Shire of Irwin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shire of IrwinWestern Australia |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Location in Western Australia
|
|||||||||||||||
| Area | 2,374.4 km2 (916.8 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Shire President | Michael Smith | ||||||||||||||
| Council seat | Dongara | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Mid West | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Moore | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Durack | ||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||
| Website | Shire of Irwin | ||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
The Shire of Irwin is a local government area in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It is located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Geraldton. It is also about 360 kilometers (224 miles) north of Perth, the state capital.
The Shire of Irwin covers an area of about 2,374 square kilometers (917 square miles). The main town and where the local government offices are located is Dongara.
Contents
History of the Shire of Irwin
The area we now know as the Shire of Irwin has a long history of local government.
Early Days: Road Districts
The Irwin Road District was first created on January 24, 1871. This made it one of the very first local government areas outside of big cities in Western Australia. Before this, the area was known as the "Victoria District."
Over time, the size of the Irwin Road District changed. On June 16, 1916, it gained a large amount of land. This happened when another local government, the Upper Irwin Road Board, was closed down.
Later, some parts of the district became their own separate areas. The Carnamah Road District was formed on August 24, 1923. The Three Springs Road District was created on November 2, 1928.
Becoming a Shire
On July 1, 1961, a new law called the Local Government Act 1960 was passed. This law changed all remaining "road districts" into "shires." This is how the Irwin Road District became the Shire of Irwin.
In June 2015, the Shire of Irwin made a declaration. They stated that their area was "gasfield free," meaning no gas extraction would happen there.
Population Growth
The population of the Shire of Irwin has changed a lot over the years. The table below shows how many people have lived in the area at different times.
| Historical population | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
How the Shire is Organized
The Shire of Irwin is divided into smaller areas called "wards." These wards help make sure that different parts of the Shire have people representing them on the local council.
Shire Wards and Councillors
There are four wards in the Shire of Irwin:
- Denison Ward (has four councillors)
- North Ward (has two councillors)
- South East Ward (has two councillors)
- Town Ward (has two councillors)
Each ward elects people called "councillors" to represent them. These councillors make decisions about the local area.
Towns and Localities
The Shire of Irwin includes several towns and smaller areas called localities. The table below shows these places, along with their population and size based on the most recent Australian census.
| Locality | Population | Area | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allanooka | 19 (SAL 2016) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Arrowsmith | 17 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Bonniefield | 217 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Bookara | 149 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Dongara | 1,393 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Irwin | 72 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Milo | 16 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Mount Adams | 8 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Mount Horner | 13 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Port Denison | 1,452 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Springfield | 276 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] | |
| Yardarino | 48 (SAL 2021) | [convert: needs a number] |
Important People from the Shire
Some people who were involved in the local government of Irwin later became important in state politics.
- Samuel James Phillips: He was a member of the Irwin Road Board in 1883. Later, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for the state.
- Charles Maley: He was a member of the Upper Irwin Road Board from 1907 to 1929. He also became a state MP.
Places with Special Heritage
The Shire of Irwin has many places that are important because of their history or special features. These are called "heritage-listed places."
State Register of Heritage Places
As of 2023, there are 157 places in the Shire of Irwin that are heritage-listed. Out of these, 16 are so important that they are on the State Register of Heritage Places. This means they are officially recognized and protected by the state government.
