Our History
Image: Early Mackay dignitaries stand outside the first Mackay Municipal Council Chambers, in Wood Street. This building also served as Mackay's first Post Office. ca 1870 (Mackay Library Heritage Collection #04695)
Footsteps retraced: A brief history of regional councils
Background
In 1860, an enterprising Irishman John McCrossin selected 20 year old Scot, John Mackay, to lead an expedition to seek pastoral opportunities and they came across the coastal ranges, now known as the Pioneer Valley.
John Mackay adopted the name Mackay River in honour of John Mackay's father, George, an Uralla publican.
They returned in January 1862, but in September of that year Commodore Burnett in HMS Pioneer noted that a Mackay River existed further north (now the Tully River) and renamed the river here the Pioneer River.
Agitated by this name change, John Mackay petitioned Governor Bowen, who ordered the Surveyor General to rename the township Mackay, in honour of John Mackay.
Within a few years however, sugar became the dominant industry from the enterprising efforts of pioneers John Spiller, T. Henry FitzGerald and John Ewen Davidson. More recently, the hinterland coal mining developments and the tourist industry have added to Mackay's solid economic base.
The prosperity and confidence of the city is reflected in the fine older buildings. Many of the city's historic buildings were lost to devastating fires, to the notorious cyclone on January 1918 and to progress.
Heritage Collection
The library's Heritage Collection is located at the Dudley Denny City Library and holds an extensive range of history and development resources of the region.
Further information about the Heritage Collection can be found here.
Heritage Planning
The Heritage Planning website contains information relevant to both current local and state heritage listings, past studies, conserving a heritage house and links to relevant external websites.
Further information about the Heritage Planning available can be found here.
Historical Planning Schemes
The Historical Planning Schemes web page, provides a variety of information relevant to the former shires within the region (Mackay City, Mirani, Pioneer and Sarina).
Further information about the historical planning schemes available can be found here.
Brochures and Publications
Historical Societies/Places
HISTORY OF COUNCIL
Mackay
Mackay was proclaimed a municipality on September 22, 1869. The first meeting of the Mackay Municipal Council was held in the Court House (North Street) on December 1, 1869.
The first Mayor of Mackay Municipal Council was Alderman David Hay Dalrymple and his fellow Aldermen were Messrs Charles Keeley, Patrick McKenney, John Duffy, John Allen and William McBryde. The Town Clerk was Mr. Thomas Purves.
In 1903, Mackay became a town, under the Mayoralty of C.P. Ready. On August 17, 1918, the Mackay Town Council became the Mackay City Council.
Pioneer
The Pioneer pisional Board was proclaimed on 11 November 1879 and met for the first time on March 9, 1880 in the Mackay School of Arts, Wood Street.
The first members of the Pioneer pisional Board were John Ewen Davidson (chairman) and councillors Maurice Hume Black, Robert Martin, Edward Maitland Long, William Hyne, Arthur Kemmis, David Hay Dalrymple, Dyson Lacy and Edmund Stansfeld Rawson. The first board clerk was W.J. McIlroy.
Under the 1902 Local Authorities Act the Pioneer pisional Board was abolished and its functions were transferred to Pioneer Shire Council which came into being on April 1, 1903. On April 8, 1994, Pioneer Shire was abolished to create a new area of the city of Mackay.
Mirani
The Shire of Mirani was gazetted on September 4, 1913. George Johnson was the first Chairman of the Mirani Shire Council. Councillors were J.R. Smith, M.F. McMahon, P.J. Goldston, T. Hodgett, C.H. Webster and E. Hannan.
Pioneer Shire Clerk, Mr. Fred Clark acted as Shire Clerk until the appointment of Mr. George Morley. Discussions between the Pioneer and Mirani Shire Councils were being held from February 1914 and by June 1914, the Mirani Shire Council was meeting independently. In October 1915, the council met for the first time in the Oddfellows Hall (Shire Hall), Mirani.
Sarina
Sarina Shire Council commenced on January 1, 1912, having being gazetted late in 1911. The first meeting of the Sarina Shire Council was held in Nolan’s Hall, Sarina on Saturday, March 2, 1912.
Councillor Alex Innes was elected as Chair. Other councillors present were W.H Nolan, W.R. Williams, J.C. Nicholson and A.E.
Publications