Full description
The Municipalities Act, 1867 provided for the constitution of a Municipality on the receipt of a petition of at least fifty potential municipal taxpayers within the area proposed to be incorporated. (1)
A petition of 54 ratepayers was received by the Governor, and published in the Government Gazette of 13 October 1883 (2). On 18 March 1884 the proclamation of the Municipal District of Cobar was published in the NSW Government Gazette. The District of Cobar was located in the County of Robinson, Parishes of Cobar, Kaloogleguy, Mopone and Toy, an area of about 44 square miles. (3)
On April 28 1884 the 'Municipal District of Cobar' became a body corporate. Edward Nixon was appointed as the first Returning Officer. The first election for the Municipality was to be held within three months of the incorporation. (4) James Dunstan, John Fotheringham, William Ossington, William Bryde, Hopkins Lewis, Anthony Brough, Fredick Toy, Lewis Thomas and Hugh Sutherland were elected Alderman on 2 June 1884. (5) William Charles Mckay, and Matthew Thomson were elected Auditors the same day. Hopkins Lewis was elected Mayor on 6 June, 1884. (6)
The Municipalities Act 1867 provided for the division or separation of a municipality on receipt of a petition signed by at least two thirds of electors in the area wishing to separate from the municipality. The petition was to be published in the Government Gazette. (7) 125 residents of the Town of Wrightville and area surrounding submitted a petition to the Governor, requesting separation from Cobar, which was published in the Government Gazette on 30 December 1898. (8) The petition was not challenged and the Municipal District of Gladstone was proclaimed on 25 September 1899 in the NSW Government Gazette. (9)
In 1912, the boundaries were altered to excise part of Cobar. (10) In 1922 the boundaries were altered again when the City of Wrightville was abolished and absorbed back into the Municipality of Cobar. (11) In 1939 and 1951 (12,13) the boundaries were altered to add to the Municipality of Cobar.
As published in Government Gazette of 7 March 1958, changes were made to the boundaries of the Municipality of Cobar and the name changed to Shire of Cobar. The new shire consisted of 16 councillors and a provisional council was appointed until the election. (14)
On 22 March 1961 part of Cobar was transferred to the Shire of Darling and part of Darling Shire was transferred to Cobar. (15) In 1993 Cobar was renamed Cobar Shire Council. (16)
As of 2022, the Cobar Shire Council area consisted of 45,579 square metres. (17)
Endnotes
1. An Act to Establish Municipalities, 1867 (31 Victoria Act No.12) s.10.
2. NSW Government Gazette, 13 October 1883, pp.5551-5552.
3. NSW Government Gazette, 18 March 1884, p.1841.
4. NSW Government Gazette, 28 April 1884, p.2745.
5. NSW Government Gazette, 6 June 1884, p.3653.
6. NSW Government Gazette, 13 June 1884, p.3853.
7. An Act to Establish Municipalities, 1867 (31 Victoria Act No.12) s.18.
8. NSW Government Gazette, 30 December 1898, pp.10039-10040.
9. NSW Government Gazette, 29 September 1899, p.7345.
10. NSW Government Gazette, 24 July 1912, p.4622.
11. Joy N. Hughes (ed), Local Government Local History: A Guide to NSW Local Government Minutes Books and Rate Books, Royal Australian Historical Society, Sydney, 1990, p.19.
12. NSW Government Gazette, 4 August, 1939, p.3945.
13. NSW Government Gazette, 13 July 1951, p.2023.
14. NSW Government Gazette, 7 March 1958, pp.603-605.
15. NSW Government Gazette, 7 April 1961, pp.1022-1024.
16. NSW Government Gazette, Special Supplement, 1 July 1993, p.3341.
17. Office of Local Government website, https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/public/find-my-council/ (accessed 5 December 2022).
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