31°57′S 115°51′E / 31.950°S 115.850°E / -31.950; 115.850
27-517: The Shire of Augusta Margaret River is a local government area in the south-west corner of the South West region of Western Australia , approximately 270 kilometres (168 mi) south of Perth . The shire covers an area of 2,243 square kilometres (866 sq mi) and had a population of over 14,000 at the 2016 Census , about half of whom live in the towns of Margaret River and Augusta . Nearly half of Augusta Margaret River's land area
54-696: A shire under the Local Government Act 1960 . In 2017 it abolished its system of wards for electing councillors. The majority of the Shire of Augusta–Margaret River is located on the traditional land of the Wardandi people, except for the eastern part of the shire which is located on the land of the Bibulman (also spelled Pibelmen) people, both of the Noongar nation. The towns and localities of
81-443: A significant reduction in the number of decisions requiring ministerial approval which allowed for streamlined decision-making and greater local government autonomy. Although successive state governments have periodically promoted municipal amalgamation, only a small number of local governments have merged over the course of Western Australia's history. Historically most local governments have strongly resisted forced amalgamations and
108-536: A tax on private allotments to fund the construction and maintenance of "roads, paths and plantations". As the Colony began to develop, the first form of local government was established in some areas under the Towns Improvement Act of 1838. These trusts were empowered to elect ratepayers as Trustees and assess and collect a property tax for the construction of roads. Many of these town trusts, including
135-467: Is twinned with: The official Flag of Perth represents the city of Perth , Western Australia. It features the Saint George's Cross overlaid with the coat of arms of Perth in the centre. Though the designer of the flag is unknown, it is thought to have been designed prior to 1872. In the 1920s, the black swan was removed from the top left quadrant of the flag and replaced with the coat of arms in
162-714: Is commonly known as Perth City Council . The City covers the Perth city centre and surrounding suburbs. The City covers an area of 20.01 square kilometres (8 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 21,092 as at 30 June 2015. On 1 July 2016 the City expanded, absorbing 1,247 residents from the City of Subiaco . In 1829, Captain James Stirling founded Perth as part of the Swan River Colony . A Perth Town Trust
189-480: Is state forest or national park . National parks include Scott National Park and Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park . Other land uses include agriculture , especially dairy and beef cattle ; viticulture ; and tourism . It was first gazetted as the Augusta Road District on 16 April 1891 and was renamed to Augusta-Margaret River Road District on 10 September 1926. On 1 July 1961, it became
216-715: The Indian Ocean Territories Administration of Laws Act , which allows the Western Australian Local Government Act to apply "on-island" as though it were a Commonwealth act. Nonetheless, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are not parts of Western Australia. The most recent local government elections were held in 2023 . Land was originally granted in the Swan River Colony under regulations which allowed for land commissioners to assess
243-543: The City of Vincent . These localities are only partially contained within the City of Perth boundary. ** The parts of these localities were transferred from the City of Subiaco in 2016. These localities are only partially contained within the City of Perth boundary. The 1991 population has been broken down by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as follows: Perth (C) 7,604; Cambridge (T) 22,740; Victoria Park (T) 24,313; Vincent (T) 24,765. The City of Perth
270-568: The Greater Perth Movement around this time led to the amalgamation of inner city local governments to create a greatly expanded City of Perth until 1993, when the City was broken up once again. The first local government department was established by the state in 1949 to guide local government authorities. Following the war local governments increasingly expanded their services from property, health and local infrastructure (roads, drainage) to community and social services. This
297-513: The Perth Town Trust , experienced severe administrative and financial difficulties, and in some cases barely functioned at all. The Guildford Town Trust lasted only a couple of years before ceasing to function until it was reconstituted in 1863. The District Roads Act and Municipal Institutions Act , both of 1871 improved matters by allowing for the establishment of Roads Boards and Municipal Corporations. Municipal Corporations had
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#1732773285564324-487: The Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands are also included for comparison purposes. Federal external territory. Currently, Western Australia has ten regional councils. Each regional council comprises two or more local government areas (LGAs). City of Perth The City of Perth is a local government area and body, within the Perth metropolitan area, which is the capital of Western Australia. The local government
351-488: The Whadjuk Noongar people as the traditional owners of Noongar Country, the land on which the "City of Perth (Boorloo)" is located, signing the agreement "Yacker Danjoo Ngala Bidi" with Whadjuk elders on 10 August. The suburbs of the City of Perth with population and size figures based on the most recent Australian census : * The parts of these suburbs north of Newcastle and Summers Streets fall within
378-555: The greater Perth movement , the City absorbed the Municipality of North Perth (1901) and the Municipality of Leederville (1895), and on 1 November 1917, the Municipality of Victoria Park was also absorbed. A year later, it absorbed territory from Perth Road Board (including the Belmont Park Racecourse ) and purchased the 526 hectares (1,300 acres) Limekilns Estate in the western suburbs. The City developed
405-560: The City's boundaries to include a number of landmarks including Kings Park , University of Western Australia , Perth Children's Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre . The boundary changes took effect on 1 July 2016. Approximately 1,247 residents from Nedlands and Subiaco in the City of Subiaco were transferred to the City of Perth, and the City expanded to a total area of 20.01 square kilometres (8 sq mi). The Perth City Council
432-970: The Shire of Augusta–Margaret River with population and size figures based on the most recent Australian census : The historical figures for the population of the shire have been recorded in the census as follows: As of 2023, 143 places are heritage-listed in the Shire of Augusta–Margaret River, of which eleven are on the State Register of Heritage Places, among them the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse , Wallcliffe House and Ellensbrook . 33°57′18″S 115°04′30″E / 33.955°S 115.075°E / -33.955; 115.075 Local government areas of Western Australia There are 137 local government areas (LGAs) in Western Australia , which comprise 27 cities, 102 shires, and 8 towns that manage their own affairs to
459-627: The capacity to levy property taxes, pass municipal by-laws and undertake various local regulatory services previously carried out by colonial officials and other central bodies. Corporations could also establish civic institutions and facilities with the governors' consent, including libraries and botanical gardens. Road Boards where strictly limited to the construction of roads, could not levy property taxes and depended on colonial government grants for any expenditures. Women were permitted to be elected to Road Boards from 1911 and to Municipal Corporations from 1919. The influence of town clerk W.E. Bold and
486-606: The extent permitted by the Local Government Act 1995 . The Local Government Act 1995 also makes provision for regional local governments (referred to as "regional councils", established by two or more local governments for a particular purpose. There are three classifications of local government in Western Australia: The Shire of Christmas Island and the Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands are federal external territories and covered by
513-515: The grounds that the development of the western suburbs had led to the neglect of health and building administration in the central city area. By 1962, the council had 27 members representing nine wards. In 1963 the Metropolitan Region Town Planning Scheme Act required the City to establish a town planning department—which they did by appointing architect Paul Ritter in 1965. Ritter’s two year tenure
540-446: The passage of the City of Perth Restructuring Act (1993) , the City of Perth was broken up and a significantly reduced City of Perth constituted. The Town of Shepperton , Town of Cambridge and Town of Vincent were created from the former boundaries of the City. The first elections were held on 6 May 1995, with eight councillors and a mayor. The City of Perth Act 2016 defined Perth as the capital of Western Australia, and expanded
567-455: The present day. In the 1970s, the scope of local government services expanded to encompass the provision of nursing homes and other forms of aged care. During the late 1980s, and early 1990s a bi-partisan reform process led to the Local Government Act 1995 , which amongst other changes, established for the first time a clear separation of responsibility between elected councillors and local government administration. Other key changes included
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#1732773285564594-535: The suburbs of Floreat Park, Wembley Park and City Beach on these lands. In 1925, a new City of Perth Act gave the City additional powers over building control and regulation, including the power to declare new streets. In 1930 the first town planning committee was established. Criticism of the City’s governance by the David Davidson , the state's Town Planning Commissioner, led to a Royal Commission in 1938 on
621-783: The total number of authorities has declined only marginally over the last century. The most recent state government led effort to encourage the voluntary amalgamation of 30 metropolitan local governments into 16 was abandoned by the Barnett government in 2014. In 2017, the McGowan government initiated a review process to reform the Local Government Act 1995. The 30 metropolitan local government areas (LGAs) comprise 20 cities, 3 shires, and 7 towns. The 107 non-metropolitan local government areas (LGAs) comprise 7 cities, 99 shires, and 1 town . The Shire of Christmas Island and
648-460: Was formed in 1838, but remained largely non-functional for many years due to lack of finance and administrative capacity leading to its dissolution in 1858. The City of Perth was officially declared on 23 September 1856 with Council meeting for the first time in December 1858. In 1871, the City of Perth was reconstituted as a Municipal Corporation. In 1915, following the efforts of WE Bold and
675-566: Was short and turbulent, leading to public conflict with councillors and his termination in 1967. The City’s first town planning scheme was submitted to the Town Planning Board in 1973, but not formally adopted until 1985. The reason for the delay was a state government desire to take discretionary powers out of the hands of the Council. Council was felt to be too easily influenced by powerful developers. On 1 July 1994, following
702-430: Was suspended on 2 March 2018, pending the establishment of a public inquiry into the council, by Local Government Minister David Templeman . The council was administered by three Commissioners until 18 October 2020. The two-year Inquiry carried out up until that point, conducted at a cost of nearly A$ 8.0m made many findings, none of which resulted in criminal conviction. In July 2021, the City of Perth formally recognised
729-414: Was termed the “New Order” at the time, and encompassed the development of community centres, infant health clinics and sporting facilities. Only a few cities – Fremantle , Nedlands , Perth , South Perth , and Subiaco – existed prior to 1961. On 1 July 1961, all road districts became shires, and all municipalities became towns or cities. This structure has continued till
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