Howick County facts for kids
Howick County was one of the 26 special areas, called counties, that were created in Western Australia way back in 1829. These counties were like big sections of land used for official records and organizing who owned what.
What Was Howick County?
Howick County was a type of land division. Think of it like drawing lines on a map to divide a big area into smaller, easier-to-manage parts. These divisions were called "cadastral divisions." This fancy term just means they were used to keep track of land ownership and boundaries.
The main reason for creating these counties was to help the government manage the land. It made it easier to sell land, record who owned it, and plan for new settlements. Howick County was one of the first 26 such areas set up in the early days of the Swan River Colony, which later became Western Australia.
Who Was Viscount Howick?
Howick County was named after a very important person named Viscount Howick. He was a British politician who lived a long time ago. He was a member of the Whig Party, which was one of the main political groups in Britain at the time.
Viscount Howick became the Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies in 1830. This job meant he helped manage Britain's colonies around the world, including places like Australia. Naming a county after him was a way to honor his importance and his connection to the British government.
Where Was Howick County Located?
Howick County was located in the southeastern part of an area known as the Avon Land District. The Avon Land District is still important today because it's where many land records are kept.
Even though Howick County isn't used as an official administrative area anymore, its boundaries helped set up how land is owned and recorded in that part of Western Australia. When people talk about "land titles," they mean the official documents that show who owns a piece of land. The old county divisions helped create the system we still use for these titles.
