City of Moreton Bay


The City of Moreton Bay, known until July 2023 as the Moreton Bay Region, is a local government area in the north of Greater Brisbane in South East Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it replaced three established local government areas, the City of Redcliffe and the Shires of Pine Rivers and Caboolture.
With an estimated operating budget of A$391 million and a 2018 population of 459,585, Moreton Bay is the third most populous local government area in Australia behind the City of Brisbane and City of Gold Coast, both of which are also amalgamated entities.
In the, the City of Moreton Bay had a population of 476,340 people.

History

The original inhabitants, or Traditional Owners, of Moreton Bay are the Kabi Kabi, Jinibara and Turrbal Aboriginal people.
Duungidjawu is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Duungidjawu country. The Duungidjawu language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of Somerset Region and the City of Moreton Bay, particularly the towns of Caboolture, Kilcoy, Woodford and Moore.
At the time the Divisional Boards Act 1879 came into force on 11 November 1879, the present City of Morton Bay was entirely contained within the Caboolture Division, which also included the Sunshine Coast. By 1890, Caboolture Division had shrunk considerably with the separate incorporation of the Pine Division, Redcliffe Division and Maroochy Division.
With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Caboolture, Pine and Redcliffe became Shires on 31 March 1903. Redcliffe was proclaimed a Town on 28 May 1921 and a City on 13 June 1959. A few weeks earlier, on 23 May 1959, Pine was renamed the Shire of Pine Rivers.
In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended the amalgamation of the three local government areas:
It argued that the area was part of the South East Queensland Regional Plan's Urban Footprint, and would attract 11% of the region's population and housing growth to 2006. A very strong community of interest was identified through the region's links and dependencies to Brisbane. The councils disagreed with the commission's plans although, with the exception of Redcliffe, did not oppose alternative amalgamation options. On 15 March 2008, the City and Shires formally ceased to exist and were amalgamated into a new local government area called the Moreton Bay Region. Elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the regional council. In 2012, following the election of the LNP state government, Redcliffe sought to enter a de-amalgamation process; however, a deadline to gather signatures on a petition by 29 August 2012 was missed. The Hills District sought in 2011 to transfer to Brisbane City Council, but the local government Change Commissioner declined the proposal on cost grounds.
On 8 December 2021, the council unanimously voted to rename the council area to Moreton Bay City and to seek approval from the Local Government Change Commission for the renaming.
In April 2023, the Queensland Government decided to reflect the growing population of the region by creating five new localities named Corymbia, Greenstone, Lilywood, Wagtail Grove, and Waraba by excising parts of the existing localities of Bellmere, Rocksberg, Upper Caboolture, and Wamuran.
In July 2023, the Moreton Bay Region was renamed the City of Moreton Bay.
The City of Moreton Bay is divided into 12 divisions, each of which elects one councillor. Additionally, the entire city elects a mayor. Allan Sutherland was elected as the first mayor at the 2008 elections, and Peter Flannery as the second mayor in 2020.

Council

Current composition

The current council as it currently sits, after the 2024 [Queensland local elections|2024 election] and subsequent by-election is:

Mayors

2008−present

Deputy mayors

Past councillors

2008−present

Election results

2024

Unitywater

On 1 July 2010, Moreton Bay's water services, moved over to the recently created water body, Unitywater. Unitywater was created by the Queensland Government as part of the state's takeover of South East Queensland's water facilities, dams and water supply networks. City of Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast Council and Noosa Shire Council are joint owners of Unitywater.

Suburbs

The City of Moreton Bay includes the following places:

Redcliffe area

Urban suburbs

Coastal Caboolture region:
Inland Caboolture region:
Bribie Island:
The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008. The 2011 census was the first for the amalgamated council.
YearPopulation
CaboolturePine RiversRedcliffe
193311,9285,3164,6042,008
194719,4025,7164,8158,871
195427,2677,1016,30913,857
196139,3128,8778,76121,674
196650,78510,14913,30927,327
197172,95512,20726,18734,561
1976103,66919,40445,19239,073
1981133,05632,64458,18942,223
1986166,21047,49473,78344,933
1991205,74370,05287,89247,799
1996250,07798,859103,19248,026
2001286,532114,338122,30349,891
2005325,067131,667141,38052,020
2007344,878140,288150,87153,719
2009371,155151,290163,51056,355
2011389,684158,988172,59358,103
2016425,302---
2021476,340---

Facilities

The City of Moreton Bay operates libraries at Albany Creek, Arana Hills, Bongaree, Burpengary, Caboolture, Deception Bay, North Lakes, Redcliffe, Strathpine, and Woodford. It also operates a mobile library service on a fortnightly basis serving the suburbs of Beachmere, Bray Park, Dayboro, Donnybrook, Lawnton, Mount Glorious, Mount Mee, Mount Nebo, Mount Samson Petrie, Samford, Toorbul and Warner.

Local heritage register

The City of Moreton Bay maintains its local heritage register in two parts:
  • List of sites, objects and buildings of significant historical and cultural value
  • List of significant trees