Shire of Dandaragan
Encyclopedia
The Shire of Dandaragan is a Local Government Area
located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia
, about 200 kilometres (124 mi) north of the state capital, Perth
. The Shire covers an area of 6716 square kilometres (2,593 sq mi) and its seat of government is the town of Jurien Bay
.
and the popularity of The Pinnacles Desert
with tourists have helped to fuel the shire's growth.
Originally the Shire's main administration centre was in the small town of Dandaragan, however due to the disproportionate population growth in the town of Jurien Bay the administration was relocated to Jurien bay in 2003.
On 7 May 2005, the shire was redivided into 2 wards:
By the 2009 Council elections all wards had been abolished and 9 councillors represent the whole shire
Local Government Areas of Western Australia
The Australian state of Western Australia is divided into 141 local government areas...
located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, about 200 kilometres (124 mi) north of the state capital, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. The Shire covers an area of 6716 square kilometres (2,593 sq mi) and its seat of government is the town of Jurien Bay
Jurien Bay, Western Australia
-Demographics:At the ABS 2006 census, Jurien Bay had a population of 1,175, which represented over one-third of the total population of the Shire of Dandaragan...
.
History
On 27 February 1890, the Dandaragan Road District was created. On 1 July 1961, it became a Shire following the enactment of the Local Government Act 1960. Until the late 1960s it was a sparsely populated agricultural shire, but the coastal towns of Jurien Bay and CervantesCervantes, Western Australia
Cervantes is a town in Western Australia. The town is located just off Indian Ocean Drive about north north west of the state capital, Perth in the Shire of Dandaragan Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Cervantes had a population of 503. The town was named after a ship that was wrecked...
and the popularity of The Pinnacles Desert
The Pinnacles Desert
The Pinnacles are limestone formations contained within Nambung National Park, near the town of Cervantes, Western Australia.-Formation:The raw material for the limestone of the Pinnacles came from seashells in an earlier epoch rich in marine life...
with tourists have helped to fuel the shire's growth.
Originally the Shire's main administration centre was in the small town of Dandaragan, however due to the disproportionate population growth in the town of Jurien Bay the administration was relocated to Jurien bay in 2003.
Wards
On 22 May 1971, the shire was divided into Coastal, Central, North and South wards, and its representation increased from 7 to 9 councillors. Over time, the Coastal ward increased in size, and ultimately on 2 May 1987, the ward was abolished and two new wards, Cervantes and Jurien, were created. By 3 November 1989, the following wards existed:- Jurien Ward (3 councillors)
- Cervantes Ward (2 councillors)
- Badgingarra Ward (2 councillors) (formerly North Ward)
- Dandaragan Ward (3 councillors) (formerly South Ward)
On 7 May 2005, the shire was redivided into 2 wards:
- North Ward (5 councillors)
- South Ward (4 councillors)
By the 2009 Council elections all wards had been abolished and 9 councillors represent the whole shire
Towns and localities
- Jurien BayJurien Bay, Western Australia-Demographics:At the ABS 2006 census, Jurien Bay had a population of 1,175, which represented over one-third of the total population of the Shire of Dandaragan...
- CervantesCervantes, Western AustraliaCervantes is a town in Western Australia. The town is located just off Indian Ocean Drive about north north west of the state capital, Perth in the Shire of Dandaragan Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Cervantes had a population of 503. The town was named after a ship that was wrecked...
- BadgingarraBadgingarra, Western AustraliaBadgingarra is a small town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, about north of Perth in the Shire of Dandaragan.It lies on the Brand Highway adjacent to the Badgingarra National Park.-History:...
- CatabyCataby, Western AustraliaCataby is a tiny settlement located some 170 km north of Perth, Western Australia on the Brand Highway. The area was apparently once called West Dandaragan , with the town of Dandaragan located 17 km to the east....
- Cooljarloo
- DandaraganDandaragan, Western AustraliaDandaragan is a small town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.The name of Dandaragan was first recorded in 1850 as the name of a nearby gulley and spring or watering hole known as Dandaraga spring...
- Hill River
- Nambung National ParkNambung National ParkNambung National Park is a national park in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia , 162 km northwest of Perth. It contains the Pinnacles Desert....
- Regans FordRegans Ford, Western AustraliaRegans Ford is a small town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, about north of Perth in the Shire of Dandaragan.-History:...
- Wedge Island
Population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1911 | 269 |
| 1921 | 222 |
| 1933 | 240 |
| 1947 | 191 |
| 1954 | 303 |
| 1961 | 456 |
| 1966 | 619 |
| 1971 | 1,345 |
| 1976 | 1,709 |
| 1981 | 1,785 |
| 1986 | 2,128 |
| 1991 | 2,363 |
| 1996 | 2,570 |
| 2001 | 2,988 |
| 2006 | 2,884 |