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Shire of Crows Nest Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population	12,595(2006 census)
• Density	7.7275/km (20.0141/sq mi)
Established	1913
Area	1,629.9 km (629.3 sq mi)
Council seat	Crows Nest
Region	Darling Downs
Website	Shire of Crows Nest
LGAs around Shire of Crows Nest: Rosalie Nanango Esk Rosalie Shire of Crows Nest Esk Toowoomba Gatton Gatton

The Shire of Crows Nest was a local government area in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, immediately northeast of the regional city of Toowoomba. The shire, administered from the town of Crows Nest, covered an area of 1,629.9 square kilometres (629.3 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1913 until 2008, when it amalgamated with several other councils in the Toowoomba area to form the Toowoomba Region. Its growth in later years has been fuelled by the expansion of Toowoomba, particularly the suburbs of Highfields and Blue Mountain Heights which, with a combined population of 7,333 in 2006, were home to over half the shire's population.

History

Crows Nest was named after an Aboriginal man called Jimmy Crow, who lived in a hollow tree near the present council swimming pool. Timber hauling bullock teams would stop in this area overnight and Jimmy Crow used to give them directions. He was also a member of the first Australian cricket team to tour the United Kingdom. There is a 6 ft statue of Jimmy Crow in Centenary Park, Crows Nest to honour this legend.

The first local government in the area was the Highfields Divisional Board, which was incorporated on 11 November 1879 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Highfields became a shire council on 31 March 1903. On 25 January 1913, the Crows Nest Shire was excised from Highfields, initially over a somewhat smaller area. When Highfields was abolished on 19 March 1949, part of its area was included within Crows Nest. The council had two divisions each of which returned four councillors, and a separately elected chairman (mayor from 1993).

On 15 March 2008, under the Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, the Shire of Crows Nest merged with the City of Toowoomba and the Shires of Cambooya, Clifton, Jondaryan, Millmerran, Pittsworth and Shire of Rosalie to form the Toowoomba Region.

Towns and localities

• Crows Nest
• Birnam
• Blue Mountain Heights
• Cabarlah
• Cawdor
• Djuan
• Geham
• Haden
• Hampton
• Highfields
• Meringandan
• Ravensbourne
• Spring Bluff

Mayors

Population

# The estimated 1947 population of the post-1949 area was 4,036.

Notable residents

• John French VC (1914 - 1942)
• Ben Walker Rugby League Player
• Chris Walker Rugby League Player
• Shane Walker Rugby League Player

Schools

• Amaroo Environmental Education Centre
• Crows Nest Special Education Unit
• Crows Nest State High School
• Crows Nest State Primary School
• Geham State Primary School
• Haden State Primary School
• Highfields State Primary School
• Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School
• Meringandan State Primary School
• St Peters (Ironbark) Lutheran College
• Toowoomba Christian College

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Crows Nest (S) (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
2. Queensland Year Book, No.11 (1950), p.47.

External links

• University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Crows Nest Shire
• Crows Nest Photographic Memory The Photographic Memories competition held in Crows Nest Shire, Queensland. From the State Library of Queensland 'Queensland Stories' collection.

27°15′43.52″S 152°03′19.52″E / 27.2620889°S 152.0554222°E / -27.2620889; 152.0554222

• Populated places established in 1913
• 1913 establishments in Australia
• Former Local Government Areas of Queensland
• Darling Downs
• Toowoomba