Shire of Derby–West Kimberley

Shire of Derby/West Kimberley Western Australia
Location in Western Australia
Population	7,075 (LGA 2021)[1]
Established	1884
Area	104,080 km^2 (40,185.5 sq mi)
President	Peter McCumstie[2]
Council seat	Derby
Region	Kimberley
State electorate(s)	Kimberley
Federal division(s)	Durack
Website	Shire of Derby/West Kimberley
LGAs around Shire of Derby/West Kimberley: Cocos Wyndham-East Kimberley Wyndham-East Kimberley Broome Shire of Derby/West Kimberley Halls Creek Broome East Pilbara Halls Creek

The Shire of Derby–West Kimberley is one of four local government areas in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia, covering an area of 104,080 square kilometres (40,186 sq mi), most of which is sparsely populated. The Shire's population as at the 2016 Census was almost 8,000, with most residing in the major towns of Derby, which is also the Shire's seat of government, and Fitzroy Crossing. There are also around 70 Aboriginal communities within the Shire.

The major industries of the shire include cattle for export, fishing, and tourism.

History

It was established as the West Kimberley Road District on 10 February 1887. The first Broome Road District separated on 15 November 1901 and the Municipality of Broome separated on 30 September 1904, but were re-absorbed on 24 July 1908 and 13 December 1918 respectively; the Broome area then again separated as the second Broome Road District (now the Shire of Broome) on 20 December 1918.^[3]

It was declared a shire and named the Shire of West Kimberley with effect from 1 July 1961 following the passage of the Local Government Act 1960, which reformed all remaining road districts into shires. It was renamed the Shire of Derby–West Kimberley on 11 June 1983.^[3]

The area is home to many large cattle stations, One of the first established was Yeeda Station, taken up in 1880^[4] by the Murray Squatting Company composed of William Paterson, G. Paterson, H. Cornish and Alexander Richardson.^[5]

The lease for Fossil Downs Station had been issued in 1883 to Dan MacDonald, for an area of 100 square miles (259 km²) at the junction of the Margaret and Fitzroy Rivers.^[6] The station was established in 1886 when cattle arrived from the eastern states to stock the lease.^[7]

Other properties in the area include Mount Barnett Station, Cherrabun, Charnley River Station, Glenroy, Gogo, Kimberley Downs, Liveringa, Meda, Mornington, Mount Hart, Mount House, Myroodah and Noonkanbah Station all of which are cattle stations supplying the beef market.

Parts of the shire area have been included in the West Kimberley heritage assessment area.

Elected council

All nine councillors represent the whole of the Shire.

Ward	Councillor		Position
Unsubdivided		Peter McCumstie	President	[8]
		Geoff Haerewa	Deputy president
		Andrew Twaddle
		Paul Bickerton
		Geoff Davis
		Brett Angwin
		Brian Ellison
		Kerrissa O’Meara
		Wayne Foley

Towns and localities

The towns and localities of the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley with population and size figures based on the most recent Australian census:^[9][10]

Locality	Population	Area	Map
Camballin	500 (SAL 2021)[11]	4,210 km^2 (1,630 sq mi)
Derby	3,222 (SAL 2021)[12]	162.4 km^2 (62.7 sq mi)
Durack *	169 (SAL 2021)[13]	29,213.7 km^2 (11,279.5 sq mi)
Fitzroy Crossing	1,181 (SAL 2021)[14]	28 km^2 (11 sq mi)
Geegully Creek	9 (SAL 2021)[15]	8,930 km^2 (3,450 sq mi)
Gibb *	80 (SAL 2021)[16]	12,747.6 km^2 (4,921.9 sq mi)
Jarlmadangah Burru Community	35 (SAL 2021)[17]	7.2 km^2 (2.8 sq mi)
Kimbolton	52 (SAL 2021)[18]	6,907.2 km^2 (2,666.9 sq mi)
King Leopold Ranges	265 (SAL 2021)[19]	35,359.8 km^2 (13,652.5 sq mi)
Meda	17 (SAL 2021)[20]	4,334.6 km^2 (1,673.6 sq mi)
Mount Hardman	502 (SAL 2021)[21]	9,013.8 km^2 (3,480.2 sq mi)
Mueller Ranges *	366 (SAL 2021)[22]	37,982.5 km^2 (14,665.1 sq mi)
Roebuck *	606 (SAL 2021)[23]	5,582.4 km^2 (2,155.4 sq mi)
St George Ranges	1,133 (SAL 2021)[24]	29,268.5 km^2 (11,300.6 sq mi)
Waterbank *	110 (SAL 2021)[25]	6,634 km^2 (2,561 sq mi)
Willare	127 (SAL 2021)[26]	3,085 km^2 (1,191 sq mi)

• (* indicates locality is only partially located within this shire)

Indigenous communities

Indigenous communities in the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley:

• Yungngora Community
• Looma Community
• Mowanjum Community

Notable councillors

• John McLarty, West Kimberley Roads Board chairman 1884; later a state MP

Heritage-listed places

Main article: List of State Register of Heritage Places in the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley

As of 2023, 100 places are heritage-listed in the Shire of Derby–West Kimberley,^[27] of which 20 are on the State Register of Heritage Places.^[28]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Derby-West Kimberley (Local Government Area)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
2. "2023 Ordinary Election - Derby-West Kimberley". www.elections.wa.gov.au. Western Australian Electoral Commission. 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
3. "Municipality Boundary Amendments Register" (PDF). Western Australian Electoral Distribution Commission. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
4. Anne Porter (2012). "Paterson, William (1847–1920), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography". Australian National University. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
5. Cathie Clement (2012). "Alexander Robert (1847–1931)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography". Australian National University. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
6. "Assessment Documentation - Fossil Downs Homestead Group". Register of Heritage Places. Heritage Council of Western Australia. 26 February 1999. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
7. "Assessment Documentation - Fitzroy Crossing Post Office (fmr)". Register of Heritage Places. Heritage Council of Western Australia. 18 February 2000. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
8. "Councillors » Shire of Derby / West Kimberley". www.sdwk.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
9. "SLIP Map". maps.slip.wa.gov.au. Landgate. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
10. "NationalMap". nationalmap.gov.au. Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
11. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Camballin (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
12. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Derby (WA) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
13. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Durack (WA) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
14. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Fitzroy Crossing (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
15. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Geegully Creek (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
16. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Gibb (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
17. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Jarlmadangah Burru (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
18. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Kimbolton (WA) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
19. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "King Leopold Ranges (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 7 January 2023. 
20. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Meda (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
21. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mount Hardman (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
22. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mueller Ranges (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
23. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Roebuck (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
24. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "St George Ranges (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
25. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Waterbank (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
26. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Willare (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
27. "Shire of Derby-West Kimberley Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
28. "Shire of Derby-West Kimberley State Register of Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 22 February 2023.

External links

• Official website
• "Map of Aboriginal Communities in West Kimberley" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 October 2009. (211 KB). Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA).

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