Bunbury Road District

{{Short description|Former Australian local government area}}

{{for|the body of the same name from 1894 to 1907|Shire of Capel}}

File:Western Australia local government areas, 1935 (Bunbury).jpg

The Bunbury Road District was an local government area in the region surrounding Bunbury, Western Australia from 1899 to 1950.{{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 | accessdate=11 January 2020}}

It was established as the Bunbury Suburban Road District on 26 May 1899, the "suburban" designation distinguishing it from the existing Bunbury Road District (which would be renamed the Capel Road District on 26 June 1907). It was established due to strong protests from residents of Bunbury and surrounds as to the poor state of the roads leading into Bunbury and the perceived disinterest from the Capel-based Bunbury Road Board, with the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce supporting a petition to the government for a new suburban road district.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87095594 |title=PROPOSED SUBURBAN ROADS BOARD. |newspaper=Bunbury Herald |location=Western Australia |date=2 July 1898 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=3 |via=Trove }} The separation was opposed by the existing Bunbury Road Board, who argued that it would take away a valuable portion of their district.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article157539651 |title=BUNBURy ROADS BOARD. |newspaper=Southern Times |location=Western Australia |date=30 August 1898 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=3 |via=Trove }}

The first election for the Bunbury Suburban Road Board was held in June 1899, with the first meeting being held on 28 June.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article157541208 |title=BUNBURY SUBURBAN ROADS BOARD ELECTION. |newspaper=Southern Times |location=Western Australia |date=29 June 1899 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=3 |via=Trove }} The board consisted of seven members elected at large.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article157541208 |title=BUNBURY SUBURBAN ROADS BOARD ELECTION. |newspaper=Southern Times |location=Western Australia |date=29 June 1899 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=3 |via=Trove }} The road board met in the municipal chambers of the Municipality of Bunbury.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article157553515 |title=BUNBURY SUBURBAN ROADS BOARD. |newspaper=Southern Times |location=Western Australia |date=31 January 1901 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=3 |via=Trove }}

Following the original Bunbury Road District's renaming to Capel, the Bunbury Suburban Road District was renamed the Bunbury Road District on 24 July 1908.

It was effectively abolished on 20 January 1950, with its territory being divided between the Municipality of Bunbury, Capel Road District, Dardanup Road District and Harvey Road District, with a commissioner appointed until the board was formally wound up on 24 March.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article253237662 |title=Banbury Road Board Carries On The Fight |newspaper=South Western Times |location=Western Australia |date=26 January 1950 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=12 |via=Trove }} The abolition met with considerable local opposition, a public campaign for retention and attempts to lobby the Premier and Minister for Local Government, but Premier Ross McLarty was insistent, arguing that several ministers, the previous Labor government and a Royal Commission had considered and supported the decision.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article253238049 |title=Advertising |newspaper=South Western Times |location=Western Australia |date=9 February 1950 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=7 |via=Trove }} {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article253237930 |title=Road Board Protest |newspaper=South Western Times |location=Western Australia |date=9 February 1950 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=1 |via=Trove }} {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article253237662 |title=Banbury Road Hoard Carries On The Fight |newspaper=South Western Times |location=Western Australia |date=26 January 1950 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=12 |via=Trove }} {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47825262 |title=ABOLISHED BOARD |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Western Australia |date=25 January 1950 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=13 |via=Trove }} The section amalgamated with the Municipality of Bunbury became its new Suburban Ward.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47831983 |title=COUNCILLORS SWORN IN |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Western Australia |date=28 February 1950 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=4 |via=Trove }}

There was some dissatisfaction in the years following the road district's abolition that rates had increased while works that would have been completed under the old system were not being carried out.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article253256935 |title=Strong Plea For Work On Suburban Ward Roads |newspaper=South Western Times |location=Western Australia |date=7 February 1952 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=10 |via=Trove }} {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article253269213 |title=READERS’ VIEWS . . . |newspaper=South Western Times |location=Western Australia |date=3 September 1953 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=6 |via=Trove }} {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article251112551 |title=Brunswick Road Complaint |newspaper=Harvey Murray Times |location=Western Australia |date=24 March 1950 |access-date=9 February 2020 |page=13 |via=Trove }}

Frank Guthrie was a long-serving member and chairman of the road board.[http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/library/MPHistoricalData.nsf/(Lookup)/59B7BA2DEB5A7852482577E50028A620?OpenDocument Frank Guthrie] – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 25 May 2016.