Mackay Region

Yuwibara (also known as Yuibera, Yuri, Juipera, Yuwiburra) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Yuwibara country. It is closely related to the Biri languages/dialects. The Yuwibara language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Mackay Region.{{Cite SLQ-CC-BY|url=https://maps.slq.qld.gov.au/iyil/view/177|title=Yuwibara|author=|date=|website=Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages map|access-date=23 January 2020}}

Prior to 2008, the Mackay Region was an entire area of three previous and distinct local government areas:

• the City of Mackay;
• the Shire of Mirani;
• and the Shire of Sarina.

The city had its beginning in the Mackay Municipality which was proclaimed on 22 September 1869 under the Municipal Institutions Act 1864.28 Vic No. 21 (Imp) Its first mayor was David Dalrymple, and the council first met on 1 December 1869. It achieved a measure of autonomy in 1878 with the enactment of the Local Government Act. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Mackay became a Town on 31 March 1903, and was ultimately proclaimed a City on 17 August 1918.

On 11 December 1879, the Pioneer Division came into being as one of Queensland's 74 divisions created under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 on 11 November 1879, chaired by John Ewen Davidson. On 31 March 1903, Pioneer became a Shire. Two areas split away from it over the next decade; the Shire of Sarina on 1 January 1912, and the Shire of Mirani on 4 September 1913.{{cite web|url=http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/about_council/history_of_council|title=History of council|author=Mackay Regional Council|year=2009|access-date=10 March 2010}}

On 21 November 1991, the Electoral and Administrative Review Commission, created two years earlier, produced its second report, and recommended that local government boundaries in the Mackay area be rationalised. The Local Government (Mackay and Pioneer) Regulation 1993 was gazetted on 17 December 1993, and on 30 March 1994, the two amalgamated into a larger City of Mackay, which first met on 8 April 1994.

In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released a report making recommendations for statewide reform of local government boundaries, and recommended that the three areas of Mackay, Mirani and Sarina amalgamate, due mainly to Mackay's role as a regional centre and all three shires' involvement in sugar production. The City of Mackay endorsed the suggestion, but the two shires proposed alternative options. In the end, the commission's proposal was unchanged.{{cite book|title=Report of the Local Government Reform Commission|author=Queensland Local Government Reform Commission|volume=2|pages=199–203|isbn=978-1-921057-11-3|date=July 2007|publisher=Local government Reform Commission |url=http://www.dlgp.qld.gov.au/resources/map/reform/mackay-rationale.pdf|access-date=3 June 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317005537/http://www.dlgp.qld.gov.au/resources/map/reform/mackay-rationale.pdf|archive-date=17 March 2011|df=dmy-all}} On 15 March 2008, the City and Shires formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council.

{{Incomplete list|date=June 2020}}

• 2000–present: Gregory Roy Williamson{{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}}

{{Infobox legislature

| name = Mackay Regional Council

| leader1_type = Mayor

| leader1 = Greg Williamson

| party1 = Team Greg Williamson

| leader2_type = Deputy Mayor

| leader2 = Karen May

| party2 = Team Greg Williamson

| seats = 11 elected representatives, including a mayor and 10 councillors

| political_groups1 =

| last_election1 = 16 March 2024

| next_election1 =

}}

Mackay Regional Council is unsubdivided, meaning it does not have any wards. The mayor is directly-elected.

The incumbent mayor, Greg Williamson, formed the Greg Williamson Alliance ahead of the 2016 election, with six members of the group re-elected in 2020.{{cite web |title=Mackay councillors to break from Mayor Greg Williamson's alliance in 2024 |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/mackay-councillors-to-break-from-mayor-greg-williamsons-alliance-in-2024/news-story/e19679d1d270646e602410c904b6ca4f |publisher=The Courier Mail}}

In 2023, four councillors left the group, and in 2024 Team Greg Williamson was formed with the stated aim of "creat[ing] a progressive, modern council".{{cite web |title=FOR OUR REGION Team Greg Williamson Announces Candidates For Local Election |url=https://www.mackayandwhitsundaylife.com/article/for-our-region-team-greg-williamson-announces-candidates-for-local-election |publisher=Mackay & Whitsunday Life}}

The current council, elected in 2024, is:

{{excerpt|Results of the 2024 Queensland local elections|section=Mackay}}

The Mackay Region includes the following settlements:

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• Inner suburbs:
• East Mackay
• Mackay (city centre and CBD)
• North Mackay
• South Mackay
• West Mackay
• Outer suburbs:
• Andergrove
• Beaconsfield
• Blacks Beach
• Bucasia
• Cremorne
• Dolphin Heads
• Eimeo
• Erakala
• Foulden
• Glenella
• Mackay Harbour
• Mount Pleasant
• Nindaroo
• Ooralea
• Paget
• Racecourse
• Richmond
• Rural View
• Shoal Point
• Slade Point
• Te Kowai

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• Bakers Creek
• Ball Bay
• Brampton Island
• Calen
• Farleigh
• Hampden
• Kuttabul
• Laguna Quays
• Lindeman Island
• McEwens Beach
• Midge Point
• Mount Ossa
• Oakenden
• Pindi Pindi
• Seaforth
• St Helens Beach
• Walkerston

{{col-break}}

• Alexandra
• Balberra
• Balnagowan
• Belmunda
• Bloomsbury
• Chelona
• Dumbleton
• Dunnrock
• Greenmount
• Habana
• Homebush
• Mentmore
• Mount Charlton
• Mount Pelion
• Palmyra
• Pleystowe
• Rosella
• Sandiford
• Sunnyside
• The Leap
• Victoria Plains
• Yalboroo

{{col-break}}

• Cape Hillsborough NP
• Eungella NP
• Mount Jukes NP
• Mount Martin NP
• Mount Ossa NP
• Pioneer Peaks NP
• Reliance Creek NP

{{col-end}}

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{{col-break}}

• Benholme (village)
• Brightly (locality)
• Crediton (village)
• Dalrymple Heights (village)
• Dows Creek (town)
• Eton (town)
• Eungella (village)
• Eungella Dam (locality)
• Finch Hatton (town)
• Gargett (town)
• Hazledean (village)
• Kinchant Dam (locality)
• Marian (town)
• Mirani (town)
• Mia Mia (village)
• Mount Martin (village)
• Netherdale (village)
• North Eton (locality)
• Owens Creek (village)
• Pinevale (village)
• Pinnacle (locality)
• Septimus (town)

{{col-break}}

• Alligator Creek (town)
• Armstrong Beach (town)
• Campwin Beach (town)
• Freshwater Point (town)
• Grasstree Beach (town)
• Half Tide (town)
• Hay Point (town)
• Koumala (town)
• Munbura (village)
• Sarina (town)
• Sarina Beach (town)
• Sarina Range (locality)

{{col-end}}

The population figures for each of the predecessor local government areas prior to the 2008 amalgamation:

The estimated population figures (official census population figures are in bold) for the amalgamated Mackay Region from 2008.

The Mackay Regional Council operates libraries in Mackay, Mount Pleasant, Walkerston, Sarina and Mirani.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/libraries/official_stuff/contact_us|title=Libraries: Contact/Opening Hours|publisher=Mackay Regional Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301063545/http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/libraries/official_stuff/contact_us|archive-date=1 March 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=28 April 2017|df=dmy-all}} A mobile library service visits the following districts on a fortnightly schedule: Yalboroo, Bloomsbury, Midge Point, Ball Bay, Seaforth, Koumala, Swayneville, Hay Point, St Helens Beach, Calen, Shoal Point, Oakenden, Habana, Blacks Beach, Slade Point, Hampden, Marian, Gargett, Finch Hatton, Homebush, Chelona, McEwens Beach and Bucasia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/194576/ML_Timetable_2017_Final.pdf|title=Mobile Library Timetable 2017|publisher=Mackay Regional Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301173944/http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/194576/ML_Timetable_2017_Final.pdf|archive-date=1 March 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=8 May 2017|df=dmy-all}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category-inline|Mackay Region}}

• {{Cite web |date=2008 |title=Looking back and moving forward: A brief history of Mackay Regional Council |url=https://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/19490/library_12_page_lift-out.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109013905/https://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/19490/library_12_page_lift-out.pdf |archive-date=9 January 2022 |website=Mackay Regional Council}}

{{Mackay Region}}

{{Local Government Areas of Queensland}}

{{North Queensland}}

Category:North Queensland

Category:Local government areas of Queensland

Category:2008 establishments in Australia