Shire of Jondaryan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shire of Jondaryan Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population	13,965 (2006 census)
• Density	7.3115/km2 (18.937/sq mi)
Established	1890
Area	1,910.0 km2 (737.5 sq mi)
Council seat	Oakey
Region	Darling Downs
LGAs around Shire of Jondaryan: Wambo Wambo Rosalie Wambo Shire of Jondaryan Toowoomba Millmerran Pittsworth Cambooya

The Shire of Jondaryan was a special area in Queensland, Australia, that had its own local government. It was located in the Darling Downs region, just west of the city of Toowoomba.

The main town for the Shire was Oakey. The Shire of Jondaryan covered an area of about 1,910 square kilometres (737 square miles). It existed as a local government area from 1890 until 2008. In 2008, it joined with several other local councils around Toowoomba to form the larger Toowoomba Region. In its later years, the Shire grew a lot as Toowoomba and its nearby suburbs like Glenvale and Westbrook expanded.

A Look Back: The History of Jondaryan

Map showing the Jondaryan Division and nearby local government areas in March 1902

The story of Jondaryan as a local government area began on 11 November 1879. It was first called the Jondaryan Division. This was part of a plan to create 74 such divisions across Queensland. At that time, about 1,738 people lived in the area. Interestingly, the main offices for the Jondaryan Division were in Toowoomba, which was actually outside the division itself.

Becoming the Shire of Jondaryan

On 31 March 1903, a new law called the Local Authorities Act 1902 changed things. The Jondaryan Division officially became the Shire of Jondaryan. For many years, until 1960, the Shire's offices remained in Toowoomba. Many of the first staff and leaders of the council were connected to a large farming business called Jondaryan Estates.

Changes Over Time

The boundaries of the Shire of Jondaryan changed a few times:

• On 25 January 1913, the Shire of Gowrie was closed down. Its land was split between the new Town of Newtown and the Shire of Jondaryan.
• A few months later, on 24 April 1913, the areas of Millmerran and Pittsworth decided to leave the Shire of Jondaryan. They formed their own separate shires.
• On 23 February 1917, the Town of Newtown was also closed. Its land was divided between the City of Toowoomba and the Shire of Jondaryan.
• On 19 March 1949, Jondaryan received a part of the former Shire of Drayton when it was closed.
• Finally, in 1960, the Shire's main office moved from Toowoomba to Oakey. This meant the office was now inside the Shire it served.

Joining the Toowoomba Region

On 15 March 2008, a new law from the Queensland Parliament changed local governments across the state. The Shire of Jondaryan joined together with the City of Toowoomba and several other shires. These included Cambooya, Clifton, Crows Nest, Millmerran, Pittsworth, and Shire of Rosalie. Together, they formed the much larger Toowoomba Region.

Towns and Localities in Jondaryan

The Shire of Jondaryan included several towns and smaller areas. Here are some of them:

• Oakey
• Athol
• Aubigny
• Bowenville¹
• Charlton¹
• Cotswold Hills¹
• Evanslea
• Glenvale²
• Gowrie Junction^{1, 2}
• Gowrie Mountain
• Grassdale
• Jondaryan
• Kingsthorpe¹
• Torrington²
• Wyreema³

¹ - This area was partly in the former Shire of Rosalie. ² - This area was partly in the former City of Toowoomba. ³ - This area was partly in the former Shire of Cambooya.

Population Growth Over the Years

The number of people living in the Shire of Jondaryan changed over time. Here's a look at the population counts from different years:

Leaders of Jondaryan

The Jondaryan Division and later the Shire had different leaders over the years. These leaders were called Chairmen, and later, Mayors.

Chairmen of Jondaryan Division

• 1880-1892: James Taylor
• 1892-1894: Francis Gore
• 1894-1896: Gilbert Cory
• 1896-1919: Charles Campbell

Chairmen and Mayors of Jondaryan Shire

• 1896-1919: Charles Campbell
• 1919-1945: William Kent
• 1945-1955: Alan Paull
• 1955-1959: Ernest Janetzki
• 1959-1972: John Corfe
• 1972-1973: Thomas Meehan
• 1973-1985: Ian McIntyre
• 1985-2008: Peter Taylor (who became mayor in 1993)

Peter Taylor was the last leader of Jondaryan. He served from 1985 until the Shire joined the Toowoomba Region in 2008. When he was first elected, he was the youngest Shire Chairman in Queensland. After the new Toowoomba Region was formed, Peter Taylor became its first mayor on 15 March 2008. He won with a large number of votes. Peter Taylor was also involved in other important groups, like the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), where he represented the Darling Downs area. He also helped manage LG Super, a retirement fund for local government workers.