Full description
Under the provisions of the Municipalities Act 1858, a municipality could be formed by the Governor upon the receipt of a petition of no less than 50 householders. A petition of 366 householders resident in the town of Bathurst was received and the Municipality of Bathurst was proclaimed on 13 November 1862.
The area was described as "County of Bathurst, Parish of Bathurst. Commencing on the Macquarie River at the north-east corner of James Vincent's 62 acres; and bounded thence on the south by the north boundary line of that land,-bearing west to Queen Charlotte's Yale Ponds, by those ponds, upwards, to the north boundary of Sir John Jamison's 100 acres, by the north boundary of that 100 acres, forming partly the south side of Busby-street, westerly, to Havannah-street, by the extension of Havannah-street, south-westerly, forming partly the north-west boundaries of E. Austin's 19 acres 1 rood and 36 perches, A. Crilly's 13 acres and 16 perches, W. Thompson's 13 acres and 3 perches; R.E. Mutton's 10 acres and 36 perches, and R.E. Mutton's 15 acres 2 roods and 31 perches, to a point bearing due east from the north-east corner of W. Mutton's 11 acres J. rood and 23 perches, thence by a line to that corner, the north boundaries of that 11 acres, 1 rood and 23 perches, David Gordon's 18 acres and 11 perches, William Golsby's 15 acres, 2 roods and 4 perches and James Meneary's 15 acres, 2 roods and 27 perches and the westerly extension of the north boundary of the last mentioned land, being in all a line bearing west to the east boundary of Colonel Stewart's grant; on part of the west by that boundary, northerly, to the south west corner of T. J. Hawkins 320 acres; on part of the north by the south boundaries of that land, James Blankett's 320 acres, and James Walker's 320 acres easterly to the south-eastern corner of me last mentioned land, again on the west by part of the east boundary of that land, northerly 13 chains; on the remainder of the north by a line bearing east 16 chains; on the remainder of the west by a line bearing north to the Macquarie River; and on the north-east by that river, upwards, to the point of commencement.(1)
The Municipality of Bathurst was designated a borough by the Municipalities Act of 1867, effective 23 December 1867. (2) In pursuance of the Crown Lands Act of 1884, Bathurst was proclaimed a city on 20 March 1885. (3)
On 13 August 1937 about 55 acres was transferred from Abercrombie Shire to Bathurst Municipality (4) and on 13 January 1939, the boundaries were altered once again with part of Bathhurst Municipality being transferred to Abercrombie Shire. (5) An area of around 955 acres was taken from Abercrombie Shire and added to the City of Bathurst and an area of about 2194 acres was taken from the Shire of Turon and added to the City of Bathurst effective from 1 January 1953. (6) The boundaries of Abercrombie Shire and the City of Bathurst were altered effective 1 January 1967, adding about 22 acres from Abercrombie Shire to the City of Bathurst. (7) A further alteration of the boundary between Bathurst City and Turon Shire was proclaimed on 7 November 1969, adding around 21 acres to City of Bathurst. (8) A further 215 hectares were transferred from Abercrombie Shire to the City of Bathurst effective 27 September 1974. (9)
From 1 October 1977 the City of Bathurst and Shires of Abercrombie and Turon were redivided and constituted as an enlarged City of Bathurst and a new Shire of Evans. At that time the City of Bathurst consisted of about 240 square kilometres. (10) There were some further smaller boundary alterations between the City of Bathurst and Evans Shire from 1 October 1981. (11) A further 1.53 hectares was transferred from Evans Shire to the City of Bathurst by proclamation on 11 September 1998 (12) and 57.58 hectares was transferred from Evans Shire to the City of Bathurst by proclamation on 1 March 2002. (13)
As a result of the reform process in 2004, the number of councils in NSW was reduced from 172 to 154. One of the newly amalgamated councils was the City of Bathurst. Evans Shire was dissolved and part of the Shire transferred to Bathurst which became Bathurst Regional Council effective from 26 May 2004 and encompassing an area of about 3815 square kilometres. (14)
An area of about 0.349 square kilometres was transferred from Bathurst Regional Council to Blayney Shire on 25 August 2006 (15) and a further 1.46 square kilometres from Bathurst Regional Council was transferred to Oberon Shire Council on 20 October 2006. (16) A proclamation of 28 June 2019 transferred 1.76 hectares of land from Bathurst Regional to Blayney local government area. (17)
Bathurst has had a sister city relationship with Ohkuma (Japan) since March 1991. The relationship provided an opportunity for both Bathurst and Ohkuma residents to learn about each other's culture and language. (18)
A friendship arrangement between Cirencester in England and Bathurst was officially launched in Cirencester on 18 October, 2017. In January 2021 the memorandum of understanding cementing the friendship arrangement was signed by both Councils. The document supported the Friendship Agreement between Cirencester and Bathurst with its vision to promote awareness, communication and opportunities between the people of the two cities; based on friendship, commerce, education, sports and tourism. (19)
Endnotes
1. NSW Government Gazette, 13 November 1862 pp.2209-10.
2. Municipalities Act (31 Vic No 12, 1867) s.2.
3. NSW Government Gazette, 20 March 1885 pp.1853-54.
4. NSW Government Gazette, 13 August 1937 pp.3296-97.
5. NSW Government Gazette, 13 January 1939 pp.81-82.
6. NSW Government Gazette, 5 December 1952 pp.4438-41.
7. NSW Government Gazette, 30 December 1966 pp.5274-75.
8. NSW Government Gazette, 7 November 1969 pp.4527-29.
9. NSW Government Gazette, 27 September 1974, pp.3728-29.
10. NSW Government Gazette, 8 July 1977, pp.2748-53.
11. NSW Government Gazette, 25 September 1981 pp.5049-51.
12. NSW Government Gazette, 11 September 1998 p.7494.
13. NSW Government Gazette, 1 March 2002 pp.1439-42.
14. NSW Government Gazette, 26 May 2004 pp.3184-91.
15. NSW Government Gazette, 25 August 2006 pp.6705-08.
16. NSW Government Gazette, 20 October 2006 pp.8880-83.
17. NSW Government Gazette, 28 June 2019 p.1.
18. Bathurst Regional Council website, https://www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au/council/general-information/sister-city.html (accessed 21/12/2022).
19. Bathurst Regional Council website, https://www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au/council/general-information/friendship-agreement.html (accessed 21/12/2022).
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