Moreton Shire Council (1917-1995)

In 1916 the Shires of Brassall, Bundanba, Lowood, Purga and Walloon were abolished. Parts of the Shires of Brassall and Bundanba were included in the City of Ipswich (formed in 1904) with the balance included in the new Shire of Ipswich. Part of the Shire of Walloon was included in the Shire of Rosewood, with the balance included in the Shire of Ipswich.

The boundaries for the Shire of Ipswich were defined on 13^th October 1916.  On 28^th July 1917 the Shire of Ipswich was renamed the Shire of Moreton - a 1,813 sq km area that surrounded the City of Ipswich.

The 1946 Australian Blue Book described Moreton Shire thus:

Coal mining is carried on extensively in the Shire of Moreton, particularly in the closer settlement areas of Bundamba, Blackstone and Dinmore, and it is from this area that Queensland's largest coal production comes. Being the largest coal-producing district in the State, it is not surprising that the area is closely settled. Located between the Cities of Brisbane and Ipswich, with their heavy attendant industrial development, it is natural that a high rate of employment exists throughout the area.

 

The Brisbane River with its tributary, the Bremer River, waters a large part of the area in which maize, lucerne, potatoes, pumpkins, pineapples, paw paws, bananas and strawberries are produced on an extensive scale. Poultry farms and dairy farms are profusely scattered through the area. Industrial development is expressed in the fact that there are sawmills at both Bundamba and Fernvale, woollen mills and meatworks at Redbank, and potteries at Dinmore, Bundamba and Ebbw Vale.

 

The Shire of Moreton is possibly the most highly industrialised Shire throughout Queensland.

 

The three main towns in the area are Bundamba (with a population of 1500), Goodna (population 1500), Redbank (600).

 

The towns of Redbank, Bundamba and Goodna are connected with the transport system between Brisbane and Ipswich and could in effect be classed as either suburbs of Brisbane or Ipswich or as a link between the two. The golf links at Gailes are known to golfers right throughout Queensland.

 

Although the main townships and industries are situated between Brisbane and Ipswich, the Shire entirely surrounds the latter, and it is from the north and wet of Ipswich that the majority of the agricultural work is carried on. 

 

Therefore, it is to this progressive area that the Shire looks for its principal post-war developments. The Ipswich Chamber of Commerce and Industry was formed recently, and the work it has already performed, in addition to its far-sightedness in presenting a plan for the rural reconstruction of West Moreton, has aroused a considerable amount of favourable comment.

 

It is interesting to note that it was in the Shire of Moreton that the Welsh Eisteddfodau Movement in Queensland, which had been long neglected, was revived some sixty years ago.  

In 1946 the Council of the Shire of Moreton leased land from Percy Herbert Keidge (motor garage proprietor). The Lessor agreed to let the lessee to take a lease of Allotments 4 and 5 of Section 22 for three years.

In June 1949 the Moreton Shire Council held its first meeting in Ipswich, and Council meetings continued to be held there until the Moreton Shire Council Office was constructed. In 1960 the Council purchased land in Churchill and the tender for the construction of a Council Office was awarded to H. Telour. The Office was opened on 4 March 1961 by His Excellency the Governor of Queensland. In 1977, the area around the shire office was renamed Yamanto (the former shire office is now used by the Yamanto Police Station).

The boundaries were amended several times over the years, including:

• In 1926 the boundary was extended to include part of the City of Ipswich.
• In 1930 they were extended again to include part of the Shire of Waterford.
• In 1949 the Shire of Rosewood and part of the Shire of Normanby were included in the Shire of Moreton.  Part of the Shire of Moreton (from Bundamba Creek at Bundamba to Gailes, and including Goodna) was incorporated into the City of Ipswich.
• On 11^th March 1995, the date of the Queensland local elections, Moreton Shire Council and Ipswich City Council were merged to create the Council of the City of Ipswich, with the new Ipswich City Council formed on 22nd March 1995.
• In 2000 parts of the former Moreton Shire Council area were transferred from Ipswich City Council to Boonah Shire Council (Mt Walker, Warrill View, Rosevale and parts of Harrisville and Mutdapilly), with Kholo, Mt Crosby and Karana Downs transferred to Brisbane City Council .

In March of 1992, the Electoral and Administrative Review Commission produced the report External Boundaries of Local Authorities, which recommended changes to local government boundaries and the amalgamation of several local governments. Albert (created in 1948) was to be absorbed into Gold Coast City; Mulgrave (formed 1879) merged with Cairns City; and, after hugging the boundaries of the City of Ipswich for 78 years, Moreton Shire would be carved into four with smaller portions going to the City of Brisbane, City of Logan, the Shire of Esk and the bulk of the former shire going to Ipswich.  

At the time of the amalgamation (22nd March 1995),  Moreton Shire had a population of around 50,000 living in an area over 1000 sq km. Ipswich's population numbered around 80,000 and covered an area of 121 sq km.

Moreton Shire Chairmen:

• 1917 - Henry Lewis Jones
• 1920 - John McGuire
• 1921 - Hugh Hallett
• 1930 - R.T. Morgan
• 1949 - Archibald Wilfred Johnstone
• 1952 - R.T. Morgan
• 1955 - Archibald Wilfred Johnstone
• 1958 - Henry William Hayes
• 1961 - Albert George Victor Hall
• 1979 - Neil William Russell
• 1988 -  Owen John Nugent (during Nugent's time, Moreton Shire would transition from having Chairmen to Mayors)