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Shire of Derby–West Kimberley

Coordinates: 17°23′S 123°41′E / 17.39°S 123.68°E / -17.39; 123.68
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Shire of Derby/West Kimberley
Western Australia
Location in Western Australia
Map
Population7,075 (LGA 2021)[1]
Established1884
Area104,080 km2 (40,185.5 sq mi)
PresidentPeter McCumstie[2]
Council seatDerby
RegionKimberley
State electorate(s)Kimberley
Federal division(s)Durack
WebsiteShire of Derby/West Kimberley
LGAs around Shire of Derby/West Kimberley:
Cocos Wyndham-East Kimberley Wyndham-East Kimberley
Broome Shire of Derby/West Kimberley Halls Creek
Broome East Pilbara Halls Creek

The Shire of Derby–West Kimberley is one of four local government areas in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia, covering an area of 104,080 square kilometres (40,186 sq mi), most of which is sparsely populated. The Shire's population as at the 2016 Census was almost 8,000, with most residing in the major towns of Derby, which is also the Shire's seat of government, and Fitzroy Crossing. There are also around 70 Aboriginal communities within the Shire.

The major industries of the shire include cattle for export, fishing, and tourism.

History

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It was established as the West Kimberley Road District on 10 February 1887. The first Broome Road District separated on 15 November 1901 and the Municipality of Broome separated on 30 September 1904, but were re-absorbed on 24 July 1908 and 13 December 1918 respectively; the Broome area then again separated as the second Broome Road District (now the Shire of Broome) on 20 December 1918.[3]

It was declared a shire and named the Shire of West Kimberley with effect from 1 July 1961 following the passage of the Local Government Act 1960, which reformed all remaining road districts into shires. It was renamed the Shire of Derby–West Kimberley on 11 June 1983.[3]

The area is home to many large cattle stations, One of the first established was Yeeda Station, taken up in 1880[4] by the Murray Squatting Company composed of William Paterson, G. Paterson, H. Cornish and Alexander Richardson.[5]

The lease for Fossil Downs Station had been issued in 1883 to Dan MacDonald, for an area of 100 square miles (259 km2) at the junction of the Margaret and Fitzroy Rivers.[6] The station was established in 1886 when cattle arrived from the eastern states to stock the lease.[7]

Other properties in the area include Mount Barnett Station, Cherrabun, Charnley River Station, Glenroy, Gogo, Kimberley Downs, Liveringa, Meda, Mornington, Mount Hart, Mount House, Myroodah and Noonkanbah Station all of which are cattle stations supplying the beef market.

Parts of the shire area have been included in the West Kimberley heritage assessment area.

Elected council

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All nine councillors represent the whole of the Shire.

Ward Councillor Position
Unsubdivided   Peter McCumstie President [8]
  Geoff Haerewa Deputy president
  Andrew Twaddle
  Paul Bickerton
  Geoff Davis
  Brett Angwin
  Brian Ellison
  Kerrissa O’Meara
  Wayne Foley

Towns and localities

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The towns and localities of the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley with population and size figures based on the most recent Australian census:[9][10]

Locality Population Area Map
Camballin 500 (SAL 2021)[11] 4,210 km2 (1,630 sq mi) Map
Derby 3,222 (SAL 2021)[12] 162.4 km2 (62.7 sq mi) Map
Durack * 169 (SAL 2021)[13] 29,213.7 km2 (11,279.5 sq mi) Map
Fitzroy Crossing 1,181 (SAL 2021)[14] 28 km2 (11 sq mi) Map
Geegully Creek 9 (SAL 2021)[15] 8,930 km2 (3,450 sq mi) Map
Gibb * 80 (SAL 2021)[16] 12,747.6 km2 (4,921.9 sq mi) Map
Jarlmadangah Burru Community 35 (SAL 2021)[17] 7.2 km2 (2.8 sq mi) Map
Kimbolton 52 (SAL 2021)[18] 6,907.2 km2 (2,666.9 sq mi) Map
King Leopold Ranges 265 (SAL 2021)[19] 35,359.8 km2 (13,652.5 sq mi) Map
Meda 17 (SAL 2021)[20] 4,334.6 km2 (1,673.6 sq mi) Map
Mount Hardman 502 (SAL 2021)[21] 9,013.8 km2 (3,480.2 sq mi) Map
Mueller Ranges * 366 (SAL 2021)[22] 37,982.5 km2 (14,665.1 sq mi) Map
Roebuck * 606 (SAL 2021)[23] 5,582.4 km2 (2,155.4 sq mi) Map
St George Ranges 1,133 (SAL 2021)[24] 29,268.5 km2 (11,300.6 sq mi) Map
Waterbank * 110 (SAL 2021)[25] 6,634 km2 (2,561 sq mi) Map
Willare 127 (SAL 2021)[26] 3,085 km2 (1,191 sq mi) Map
  • (* indicates locality is only partially located within this shire)

Indigenous communities

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Indigenous communities in the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley:

Notable councillors

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  • John McLarty, West Kimberley Roads Board chairman 1884; later a state MP

Heritage-listed places

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As of 2023, 100 places are heritage-listed in the Shire of Derby–West Kimberley,[27] of which 20 are on the State Register of Heritage Places.[28]

References

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  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Derby-West Kimberley (Local Government Area)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "2023 Ordinary Election - Derby-West Kimberley". www.elections.wa.gov.au. Western Australian Electoral Commission. 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Municipality Boundary Amendments Register" (PDF). Western Australian Electoral Distribution Commission. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  4. ^ Anne Porter (2012). "Paterson, William (1847–1920), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography". Australian National University. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  5. ^ Cathie Clement (2012). "Alexander Robert (1847–1931)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography". Australian National University. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Assessment Documentation - Fossil Downs Homestead Group". Register of Heritage Places. Heritage Council of Western Australia. 26 February 1999. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Assessment Documentation - Fitzroy Crossing Post Office (fmr)". Register of Heritage Places. Heritage Council of Western Australia. 18 February 2000. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Councillors » Shire of Derby / West Kimberley". www.sdwk.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  9. ^ "SLIP Map". maps.slip.wa.gov.au. Landgate. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  10. ^ "NationalMap". nationalmap.gov.au. Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  11. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Camballin (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  12. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Derby (WA) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  13. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Durack (WA) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  14. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Fitzroy Crossing (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  15. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Geegully Creek (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  16. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Gibb (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  17. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Jarlmadangah Burru (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  18. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Kimbolton (WA) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  19. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "King Leopold Ranges (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 7 January 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  20. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Meda (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  21. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mount Hardman (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  22. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mueller Ranges (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  23. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Roebuck (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  24. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "St George Ranges (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  25. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Waterbank (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  26. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Willare (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  27. ^ "Shire of Derby-West Kimberley Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  28. ^ "Shire of Derby-West Kimberley State Register of Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
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17°23′S 123°41′E / 17.39°S 123.68°E / -17.39; 123.68