AGY-6103 | Mitchell Shire Council

Full description

Mitchell was constituted as a shire on 7 March 1906, under the Local Government (Shires) Act, 1905. (1) 

This Act provided for a Temporary Council of up to five members who, within six months, were obliged to make the necessary preparations for the election of the first Council. Mitchell’s Temporary Shire Councillors were: John Crawley of Millwood; John George Fletcher of Gobbagumbalin; John Donald Campbell McDougall of Yarragundry; John James McNickle of Kurrajong; and John Wells Shepherd of Brucedale. (2)

The first meeting of the temporary Council took place on 12 June 1906. (3)

The first meeting of the officially elected Council was held on 3 December 1906 and consisted of: McNickle, Crawley, McDougall, Shephard, Corbett and Leitch. (4)

The Mitchell Shire boundary began at Wagga Wagga and travelled east along the north bank of the Murrumbidgee River up to the point where the river joined Sandy Creek. From there, the boundary line ran north-west following Sandy Creek up to the Parish of Jeralgambeth, then west to the Parish of Matong, south to the Parish of Galore, east to the Parish of Uranquinty and then back to Wagga Wagga. (5)

The Shire Council dealt with such matters as: rates, impoundings, sanitary concerns, public works, housing, public recreation areas, and road and bridge maintenance.

Mitchell Shire Council was abolished by the Local Government Areas Amalgamation Act 1980 on 1 January 1981 and its responsibilities absorbed by Wagga Wagga City Council. (6)

Endnotes
1. NSW Government Gazette No.121, 7 March 1906, pp.1593-1643.
2. NSW Government Gazette No.161, 16 May 1906, pp.2979-2982.
3. Mitchell Shire Council, Minute Book, 1906-1908, Charles Sturt University Regional Archives, RW82/131.
4. Ibid.
5. Mitchell Shire Map, Charles Sturt University Regional Archives, RW82.
6. Local Government Areas Amalgamation Act 1980 (Act No.110, 1980), ss.3 and 5, Sch.1 - amending the Local Government Act 1919 (Act No.41, 1919).