Kingborough Council facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kingborough Council Tasmania
Population	37,734 (2018)
• Density	52.4/km2 (136/sq mi)
Established	20 August 1907
Area	720 km2 (278.0 sq mi)
Mayor	Paula Wriedt
Council seat	Kingston
Region	Kingston and Channel
State electorate(s)	Franklin, Clark
Federal Division(s)	Franklin, Clark
Website	Kingborough Council
LGAs around Kingborough Council: Glenorchy Hobart Hobart Huon Valley Kingborough Council Storm Bay Huon Valley Southern Ocean Southern Ocean

Map showing Kingborough LGA in Tasmania

The Kingborough Council is like the local government team for a part of Tasmania. It's one of five areas that make up the bigger Greater Hobart Area. Kingborough is mostly an urban area, meaning it has towns and cities. About 37,734 people live here. It stretches from the southern parts of Hobart through a town called Kingston, and it even includes Bruny Island.

Where Did the Name Kingborough Come From?

The name Kingborough comes from its main town, Kingston. Back in 1851, a person named Mr. Lucas suggested the name Kingston. Before that, the area was known as Brown's River. We don't know for sure why Mr. Lucas picked Kingston. Maybe his parents grew up near a place called New Kingston in England. Or perhaps it was named after Governor Philip Gidley King of New Norfolk.

A Look Back: Kingborough's History

People from Europe first settled in the Kingborough area in 1808. This spot was called Brown's River, named after a botanist (a plant scientist) named Robert Brown. The Lucas family was one of the first to settle here. They built a big house called The Red House, which is now the Kingston Golf Club. Kingston town grew up around this house.

Things developed slowly at first. The first post office didn't open until the 1840s, and the first road to Hobart was built in 1835. Kingston was officially declared a town in 1851. By 1890, about 249 people lived there. On August 20, 1907, the Kingborough area became a municipality, which is a type of local government area. It included three main parts: Kingston, Margate, and Longley. Later, in 1993, Bruny Island joined Kingborough.

Did you know that Keen's Curry powder was invented in this area in 1877?

Over time, Kingborough became a popular place for holidays, especially places like Kingston Beach and Blackmans Bay. Towns like Margate and Kettering were known for their fishing boats. Taroona had factories, including the Taroona Shot Tower where lead shot was made. Sandfly was famous for growing small fruits and apples.

However, the apple farming industry faced tough times in the 1960s. It completely collapsed after the terrible 1967 Tasmanian fires. These fires destroyed many orchards and much of the Kingborough area. A memorial was built in Snug to remember the 62 people who lost their lives in the fires. In Snug, 80 out of 120 buildings burned down. You can learn more about this at the Channel Heritage Centre, which has a permanent exhibition.

Who Runs Kingborough Council?

The Kingborough Council is made up of people called councillors. They are elected by the community to make decisions about the area. Here are the main people on the council:

What Are the Main Areas in Kingborough?

Kingborough includes several towns and smaller communities. Some of the well-known ones are Taroona, Kettering, Margate, Snug, Blackmans Bay, and Woodbridge. Kingston is considered an urban area, meaning it's a busy town with lots of people.

Some of the suburbs that are part of the greater Hobart area but fall within Kingborough include:

• Blackmans Bay
• Bonnet Hill
• Huntingfield
• Kingston
• Kingston Beach
• Taroona

Other towns and communities in Kingborough are:

• Adventure Bay
• Allens Rivulet
• Alonnah
• Birchs Bay
• Coningham
• Dennes Point
• Electrona
• Fern Tree
• Flowerpot
• Gordon
• Kettering
• Longley
• Margate
• Middleton
• Mount Nelson
• Neika
• Sandfly
• Snug
• Tinderbox
• Woodbridge

Images for kids

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  The logo for Kingborough Council.