Shire of Upper Gascoyne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shire of Upper Gascoyne Western Australia
The Shire of Upper Gascoyne administration office
Location in Western Australia
Established	1887
Area	57,939 km2 (22,370.4 sq mi)
Shire President	Don Hammmarquist
Council seat	Gascoyne Junction
Region	Gascoyne region
State electorate(s)	North West
Federal Division(s)	Durack
Website	Shire of Upper Gascoyne
LGAs around Shire of Upper Gascoyne: Ashburton Ashburton Meekatharra Carnarvon Shire of Upper Gascoyne Meekatharra Shark Bay Murchison Meekatharra

The Shire of Upper Gascoyne is a special kind of local government area in Western Australia. It is located inland from Carnarvon. This area is about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) north of Perth, the state capital.

The Shire covers a huge area of 57,939 square kilometres (22,370 sq mi). Much of this land is empty or has very few plants. It is mostly sheep station country. The main town and government centre is Gascoyne Junction. In 2021, about 170 people lived here. More than half of them (56%) are Aboriginal people.

History of the Shire

The Upper Gascoyne Road District was created on 10 February 1887. A "Road District" was an early type of local government. It was mainly in charge of building and looking after roads.

On 1 July 1961, the Road District changed its name. It became the Shire of Upper Gascoyne. This happened because of a new law called the Local Government Act 1960. This law turned all old road districts into shires. The first office building of the Road Board is still standing. It is now a special place protected for its history.

How the Shire is Governed

The Shire of Upper Gascoyne is divided into three main areas. These areas are called wards. Each ward has two people who help run the Shire. These people are called councillors.

• North Ward
• South Ward
• East Ward

Towns and Localities

The Shire of Upper Gascoyne has a few towns and areas. Here are some of them, with how many people lived there in 2021:

Important Councillors

Some people who were once councillors for the Upper Gascoyne Road Board later became important. They went on to become members of the state parliament.

• Everard Darlot: He was a Road Board member in 1887. Later, he became a state Member of Parliament (MP).
• Lionel Kelly: He was a Road Board member from 1927 to 1928. He also later became a state MP.

Places with Special History

As of 2024, there are 19 places in the Shire of Upper Gascoyne that are considered heritage-listed. This means they are important historical sites. They are protected so people can learn about the past.

One of the most important heritage-listed places is the Upper Gascoyne Road Board Office. It is located in Gascoyne Junction. This building is even listed on the State Register of Heritage Places.