Western Downs Region

Baranggum (also known as Barrunggam, Barunggam Parrungoom, Murrumgama) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Baranggum people. The Baranggum language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Western Downs Regional Council, particularly Dalby, Tara, Jandowae and west towards Chinchilla.{{Cite web|url=https://maps.slq.qld.gov.au/iyil/view/baranggum-2?embed=true|title=Baranggum|website=State Library of Queensland|access-date=15 January 2020|archive-date=9 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209064018/https://maps.slq.qld.gov.au/iyil/view/baranggum-2?embed=true|url-status=live}}

Western Downs Region was created in March 2008 as a result of the report of the Local Government Reform Commission released in July 2007.

Prior to the 2008 amalgamation, the new Region, located in the Darling Downs region, consisted the entire area of five previous local government areas:

• the Town of Dalby;
• the Shire of Chinchilla;
• the Shire of Murilla;
• the Shire of Tara;
• the Shire of Wambo;
• and Division 2 of the Shire of Taroom.

The report recommended that the new local government area should not be divided into wards and elect ten councillors and a mayor. The report estimated that the resident population in 2006 was 30,018 and the operating budget was A$74 million.

Originally called Dalby Region, a name change to Western Downs was approved in August 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.dalbyrc.qld.gov.au/news/2009/news_mr_council_new_identity_set_for_launch.shtml|title=Council set to launch new identity|date=5 August 2009|publisher=Western Downs Regional Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002200128/http://www.dalbyrc.qld.gov.au/news/2009/news_mr_council_new_identity_set_for_launch.shtml|archive-date=2 October 2009|access-date=21 January 2014}} The name change was greeted positively by residents as they felt the name was more inclusive and a better representation of the area. The name "Western Downs" stems from the phrase Darling Downs, and as the name suggests; the area to the west of the downs.

The Western Downs Region includes the following settlements:

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Dalby area:

• Dalby (town)

Chinchilla area:

• Baking Board
• Boonarga
• Brigalow (town)
• Burncluith
• Canaga
• Chances Plain
• Chinchilla (town)
• Crossroads
• Goombi
• Hopeland
• Kogan (town)
• Pelican
• Rywung
• Wychie

Murilla area:

• Columboola
• Condamine (town)
• Dalwogon
• Drillham (town)
• Dulacca (town)
• Gurulmundi
• Kowguran
• Miles (town)
• Barramornie
• Bogandilla
• Drillham South
• Glenaubyn
• Hookswood
• Moraby
• Myall Park
• Nangram
• Pine Hills
• Sunnyside
• Yulabilla

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Tara area:

• Flinton
• Glenmorgan (town)
• Goranba
• Hannaford
• Inglestone
• Meandarra
• Moonie (town)
• Tara (town)
• The Gums (town)
• Weranga
• Westmar

Wambo area:

• Bell (town)
• Burra Burri
• Cooranga
• Ducklo
• Irvingdale
• Jandowae (town)
• Jimbour (town)
• Jimbour East
• Jimbour West
• Kaimkillenbun (town)
• Kumbarilla
• Macalister
• Mowbullan
• Nandi
• Pirrinuan
• Roche Creek
• St Ruth
• Tuckerang
• Warra (town)

South Taroom area:

• Eurombah¹
• Grosmont
• Guluguba
• Wandoan (town)

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¹ – shared with the Shire of Banana

The Western Downs Regional Council operates public libraries at Bell, Chinchilla, Dalby, Jandowae, Meandarra, Miles, Moonie, Tara, and Wandoan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.westerndownslibraries.com/branch-locations/|title=Branch Libraries|website=Western Downs Regional Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131035320/https://www.westerndownslibraries.com/branch-locations/|archive-date=31 January 2018|url-status=live|access-date=31 January 2018}}

In the {{CensusAU|2011}} (the first for the new region), the Western Downs Region had a population of 31,590 people,{{Census 2011 AUS|id=LGA37310|name=Western Downs Region (LGA)|access-date=22 June 2024|quick=on}} including the following sub-populations:{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

^* – shared with the Shire of Banana

In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, the Western Downs Region had a population of 33,444 people.{{Census 2016 AUS|id=LGA37310|name=Western Downs Region (LGA)|access-date=20 October 2018|quick=on}}

In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, the Western Downs Region had a population of 33,843 people.{{Census 2021 AUS|id=LGA37310|name=Western Downs Region (LGA)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}

• 2008–2016: Ray Brown* {{cite web|title=2008 Dalby Regional Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary|url=http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/lg2008/DalbyRegionalCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html|publisher=Electoral Commission of Queensland|access-date=2 March 2015|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402095410/http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/lg2008/DalbyRegionalCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=2012 Western Downs Regional Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary|url=http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2012/WesternDownsRegionalCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html|publisher=Electoral Commission of Queensland|access-date=2 March 2015|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402173214/http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2012/WesternDownsRegionalCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Councillor Profiles|url=http://www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/council/councillors.shtml|publisher=Western Downs Regional Council|access-date=21 January 2014|archive-date=1 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201182428/http://www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/council/councillors.shtml|url-status=live}}
• 2016–2024: Paul McVeigh {{cite web|title=Councillors Profiles|url=http://www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/about-council/councillors-connect/councillors-profiles/|website=Western Downs Regional Council|access-date=8 April 2016|archive-date=9 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409174742/http://www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/about-council/councillors-connect/councillors-profiles/|url-status=live}}{{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}}
• 2024 - present: Andrew Smith{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2019-07-01 |title=2024 Local Government Elections: Western Downs Regional Mayor |url=https://results.elections.qld.gov.au/2024QLGE/073/primary |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=Electoral Commission of Queensland |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Mayor & Councillors |url=https://www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/Council/About-WDRC/Mayor-Councillors |access-date=2024-05-30 |publisher=Western Downs Regional Council |archive-date=22 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322011227/https://www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/Council/About-WDRC/Mayor-Councillors |url-status=live }}

{{Expand list|date=June 2020}}

The councillors elected in 2024 were:{{Cite web|url=https://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2016/WesternDownsRegionalCouncil/results/councillor/summary.html|title=2016 Western Downs Regional Council - Councillor Election - Election Summary|date=20 April 2016|publisher=Electoral Commission of Queensland|access-date=1 November 2016|archive-date=1 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101104650/https://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2016/WesternDownsRegionalCouncil/results/councillor/summary.html|url-status=live}}

• Kylie Bourne- Deputy Mayor (2020–present)
• Peter Saxelby (2016–present)
• Kaye Maguire (2016–present)
• Megan James (2020 - present)
• George Moore (2020 - present)
• Greg Olm (2024–present)
• Sophie Bougoure (2024–present)
• Sam Condon (2024 - present)

*was representative of a region pre-amalgamation

{{reflist}}

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• [http://www.wdrc.qld.gov.au/ Western Downs Regional Council]
• [http://www.advancewesterndowns.com/ Advance Western Downs]

{{Western Downs Regional Council}}

{{Darling Downs}}

{{Local Government Areas of Queensland}}

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Category:Local government areas of Queensland

Category:Darling Downs

Category:2008 establishments in Australia