Shire of Cook
Encyclopedia
The Shire of Cook is a Local Government Area located in Far North Queensland
, Australia
. The shire covers most of the eastern and central parts of Cape York Peninsula
, the most northerly section of the Australian mainland.
It covers an area of 106188.4 square kilometres (40,999.6 sq mi), and has existed as a local government entity since 1919.
The separate Cooktown Municipality was proclaimed on 3 April 1976 under the Municipal Institutions Act 1864, and merged with Cook Shire on 24 August 1932.
Prior to 2005, a number of Aboriginal communities administered under Deed of Grant in Trust
by community councils were part of the Shire's area, but they were formally excised and given a new status as Aboriginal Shires. This formed part of the Meeting Challenges, Making Choices strategy developed in response to the Cape York Justice Study undertaken by Justice Fitzgerald QC in November 2001.
The Local Government Reform process in July 2007 concluded that amalgamation of the Shire would not result in any benefits to service delivery and management for the area, noting that it was (and is) the largest local government by area and had no community of interest with any neighbouring areas. The council was, however, reduced from seven to six councillors with an additional elected mayor.
(ABS), who conduct the quinquennial census, as particularly difficult to measure accurately. Reasons for this include cultural and language barriers, transport and geographical spread of the population, who are mostly located in isolated communities. As such, all figures are likely to be lower than the actual population on the census date. Additionally, prior to 1971, Aboriginal people who form a majority of the population were not counted in census statistics.
Until 1 July 2002, the Australian Bureau of Statistics included the Island and DOGIT councils within the Shire of Cook statistical local area. Information for the reduced Shire back to 1996 has been provided on the ABS website through the Time Series Profile.
Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland, or FNQ, is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. The region, which contains a large section of the Tropical North Queensland area, stretches from the city of Cairns north to the Torres Strait...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The shire covers most of the eastern and central parts of Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
, the most northerly section of the Australian mainland.
It covers an area of 106188.4 square kilometres (40,999.6 sq mi), and has existed as a local government entity since 1919.
History
The Daintree and Hann Divisional Boards were created on 11 November 1879 as two of 74 divisions around Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879, With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, they became shires on 31 March 1903. On 16 January 1919, they merged to form the Shire of Cook.The separate Cooktown Municipality was proclaimed on 3 April 1976 under the Municipal Institutions Act 1864, and merged with Cook Shire on 24 August 1932.
Prior to 2005, a number of Aboriginal communities administered under Deed of Grant in Trust
Deed of Grant in Trust
A Deed of Grant in Trust is the name for a system of community-level land trust established in Queensland to administer former reserves and missions...
by community councils were part of the Shire's area, but they were formally excised and given a new status as Aboriginal Shires. This formed part of the Meeting Challenges, Making Choices strategy developed in response to the Cape York Justice Study undertaken by Justice Fitzgerald QC in November 2001.
The Local Government Reform process in July 2007 concluded that amalgamation of the Shire would not result in any benefits to service delivery and management for the area, noting that it was (and is) the largest local government by area and had no community of interest with any neighbouring areas. The council was, however, reduced from seven to six councillors with an additional elected mayor.
Towns and localities
- CooktownCooktown, QueenslandCooktown is a small town located at the mouth of the Endeavour River, on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland where James Cook beached his ship, the Endeavour, for repairs in 1770. At the 2006 census, Cooktown had a population of 1,336...
(pop 1,336) - LauraLaura, QueenslandLaura is a small town north of Lakeland in Cook Shire, Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland, Australia. It is on the only road north towards the tip of the peninsula, and is the centre for the largest collection of prehistoric rock art in the world. It also forms the northern apex of the...
(pop 570) - CoenCoen, QueenslandCoen is a small inland town on the main road heading up the Cape York Peninsula in far northern Queensland, Australia. It is in the Cook Shire Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Coen had a population of 253....
(pop 253) - Archer River
- Ayton
- Helenvale
- LakelandLakeland, QueenslandLakeland, Queensland - also known as Lakeland Downs - is a small farming centre in Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia.It is at the junction of the main Peninsula Development Road , and the Mulligan Highway. It is located in the Shire of Cook.It contains a hotel, a cafe, and roadhouse and a...
- Lizard Island
- Marton
- Merapah
- Portland Roads
- Rossville
- Shelburne
- Starcke
Population
The population of the Shire of Cook, along with Torres, Aurukun and Mornington, have been singled out by the Australian Bureau of StatisticsAustralian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
(ABS), who conduct the quinquennial census, as particularly difficult to measure accurately. Reasons for this include cultural and language barriers, transport and geographical spread of the population, who are mostly located in isolated communities. As such, all figures are likely to be lower than the actual population on the census date. Additionally, prior to 1971, Aboriginal people who form a majority of the population were not counted in census statistics.
Until 1 July 2002, the Australian Bureau of Statistics included the Island and DOGIT councils within the Shire of Cook statistical local area. Information for the reduced Shire back to 1996 has been provided on the ABS website through the Time Series Profile.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1933 | 2,068 |
| 1947 | 1,139 |
| 1954 | 1,545 |
| 1961 | 1,869 |
| 1966 | 2,463 |
| 1971 | 5,538 |
| 1976 | 6,128 |
| 1981 | 4,456 |
| 1986 | 4,776 |
| 1991 | 8,785 |
| 1996 | 5,232 |
| 2001 | 4,776 |
| 2006 | 4,653 |