Moreton Bay Region
# Moreton Bay Region

The City of Moreton Bay is a local government area in the north of the Brisbane metropolitan city in South East Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it replaced three established local government areas, the City of Redcliffe and the Shires of Pine Rivers and Caboolture.

With an estimated operating budget of A$391 million and a 2018 population of 459,585, Moreton Bay Region is the third most populous local government area in Australia behind the City of Brisbane and City of Gold Coast, both of which are also amalgamated entities.

## History

The original inhabitants, or Traditional Owners, of the Moreton Bay Region are the Kabi Kabi, Jinibara and Turrbal Aboriginal people.

Duungidjawu (also known as Kabi Kabi, Cabbee, Carbi, Gabi Gabi) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Duungidjawu country. The Duungidjawu language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of Somerset Region and Moreton Bay Region, particularly the towns of Caboolture, Kilcoy, Woodford and Moore.

Prior to 2008, the new Moreton Bay Region was an entire area of three previous and distinct local government areas:

* the City of Redcliffe;
* the Shire of Pine Rivers;
* and the Shire of Caboolture.

At the time the Divisional Boards Act 1879 came into force on 11 November 1879, the present Morton Bay Region was entirely contained within the Caboolture Division, which also included the Sunshine Coast. By 1890, Caboolture Division had shrunk considerably with the separate incorporation of the Pine Division (21 January 1888), Redcliffe Division (5 April 1888) and Maroochy Division (5 July 1890).

With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Caboolture, Pine and Redcliffe (as well as Maroochy) became Shires on 31 March 1903. Redcliffe was proclaimed a Town on 28 May 1921 and a City on 13 June 1959. A few weeks earlier, on 23 May 1959, Pine was renamed the Shire of Pine Rivers.

In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended that the three areas amalgamate. It argued that the area was part of the South East Queensland Regional Plan's Urban Footprint, and would attract 11% of the region's population and housing growth to 2006. A very strong community of interest was identified through the region's links and dependencies to Brisbane. The councils disagreed with the commission's plans although, with the exception of Redcliffe, did not oppose alternative amalgamation options. On 15 March 2008, the City and Shires formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council. In 2012, following the election of the LNP state government, Redcliffe sought to enter a de-amalgamation process; however, a deadline to gather signatures on a petition by 29 August 2012 was missed. The Hills District sought in 2011 to transfer to Brisbane City Council, but the local government Change Commissioner declined the proposal on cost grounds.

On 8 December 2021, the council unanimously voted to rename the council area to Moreton Bay City and to seek approval from the Local Government Change Commission for the renaming.

In April 2023, the Queensland Government decided to reflect the growing population of the region by creating five new localities named Corymbia, Greenstone, Lilywood, Wagtail Grove, and Waraba by excising parts of the existing localities of Bellmere, Rocksberg, Upper Caboolture, and Wamuran.

Moreton Bay Region is divided into 12 divisions, each of which elects one councillor to the Regional Council. Additionally, the entire Region elects a mayor. Allan Sutherland was elected as the Region's first mayor at the 2008 elections, and Peter Flannery as the second Mayor in 2020. The current elected councillors are:

2020 Councillors:

| Division | Councillor | Declared political membership | Years Elected | Elected to replace |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Division 1 | Brooke Savige | Independent | 2016, 2020 | Sitting Councillor |
| Division 2 | Mark Booth | Independent | 2020 | Peter Flannery |
| Division 3 | Adam Hain | Independent | 2016, 2020 | Sitting Councillor |
| Division 4 | Jodie Shipway (Deputy Mayor) | Independent | 2020 | Julie Greer |
| Division 5 | Sandra Ruck | Independent | 2020 | James Houghton |
| Division 6 | Karl Winchester | ALP | 2020 | Koliana Winchester |
| Division 7 | Yvonne Barlow | LNP | 2021 | Denise Sims |
| Division 8 | Mick Gillam | ALP | 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 | Sitting Councillor |
| Division 9 | Cath Tonks | Independent | 2020 | Mike Charlton |
| Division 10 | Matthew Constance | Independent | 2016, 2020 | Sitting Councillor |
| Division 11 | Darren Grimwade | Independent | 2016, 2020 | Sitting Councillor |
| Division 12 | Tony Latter | Independent | 2020 | Adrian Raedel |

## Mayors

* 2008–2020: Allan Sutherland
* 2020–present: Peter Flannery

### Deputy mayors

* 2008–2013: Greg Chippendale
* 2013–2020: Mike Charlton
* 2020–2021: Denise Sims
* 2021–present: Jodie Shipway

## List of councillors

Division 1

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2016 | Gary Parsons | Retired |
| 2016–present | Brooke Savige | Incumbent |

Division 2

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2012 | Chris Whiting | Did not recontest in 2012; instead, unsuccessfully ran for mayor |
| 2012–2020 | Peter Flannery | Did not recontest in 2020; instead, successfully ran for mayor. Mayor 2020–present |
| 2020–present | Mark Booth | Incumbent |

Division 3

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2016 | Greg Chippendale | Deputy mayor 2008–2013. Retired |
| 2016–present | Adam Hain | Incumbent |

Division 4

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2020 | Julie Greer | Retired |
| 2020–present | Jodie Shipway | Incumbent. Deputy mayor 2021–present |

Division 5

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2020 | James Houghton | Retired |
| 2020–present | Sandra Ruck | Incumbent |

Division 6

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2012 | Rae Frawley | Lost seat |
| 2012–2020 | Koliana Winchester | Retired |
| 2020–present | Karl Winchester | Incumbent |

Division 7

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2016 | David Dwyer | Retired |
| 2016–2021 | Denise Sims | Deputy mayor 2020–2021. Resigned due to health |
| 2021–present | Yvonne Barlow | Incumbent |

Division 8

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–present | Mick Gillam | Incumbent |

Division 9

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2020 | Mike Charlton | Deputy mayor 2013–2020. Lost seat |
| 2020–present | Cath Tonks | Incumbent |

Division 10

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2016 | Brian Battersby | Retired |
| 2016–present | Matt Constance | Incumbent |

Division 11

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2016 | Bob Millar | Retired |
| 2016–present | Darren Grimwade | Incumbent |

Division 12

| Term | Name | Notes |
| - | - | - |
| 2008–2020 | Adrian Raedel | Did not recontest in 2020; instead, unsuccessfully ran for mayor |
| 2020–present | Tony Latter | Incumbent |

## Unitywater

On 1 July 2010, Moreton Bay Regional Council's Water Services (along with Sunshine Coast Regional Council), moved over to the recently created water body, Unitywater. Unitywater was created by the Queensland Government as part of the State's takeover of South East Queensland's water facilities, dams and water supply networks. Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast Regional Council and Noosa Shire Council are joint owners of Unitywater.

## Suburbs

The Moreton Bay Region include the following places:

### Redcliffe area

* Redcliffe
* Clontarf
* Deception Bay
* Kippa-Ring
* Margate
* Newport
* Rothwell
* Scarborough
* Woody Point

### Pine Rivers area

Urban suburbs:

Rural localities:

## Population

The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008. The 2011 census was the first for the amalgamated council region.

| Year | Population (Total) | (Caboolture) | (Pine Rivers) | (Redcliffe) |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1933 | 11,928 | 5,316 | 4,604 | 2,008 |
| 1947 | 19,402 | 5,716 | 4,815 | 8,871 |
| 1954 | 27,267 | 7,101 | 6,309 | 13,857 |
| 1961 | 39,312 | 8,877 | 8,761 | 21,674 |
| 1966 | 50,785 | 10,149 | 13,309 | 27,327 |
| 1971 | 72,955 | 12,207 | 26,187 | 34,561 |
| 1976 | 103,669 | 19,404 | 45,192 | 39,073 |
| 1981 | 133,056 | 32,644 | 58,189 | 42,223 |
| 1986 | 166,210 | 47,494 | 73,783 | 44,933 |
| 1991 | 205,743 | 70,052 | 87,892 | 47,799 |
| 1996 | 250,077 | 98,859 | 103,192 | 48,026 |
| 2001 | 286,532 | 114,338 | 122,303 | 49,891 |
| 2005 | 325,067 | 131,667 | 141,380 | 52,020 |
| 2007 | 344,878 | 140,288 | 150,871 | 53,719 |
| 2009 | 371,155 | 151,290 | 163,510 | 56,355 |
| 2011 | 389,684 | 158,988 | 172,593 | 58,103 |
| 2016 | 425,302 | - | - | - |
| 2021 | 476,340 | - | - | - |

## Demographics

Selected historical census data for Moreton Bay Region local government area :

| Census year | Census year | Census year | 2011 | 2016 |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Population | Population | Estimated residents on census night | 378,045 | 425,302 |
| Population | Population | LGA rank in terms of size within Queensland | 3rd | 3rd |
| Population | Population | % of Queensland population | 8.73% | 9.04% |
| Population | Population | % of Australian population | 1.76% | 1.82% |
| Dwelling structure | Dwelling structure | Dwelling structure | | |
| Dwelling type | Dwelling type | Separate house | 85.9% | 83.0% |
| Dwelling type | Dwelling type | Semi-detached, terrace or townhouse | 7.4% | 11.0% |
| Dwelling type | Dwelling type | Flat or apartment | 5.7% | 5.0% |

## Facilities

The Moreton Bay Regional Council operates libraries at Albany Creek, Arana Hills, Bongaree (Bribie Island), Burpengary, Caboolture, Deception Bay, North Lakes, Redcliffe, Strathpine, and Woodford. It also operates a mobile library service on a fortnightly basis serving the suburbs of Beachmere, Bray Park, Dayboro, Donnybrook, Lawnton, Mount Glorious, Mount Mee, Mount Nebo, Mount Samson Petrie, Samford, Toorbul and Warner.

## Local heritage register

The Moreton Bay Regional Council maintains its local heritage register in two parts:

* List of sites, objects and buildings of significant historical and cultural value
* List of significant trees
