# Longreach Region

The Longreach Region is a local government area in Central West Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it superseded three previous local government areas that had existed for more than a century.
It has an estimated operating budget of A$22.3m.
Traditionally, pastoral activities, tourism, and rural education have been the areas of focus within the region, with a major agricultural college and attractions such as the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame and the Qantas Founders Outback Museum.
In the 2021 census, the Longreach Region had a population of 3,647 people.

## History

Longreach Region lay on the traditional tribal lands of the Iningai. Iningai (also known as Yiningay, Muttaburra, Tateburra, Yinangay, Yinangi) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Iningai people. The Iningai language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Longreach Region, particularly the towns of Longreach, Barcaldine, Muttaburra and Aramac as well as the properties of Bowen Downs and catchments of Cornish Creek and Alice River.
Kuungkari (also known as Kungkari and Koonkerri) is a language of Western Queensland. The Kuungkari language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of Longreach Shire Council and Blackall-Tambo Shire Council.
Prior to the 2008 amalgamation, the Longreach Region existed as three distinct local government areas:
* the Shire of Longreach;
* the Shire of Ilfracombe;
* and the Shire of Isisford.
In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report recommending that the three areas amalgamate. Ilfracombe was rated by a Treasury sustainability review as very weak with a negative outlook, while the other two were rated as moderate. All three councils opposed the amalgamation. The legislation passed to effect the merger on 10 August 2007. A Local Transition Committee made up of staff and councillors of the three dissolving entities was formed to manage the process. On 15 March 2008, the three Shires formally ceased to exist, and elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the Regional Council.
In January 2019, it was decided to reduce the number of localities within Longreach Region by amalgamating the localities to the north and west of the town of Longreach into the locality of Longreach. The localities amalgamated were: Camoola, Chorregon, Ernestina, Maneroo, Morella, Tocal, and Vergemont. As a consequence of this amalgamation, the Longreach Region has only three localities: Longreach, Ilframcombe and Isisford.
On 10 September 2021, a new locality called Yaraka was created around the town of Yaraka, the land being excised from the locality of Isisford, to avoid confusion and restore historical connections.

## Council
### Current composition

The current council, elected in 2020, is:
| Ward | Councillor | Party |
| Mayor | Anthony Rayner | Independent |
| Councillor | Dale Bignell | Independent |
| Councillor | Tony Emslie | Independent |
| Councillor | Tracy Hatch | Independent |
| Councillor | Tony Martin | Independent |
| Councillor | Leonie Nunn | Independent |
| Councillor | Trevor Smith | Independent |

## Mayors
### 2008−present

| No. | Mayor | Party | Term start | Term end |
| 1 | John Palmer | Independent | 15 March 2008 | 28 April 2012 |
| 2 | R. L. "Joe" Owens | Independent | 28 April 2012 | 19 March 2016 |
| 2 | Ed Warren | Independent | 19 March 2016 | 28 March 2020 |
| 4 | Tony Rayner | Independent | 28 March 2020 | incumbent |

## Past councillors
### 2008−2012 (six wards)

| Year | Division 1 | Division 1 | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 2 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 3 | Division 3 | Division 4 | Division 4 | Division 4 | Division 5 | Division 5 | Division 5 | Division 6 | Division 6 | Division 6 |
| Year | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Councillor | Party |
| 2008 | | Tony Nielsen | Independent | | Robert "Mick" Bischel | Independent | | Richard Murray | Independent | | Glennis Ford | Independent | | Norma Rae Bowden | Independent | | Ken Hoolihan | Independent |

### 2012−present (unsubdivided)

| Year | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party |
| 2012 | Jocelyn Avery | Independent | Norma Rae Bowden | Independent | Tony Emslie | Independent | David Morton | Independent | Tony Nielsen | Independent | Trevor Smith | Independent |
| 2016 | Trevor Harris | Independent | Tony Martin | Independent | Tony Emslie | Independent | Leonie Nunn | Independent | Anthony Rayner | Independent | Trevor Smith | Independent |
| 2020 | Dale Bignell | Independent | Tony Martin | Independent | Tony Emslie | Independent | Leonie Nunn | Independent | Tracy Hatch | Independent | Trevor Smith | Independent |

## Towns and localities

The Longreach Region includes the following settlements:

## Amenities

Longreach Regional Council operates public libraries at Ilfracombe, Isisford, and Longreach.

## Demographics

The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008 and combined population after amalgamation. The population has been in steady decline since the early 1960s.
| Year | Population (Total) | (Longreach) | (Ilfracombe) | (Isisford) |
| 1933 | 6,079 | 4,564 | 642 | 873 |
| 1947 | 5,244 | 4,137 | 450 | 657 |
| 1954 | 5,694 | 4,343 | 544 | 807 |
| 1961 | 6,533 | 5,013 | 653 | 867 |
| 1966 | 6,366 | 4,959 | 660 | 747 |
| 1971 | 5,142 | 4,300 | 389 | 453 |
| 1976 | 4,911 | 4,052 | 428 | 431 |
| 1981 | 4,911 | 3,846 | 460 | 605 |
| 1986 | 4,663 | 3,871 | 327 | 465 |
| 1991 | 5,153 | 4,369 | 344 | 440 |
| 1996 | 5,054 | 4,419 | 333 | 302 |
| 2001 | 5,037 | 4,368 | 356 | 313 |
| 2006 | 4,806 | 4,180 | 279 | 347 |
| 2011 | 4,189 | | | |
| 2016 | 3,660 | | | |
| 2021 | 3,647 | | | |