Shire of Derby–West Kimberley

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.

Shire of Derby-West Kimberley
Western Australia
Population7,730 (2016 census)[1]
 • Density0.07427/km2 (0.19236/sq mi)
Established1884
Area104,080 km2 (40,185.5 sq mi)
PresidentGeoff Haerewa
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 major industries of the shire include sheep and cattle for export, fishing, and tourism.

History

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.[2]

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.[2]

The area is home to many large cattle stations, One of the first established was Yeeda Station, taken up in 1880[3] by the Murray Squatting Company composed of William Paterson, G. Paterson, H. Cornish and Alexander Richardson.[4]

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.[5] The station was established in 1886 when cattle arrived from the eastern states to stock the lease.[6]

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.

Wards

All nine councillors represent the whole of the Shire.

Towns

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

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Derby-West Kimberley (S)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  2. "Municipality Boundary Amendments Register" (PDF). Western Australian Electoral Distribution Commission. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  3. Anne Porter (2012). "Paterson, William (1847–1920), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography". Australian National University. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  4. Cathie Clement (2012). "Alexander Robert (1847–1931)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography". Australian National University. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  5. "Assessment Documentation - Fossil Downs Homestead Group". Register of Heritage Places. Heritage Council of Western Australia. 26 February 1999. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  6. "Assessment Documentation - Fitzroy Crossing Post Office (fmr)". Register of Heritage Places. Heritage Council of Western Australia. 18 February 2000. Retrieved 4 May 2018.

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