops cornered about 80 men, women and children in their camp on the river and opened fire from both banks. }} and sparked a barrage of hateful messages towards the City of Stirling.{{cite web |last1=Budihardjo |first1=Nadia |last2=Rintoul |first2=Caitlyn |title=City of Stirling bombarded with 'hateful messages' over potential name change to include Aboriginal community |url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/local-government/city-of-stirling-bombarded-with-hateful-messages-over-potential-name-change-to-include-aboriginal-community-ng-b881877076z |website=The West Australian |date=19 May 2021 |url-access=subscription |access-date=9 June 2021}} Among suggestions was for a dual name to be adopted, involving a Noongar name. A report released by the city two weeks later stated that the name change was not a priority, and that there were significant costs associated with any name change.{{cite web |last1=Budihardjo |first1=Nadia |title=James Stirling name change not a 'priority': council report |url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/local-government/james-stirling-name-change-not-a-priority-council-report-c-3014971 |website=The West Australian |date=4 June 2021 |url-access=subscription |access-date=9 June 2021}} At the council meeting on 8 June 2021, arguments were put forth either way, with one councillor saying "while nobody condoned historical atrocities, a name change would cost 'millions of dollars', would set a dangerous precedent and should be 'nipped in the bud{{'}}", but no motions regarding changing the name were carried.{{cite news |title=Disappointment as Stirling Council fails to change name |date=2021-06-09 |first=Sarah |last=Collard |work=NITV News |publisher=Special Broadcasting Service |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2021/06/09/disappointment-stirling-council-fails-change-name |access-date=2021-12-18 |quote=The City is named after Western Australia's first governor Sir James Stirling, who instigated one of the state's bloodiest massacres almost 200 years ago. }} The meeting was attended by over 100 people, an unusually high number.{{cite web |last1=Traill |first1=Michael |title=James Stirling debate: City of Stirling council decides not to change name despite controversial origins |url=https://thewest.com.au/news/social/james-stirling-debate-city-of-stirling-council-decides-not-to-change-name-despite-controversial-origins-ng-b881894499z |website=The West Australian |date=8 June 2021 |url-access=subscription |access-date=9 June 2021}}{{cite news |title=City of Stirling keeps name of governor involved in WA massacre after push to change moniker |date=2021-06-08 |first=James |last=Carmody |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-09/city-of-stirling-keeps-name-of-governor-involved-in-wa-massacre/100198450 |access-date=2021-12-15 }} Shortly afterwards, Western Australian senators called for a broader review of Western Australian "place names, such as Stirling Range, linked to colonial figures with known racist histories ... such as William Dampier, John Forrest and John Septimus Roe."

The city has been divided into seven wards, each of two councillors. Each councillor serves a four-year term, and half-elections are held every two years. The mayor is elected from among the councillors.

• Balga Ward
• Coastal Ward
• Doubleview Ward
• Hamersley Ward
• Inglewood Ward
• Lawley Ward
• Osborne Ward

The suburbs of the City of Stirling with population and size figures based on the most recent Australian census:{{cite web |url=https://maps.slip.wa.gov.au/landgate/locate/ |title=SLIP Map |author= |date= |website=maps.slip.wa.gov.au |publisher=Landgate |access-date=1 January 2023 |quote=}}{{cite web |url=https://nationalmap.gov.au/ |title=NationalMap |author= |date= |website=nationalmap.gov.au |publisher=Geoscience Australia |access-date=1 January 2023 |quote=}}

{{wide image|City of Stirling gnangarra.jpg|400px|City of Stirling offices.|50%|right

|alt=}}

{{historical populations|cols=2|align=none

| percentages=pagr

| 1911 | 5,066

| 1921 | 12,043

| 1933 | 19,987

| 1947 | 30,989

| 1954 | 50,090

| 1961 | 84,045

| 1966 | 114,410

| 1971 | 154,882

| 1976 | 162,313

| 1981 | 161,858

| 1986 | 164,687

| 1991 | 172,064

| 1996 | 172,819

| 2001 | 167,578

| 2006 | 176,872

| 2011 | 195,702

| 2016 | 210,208

| 2021 | 226,369

}}

• The 1996 figure includes 9,703 residents living in Maylands, and Mount Lawley south of the Midland railway line who were transferred to the City of Bayswater in 1998.

The City of Stirling holds 6 libraries. They are the:

• Scarborough Library
• Karrinyup Library
• Dianella Library
• Inglewood Library
• Mirrabooka Library
• Osborne Library

{{main|List of State Register of Heritage Places in the City of Stirling}}

{{As of|2024}}, 641 places are heritage-listed in the City of Stirling,{{cite web |url=http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Search/Results?newSearch=True&placeNameContains=&streetNameContains=&suburbOrTownContains=&lgaContains=Stirling&isCurrentlyStateRegistered=false|title=City of Stirling Heritage Places|author= |date= |website=inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au |publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia |access-date=2 March 2024 |quote=}} of which 20 are on the State Register of Heritage Places.{{cite web |url=http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Search/Results?newSearch=True&placeNameContains=&streetNameContains=&suburbOrTownContains=&lgaContains=Stirling&isCurrentlyStateRegistered=true&isCurrentlyStateRegistered=false|title=City of Stirling State Register of Heritage Places|author= |date= |website=inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au |publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia |access-date=2 March 2024 |quote=}}

• List of mayors of Stirling

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}

{{Local Government Areas of Western Australia}}

{{City of Stirling suburbs}}

{{Cities of Western Australia}}

{{WA Inc}}

{{Authority control}}

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Stirling

Category:Naming controversies