The City of Toowoomba was a local government area in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, encompassing the centre and inner suburbs of the regional city of Toowoomba. The City covered an area of 116.5 square kilometres (45.0 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity in various forms from 1860 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in the surrounding area to form the Toowoomba Region.

City of Toowoomba
Queensland
City CBD Looking South
Population119,714
 • Density1,027.6/km2 (2,661.4/sq mi)
Established1860
Area116.5 km2 (45.0 sq mi)
Council seatToowoomba
RegionDarling Downs, South East Queensland
WebsiteCity of Toowoomba
LGAs around City of Toowoomba:
Rosalie Crows Nest Gatton
Jondaryan City of Toowoomba Gatton
Jondaryan Cambooya Gatton

History

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The Borough of Toowoomba was proclaimed on 19 November 1860 under the Municipalities Act 1858,[1] a piece of New South Wales legislation inherited by Queensland when it became a separate colony in 1859.[2] William Henry Groom, sometimes described as the "father of Toowoomba", was elected its first mayor. 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, Toowoomba Municipality became the Town of Toowoomba on 31 March 1903.[3] On 29 October 1904, Toowoomba was proclaimed the City of Toowoomba.[4][5]

Toowoomba absorbed parts of the Shire of Middle Ridge and Town of Newtown on 23 February 1917.[6][7]

On 19 March 1949, following a major reorganisation of local government in South East Queensland,[8] Toowoomba grew its area to include parts of the Shires of Highfields and Drayton.

In 2006 the Mayor Dianne Thorley proposed a controversial plan to recycle sewage into Cooby Dam which is used for drinking water. The federal government agreed to provide partial funding subject to a number of conditions including a requirement to hold a referendum on the issue. On 29 July 2006, Toowoomba voted against the recycled sewage project with the 'No' vote winning by 62% to 38%.

On 15 March 2008, under the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, the City of Toowoomba merged with the Shires of Cambooya, Clifton, Crows Nest, Jondaryan, Millmerran, Pittsworth and Shire of Rosalie to form the Toowoomba Region. The former mayor of the Shire of Jondaryan won the mayoralty of the new council.

Suburbs

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The City of Toowoomba included the following settlements:

1 - split with the former Shire of Crows Nest
2 - split with the former Shire of Jondaryan

Population

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Year Population
1954 43,149
1961 50,134
1966 55,799
1971 59,524
1976 66,436
1981 66,698
1986 73,390
1991 81,043
1996 83,633
2001 86,642
2006 90,466
2011 108,933
2016 134,037

Mayors

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Election results

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1933

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1933 Queensland local elections: Toowoomba[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John Robinson 6,538
Independent Joseph Flatz 6,430
Independent Job Eagles Stone 5,748
Independent Con. Bowdler 5,371
Independent Frank B. Colnmon 5,197
Independent Richard C. Cavanough 5,106
Independent Atherton A. Griffiths 5,021
Independent Henry G. Webb 4,819
Independent Charles G. Blair 4,654
Labor Reginald Turnbull 4,625
Independent August T. Parrot 4,468
Independent Edward W. Cleary 4,152
Independent Patrick J. Hickey 3,663
Labor William James Cronin 3,566
Labor James J. Strohfeld 3,280
Labor John T. Buchanan 2,809
Labor David J. Mohr 2,668
Labor Henry J. Goldsworthy 2,554
Labor Victor T. Cleary 1,965
Independent Joseph Thomson 1,797
Independent Albert T. Sussmilch 1,612
Labor Jessie Schmidt 1,569
Communist William A. Franklin 1,250 1.41
Total formal votes 88,862 99.09
Informal votes 820 0.91
Party total votes
Independent 64,576 72.67
Labor 23,036 25.92
Communist 1,250 1.41

References

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  1. ^ 22 Vic No. 13 (Imp), assented 27 October 1858
  2. ^ "Agency ID 1899, Toowoomba Municipal Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  3. ^ "Agency ID 1900, Toowoomba Town Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  4. ^ Queensland Government Gazette, Vol. LXXXIII, 29 October 1904, p.878.
  5. ^ "Agency ID 1897, Toowoomba City Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  6. ^ "Agency ID 1386, Middle Ridge Shire Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  7. ^ "Agency ID 1449, Newtown Town Council". Queensland State Archives. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  8. ^ Harris, C.P. (1978). Local government and regionalism in Queensland. Australian National University. p. 27. ISBN 0-7081-1355-9.
  9. ^ "Municipal Elections". Trove. The Telegraph.