Shire of Stephens

File:StateLibQld 2 293447 Stephens Shire Council Office, 1906.jpg

File:Former Stephens Shire offices, now a residence at 15 Ealing Street, Annerley, 2014.JPG

On 11 November 1879, the Yeerongpilly Division was created as one of 74 divisions within Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879.{{Gazette QLD|title=Proclamation [Yeerongpilly Division constituted]|volume=25|page=989|date=11 November 1879}} On 14 October 1886, following a successful petition from ratepayers to create a new division, Stephens Division was severed from subdivision No. 1 of Yeerongpilly Division.{{Gazette QLD|title=Proclamation [Stephens Division constituted]|volume=39|page=1460|date=16 October 1886}}{{Gazette QLD|title=Proclamation [Yeerongpilly Division amended]|volume=39|page=1461|date=16 October 1886}}{{cite QSA Agency|1853|Stephens Divisional Board|10 October 2013}} It had a board of six members (3 being elected by each of 2 subdivisions); the first board elections were held in February 1887.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19922792 |title=Municipal and Divisional Board Elections. |newspaper=The Queenslander |location=Brisbane |date=12 February 1887 |access-date=10 October 2013 |page=261 |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527030946/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/19922792 |url-status=live }}

With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Stephens Division became the Shire of Stephens on 31 March 1903.{{cite QSA Agency|2483|Stephens Shire Council|10 October 2013}}

A major project undertaken by the shire was the creation of the Yeronga Memorial Park. The land (bounded by Ipswich Road, Villa Street, Park Road & School Road) was originally set aside in 1882 as a recreational reserve. Between 1917 and 1921 the shire redeveloped the park as a memorial to local participation in World War I, 14% of the population having enlisted for military service. The park is listed on both the Queensland Heritage Register and the Brisbane Heritage Register.{{cite QHR|19584|Yeronga Memorial Park|602462|access-date=2 January 2014}}{{cite BrisbaneHR|1989|Yeronga Memorial Park|accessdate=2 January 2014}}

In 1923 the Stephens Croquet Club was established in the Yeronga Memorial Park consisting of two lawns and a clubhouse.{{Cite web|url=https://stephenscroquet.com.au/our-club/history-of-our-club/|title=History Of Our Club|website=Stephens Croquet Club|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-01|archive-date=15 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915185915/https://stephenscroquet.com.au/our-club/history-of-our-club/|url-status=live}}

The offices for the shire were located on Ipswich Road, between Victoria Terrace and Junction Terrace.{{cite web|title=Stephens Shire|url=http://queenslandplaces.com.au/stephens-shire|work=Queensland Places|publisher=Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland|access-date=9 October 2013|archive-date=27 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227091216/http://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/stephens-shire|url-status=live}} In 1923, it was planned to develop a new council chambers, offices and a School of Arts, but this was delayed given the proposal to create Greater Brisbane which would have resulted in the abolition of Stephens Shire.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22644993 |title=The Week at a Glance. |newspaper=The Queenslander |location=Brisbane |date=7 July 1923 |access-date=10 October 2013 |page=29 |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527030946/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22644993 |url-status=live }}

On 1 October 1925, the Shire of Stephens was abolished and its area became part of the new City of Brisbane.

The shire offices and associated land were sold in 1929.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21411948 |title=STEPHENS SHIRE OFFICE TO BE SOLD. |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |date=1 June 1929 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=14 |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527030946/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/21411948 |url-status=live }} The building was relocated to the rear of the block and turned to face the street behind (its street address is now 15 Ealing Street) and was altered for use as a residence. It is listed on the Brisbane Heritage Register.{{Cite BrisbaneHR|57|Stephens Shire Divisional Board Office|accessdate=2 January 2014}}

The name Stephens survives in the Stephens Croquet Club which continues to operate under that name.

• 1903: P. Marshall {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19207893 |title=Proposed Flood-gates for Norman Creek |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |date=27 July 1903 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527030946/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/19207893 |url-status=live }}
• 1905, and another year between 1904 and 1907: Alexander McNab {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21565558 |title=Death of Mr. A. M'Nab |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |date=5 May 1930 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=13 |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527030948/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/21565558 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19302387 |title=Hamilton Town Council |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |date=7 February 1905 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527030946/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/19302387 |url-status=live }}
• 1906: H. W. Luya {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20823471 |title=Queensland Mayors and Shire Chairmen. |newspaper=The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939) |location=Brisbane, Qld. |date=24 February 1906 |access-date=1 October 2015 |page=22 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}
• 1908: Mr McCosker {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19543573 |title=Wattlebrae Hospital |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |date=8 October 1908 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527030948/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/19543573 |url-status=live }}
• 1925: F. A. Stimson {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20965022 |title=Mayors and Chairmen of Councils Who Were Entertained Yesterday by Alderman Jolly |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |date=1 October 1925 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=9 |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527030946/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/20965022 |url-status=live }}
• George Grimes {{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19617945 |title=Death of Mr. George Grimes |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |date=29 January 1910 |access-date=26 December 2013 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia |archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527030947/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/19617945 |url-status=live }}

The population of Stephen Shire was:{{cite web|title=Population by local government area, Queensland, 1859 to 2007|url=http://www.oesr.qld.gov.au/products/tables/historical-tables-demography/pop-lga-qld.csv|work=Historical Tables, Demography, 1823 to 2008 (Q150 release)|publisher=Queensland Government|access-date=5 October 2013|format=CSV|archive-date=2 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402162016/http://www.oesr.qld.gov.au/products/tables/historical-tables-demography/pop-lga-qld.csv|url-status=live}}

File:Population-of-Shire-of-Stephens.PNG

• Annerley
• Fairfield
• Greenslopes (split with Shire of Coorparoo)
• Holland Park West
• Moorooka
• Tarragindi (split with Shire of Yeerongpilly)
• Yeerongpilly (split with Shire of Yeerongpilly)
• Yeronga

{{Reflist}}

• {{Citation |author1=Byrnes, Matthew |title=Stephens District, historical overview |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12432058 |publication-date=1995}}

• {{Citation | editor1=Sheaffe, Stephen W |title=Stories of Stephens : a history of Annerley and the surrounding suburbs : proceedings of a conference held on 27 February 2016 | publication-date=2017 | publisher=Annerley Stephens History Group Inc | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/228190474}}
• {{Citation | editor1=Sheaffe, Stephen | title=Echoes of stories of Stephens : a history of Annerley and the surrounding suburbs | publication-date=2019 | publisher=Annerley Stephens History Group Inc | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/237984298 }}
• {{Citation | editor1=Sheaffe, Stephen W | title=Stephens and war : a history of Annerley and the surrounding suburbs during war times | publication-date=2020 | publisher=Annerley-Stephens History Group Inc | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/244597650 }}

• {{cite web|title=Stephens Shire|url=http://queenslandplaces.com.au/stephens-shire|work=Queensland Places|publisher=Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland}}

{{Coord|27|30|41.5|S|153|01|53.7|E|type:adm2nd_region:AU-QLD|display=title}}

{{Queensland former LGAs}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephens Shire}}

Category:Former local government areas of Queensland

Category:1886 establishments in Australia

Category:1925 disestablishments in Australia