A Brief History of Nebo Shire Council
Chapman and Wood, in the opening chapter of their book, 'Australian Local Government', explain how local control followed the English pattern, yet was quite different because of the special conditions existing in the Colonies.
Three stages of Local Government
The Nebo area largely missed out on the first stage which was under direct control from London through a resident Governor, for Queensland's separation from New South Wales coincided with the settlement of the district. In the second stage there was little autonomy but the area did have representation of a sort in the Parliament.
During this stage it was common to petition the Government to establish 'boards' to administer various local functions such as control of health, water trusts, cemeteries, roads and recreation. Five or six Members would serve on each board.
The system was not popular in Queensland in those days but other Colonies embraced it with open arms. Tasmania, for instance, in the 1870s had more than 350 boards with 1800-odd members.
Up to the late 1870s, most Members of Parliament spent their time lobbying the Government to spend money on projects for their local areas. The Government, seeing Queensland in its broader perspective, was reluctant to favour one district over another, particularly for a project which would benefit only the one area, and on a task which should perhaps be undertaken by that district itself.
It was decided over a period of time to devolve responsibility to areas by means of elected councils. Queensland was the first of the Colonies to divide its entire area into Local Government Divisions when its Parliament passed the Local Government Act of 1878 and the Divisional Boards Act of 1879.
Nebo was not one of the foundation areas. The District was in a doldrums period and it originally formed part of the huge Broadsound Division. After only two years, however, the Mount Britton goldfield was discovered. There had been some subdivision of the large original holdings and it was decided to form the Nebo Divisional Board from division three of the Broadsound Board.
The first meeting was held in the Court House on 18th March, 1883 with members Henry Richards (chairman), George F. Bridgeman, Allan Williams, John Torkinton, Nathaniel Perry and Francis Brown. A working balance of £423 3s 3d ($846.32) was transferred from the other Board together with two draught horses, one tip dray, various tools and some tents. The staff of division three also transferred and consisted of a working overseer at $4.20 per week, a cook, one horse driver and four pick and shovel men.
Left: The old Nebo Shire Office and St. Margaret's Anglican Church in earlier days (circa 1930).
The Nebo Board was proclaimed on 10th February, 1883, and some five weeks later the first board meeting was held.
The Queensland Government Gazette dated 26th March, 1884, provides full details of by-laws one, two and three approved for the Board. The first deals with regulating the meetings and proceedings of the Board and includes four main headings: general rules for conducting business, the order of debate, committees, and miscellaneous regulations.
The second regulates the payment of rates while the third covers such things as actions prohibited, penalties for doing so and a paragraph allowing the by-laws to be expanded as required. Although amendments have no doubt been made over the last 100 years, it is incredible how much of these original by-laws have remained untouched. The section on meeting procedure for instance is almost intact. One presumes there were almost identical by-laws for most Boards formed, for they provided a stable, uniform base.
That was the last statement for the Nebo Divisional Board, for during 1902 the Local Authorities Act was redrafted. It then stated that, as from 31st March, 1903 all existing Divisions would be known as Shires of the same name.
Left: Nebo Shire Council Chambers today.
In its last year as a Board, general expenditure was shown to have totalled $1,068.21. Thirty years later (1931), the figure increased six-fold to $6,370.74. Another 30 years to 1960-61 saw the total expenditure at $1 14,000. The year 1980-81 showed $889,000 for the Shire which by this time had enjoyed some benefit from the Brigalow Scheme and development of the new town of Coppabella.
Later in the 1980s, Glenden was established and expenditure for 1987-88 stood at $5,475,950. It is interesting to note that in 1960-61 the Shire spent only $48,000 on roads while 20 years later that figure had risen to $451,000. It is a far cry from the £267.06 spent on roads in 1902.
Shire boundaries have changed ten times since 1885. Some of these changes were quite small, no doubt to round out properties or to improve administration. However, on 22nd January, 1970 a quite large alteration was gazetted. This was to remove the proposed town site of Moranbah and Goonyella Mine from the Shire and to include open cattle country to the north and west of the town.
The Shire Council can claim many events of history. For instance, in 1908, it appointed a female shire clerk. Miss Blanche Smith, who later married Councillor N.E. Perry, was the first, and at that time, the only woman to hold such a position in Queensland. She resigned the office in 1917.
In 1941, Mr Herbert Edgar Blake, the Shire Clerk since 1919 and Mrs Blake were murdered in their home. The crime has not been solved.
In late 1987, the famous tamarind tree in the main street planted by James Perry, and Dipperu National Park (the Shire's only) were listed by the National Trust.
In 1966, the council hosted the North Queensland Local Government Association Conference, while back in 1959 State centenary celebrations were held and the first naturalisation ceremony was conducted. In 1906, council became a member of the Local Authorities Association, one of the first to do so.
On Tuesday, 15th March, 1983 the Council hosted the Shire Centenary celebrations. The festivities commenced at 11.30 a.m. with a re-enactment of the first Divisional Board Meeting by the modern day Councillors dressed in period costume. At 2.00 p.m. the official opening of Centenary Park by Mr J. H. Randell MLA, the Member for Mirani was held.
Later a booklet compiled by the late Dell McLaughlin was distributed. The book, now a collector's item, celebrates the centenary of the Shire. The final official function of the day was to open the Nebo Shire Council Museum established in the old Police Station and Court House complex. The opening was completed by the Inspector of Mackay Police District, Inspector D.R. Daniels.
- This brief history of Nebo Shire Council is an excerpt from the book 'Behold Nebo' by George Mayes (published 1991). His book is available for purchase from Nebo Shire Council Office or Museum. (Current cost of this publication can be found at Fees and Charges ).