LOOKING BACK & MOVING FORWARD > A brief history of Mackay Regional Council INSIDE I SUGAR BOOM I HISTORY OF REGIONAL COUNCILS I MILESTONES A new port in Queensland > Potential of the area recognised Prior to European settlement, an At the same time, Henry Bell settled estimated 2000 Indigenous people at Plain Creek (later the township of lived in the Pioneer Valley. Sarina); and Edmund Atherton took European discovery of what is up a selection at Cliftonville. now known as the Pioneer Valley occurred when John Mackay, a A port at Mackay was Scottish pastoralist explorer, led established to service the pastoral a party from northern New South runs of the Pioneer River valley and Wales in search of new grazing its hinterland. The port was superior lands. The group headed out from to that at Broadsound in that there John Mackay Uralla and after a journey of five was sufficient water at low tide to months discovered the Pioneer berth vessels of 100 to 150 tons, The township of Plane Creek River valley in May 1860. and there was a more gradual road (formerly Plain Creek) began to to the inland. develop at Michelmore’s Hill, north of The explorers immediately the present town of Sarina, probably recognised the potential of the The Mackay settlement was in the 1880s and by the time the area and applied for pastoral runs. surveyed in 1863 and on October Plane Creek Sugar Mill was built in Mackay returned to the Pioneer 13 the first sales of Crown lands 1895, a hotel, store and blacksmith Valley region in 1862 with 1200 took place at Bowen. shop formed the settlement. cattle and established Green Mount station. Between 1860 and 1862 various applications were made for cattle runs in the Pioneer Valley and cattlemen began arriving to take up land. The properties changed hands frequently until the late 1860s, by which time consolidation had taken place. Among those who followed Mackay were Robert and James Martin, Hamilton Station; C.C. and E.S. Rawson, Abington, which became Shamrock Vale and was known as The Hollow; Cook and Ross, Balnagowan; Macartney and Graham, St. Helen’s Runs; and Gilchrist and Young, Cape Palmerston and Homebush. Unloading sugar mill equipment at the wharf in River Street, Mackay, ca. 1880. Published by I Mackay Regional Council I 2008 P. 02 Sugar boom > Pioneers cultivate industry When Mackay was settled in 1862, Queensland was only three years old. Agriculture was a minor industry compared with the value of sheep and cattle on the large grazing runs. Mackay was established as a pastoral area but within a few years sugar became the dominant T.H. FitzGerald industry due to the enterprising efforts of pioneers John Spiller, T.H. FitzGerald and John Ewen Davidson. The Sugar and Coffee Regulations Act of 1864 provided easy terms for those contemplating the cultivation of sugar cane. The Crown Lands Alienation Act also enabled pioneers to take areas for townships, small farming and plantations. In mid-1865 John Spiller had planted sugar cane on his Pioneer John Spiller’s first steam engine, ca. 1878 - 1879. Plantation up river from the Mackay settlement, followed soon after by Thomas Henry FitzGerald who epidemic struck the cane after an (1879 – 1884), the population of planted cane on an allotment in intensive wet season, 23 sugar the district increased by 3000. River Street. Although Spiller mills had been built. No further Many of these migrants worked in crushed cane experimentally in mills were built until 1880 when the the sugar industry, having come his small mill with wooden rollers second sugar boom extended the from northern Europe to settle in 1867, it was FitzGerald and his number of sugar mills throughout their families in a more favourable partner John Ewen Davidson who the district by 12. A series of economic climate, and were intent produced the first commercial unfavourable factors including on establishing themselves as small crushing of sugar at Alexandra drought, low world sugar prices farmers. This resulted in a move plantation in September 1868. The and the threat of the withdrawal towards government-sponsored excitement generated by these of Islander labour (on which the central mills, the first of which earliest planters gave rise to the planters had relied so heavily from opened at North Eton in 1888, and development of many plantations May 1867) caused stagnation Racecourse in 1889. After this the along the Pioneer River and beyond. within the industry. decline of the plantation system accelerated. Until 1875, when the rust During the second sugar boom Published by I Mackay Regional Council I 2008 P. 03 INSIDE I SUGAR BOOMS I HISTORY OF REGIONAL COUNCILS I MILESTONES Depression fuels changes > Agriculture and roads vital to region A Queensland-wide depression, especially in the pastoral industry, in 1867 demonstrated how the prosperity of Mackay depended on the increase of agricultural settlement. Of particular importance was the need for a good road network. The citizens of Mackay were aware of the economic contribution the sugar industry was making to the colony of Queensland and agitated for a return on its investment, namely, the development of a local authority, so that rates collected could be matched by an equal government endowment. Sarina Shire Council, ca. 1912. In late 1868, 178 householders, freeholders and residents of Mackay were established in 1871 (Mackay) the Shire of Sarina in 1912 and petitioned the Governor to grant and 1872 (North Mackay); the the Shire of Mirani in 1913. The municipality status. This was granted two were later amalgamated. The remainder was the responsibility of on September 22, 1869, and the most urgent work was to bridge the the Pioneer Shire Council. first council met on December 1, Pioneer River which was achieved in 1869. 1877. Mackay’s boundary at that time In 1879 the Queensland extended beyond the Hospital Government passed the Divisional Reserve to the lagoons and ran Boards Act to give autonomy to south in line with Broadsound Road local divisions. Thus, the Pioneer excluding the Racecourse Reserve. Division embraced the area which would later be occupied by the The southern boundary was later Mirani and Sarina shires. The extended to what became Boundary Pioneer Division (declared 1879) Road, while the northern boundary extended from the O’Connell was the Pioneer River and the and Andromache Rivers to Cape eastern boundary, the coast. Palmerston and west to the Clarke Range, exclusive of the Mackay Above photo: Pioneer Shire One of the earliest Mackay Municipality. Council, ca. 1912. council undertakings was the construction of principal streets As a shire from 1903, Pioneer Top photo: Construction of within the municipality. Road Trusts was truncated by the excision of Pioneer Bridge, 1876. Published by I Mackay Regional Council I 2008 P. 04 Footsteps retraced > A brief history of regional councils Maurice Hume Black, Robert Martin, Mackay Edward Maitland Long, William Hyne, Arthur Kemmis, David Hay Mackay was proclaimed a Dalrymple, Dyson Lacy and Edmund municipality on September 22, Stansfeld Rawson. The first board 1869. The first meeting of the clerk was W.J. McIlroy. Mackay Municipal Council was held in the Court House (North Street) on December 1, 1869. Under the 1902 Local Authorities Act the Pioneer Divisional Board The first Mayor of Mackay ceased to exist and its functions Municipal Council was Alderman were transferred to Pioneer Shire Council which came into being on David Hay Dalrymple and his fellow David Hay Dalrymple Aldermen were Messrs Charles April 1, 1903. On April 8, 1994, Keeley, Patrick McKenney, John Pioneer Shire was abolished to Duffy, John Allen and William create a new area of the City of In October 1915, the council met McBryde. The Town Clerk was Mr. Mackay. for the first time in Mirani at the Thomas Purves. Oddfellows Hall (Shire Hall). In 1903, Mackay became a Town, under the Mayoralty of C.P. Ready. On August 17, 1918, the Mirani Mackay Town Council became the Sarina Mackay City Council. The Shire of Mirani was gazetted on September 4, 1913. George Sarina Shire Council Johnson was the first Chairman commenced on January 1, 1912, of the Mirani Shire Council. having being gazetted late in 1911. Councillors were J.R. Smith, M.F. The first meeting of the Sarina Pioneer McMahon, P.J. Goldston, T. Hodgett, Shire Council was held in Nolan’s C.H. Webster and E. Hannan. Hall, Sarina on Saturday, March 2, The Pioneer Divisional Board was 1912. proclaimed on November 11, 1879, Pioneer Shire Clerk, Mr. Fred and met for the first time on March Clark acted as Shire Clerk until the Councillor Alex Innes was 9, 1880 in the Mackay School of appointment of Mr. George Morley. elected as Chair. Other Councillors Arts, Wood Street. Discussions between the Pioneer present were W.H Nolan, W.R. and Mirani Shire Councils were Williams, J.C. Nicholson and The first members of the Pioneer being held from February 1914 A.E. Atherton. Mr. J.H. Nicol was Divisional Board were John Ewen and by June 1914, the Mirani Shire appointed as the first Shire Clerk Davidson (chairman) and councillors Council was meeting independently. and Clerk of Works in July 1912. Published by I Mackay Regional Council I 2008 P. 05 INSIDE I SUGAR BOOMS I HISTORY OF REGIONAL COUNCILS I MILESTONES Mackay keeps pace with times The Sydney Street Bridge, built in 1887, was placed under the control of the Mackay Bridges Board but did not become usable until 1889 due to a natural widening of the river. The first reticulated water supply was provided in 1899 powered by a steam-driven plant at the present water works site.