On 11 November 1879, the Bauhinia Division was established as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 with a population of 1426.[2][3]
On 4 January 1884, there was an adjustment of boundaries between Bauhinia Division's subdivisions Nos. 2 and 3 and the Duaringa Division.[4][5] Soon after, on 20 March 1884, there was a further adjustment of boundaries between Bauhinia Division's subdivisions Nos. 1 and 3 and Duaringa Division.[6][7]
With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Bauhinia Division became Shire of Bauhinia on 31 March 1903.[3][8]
This was despite Bauhinia Shire residents being strongly opposed to being incorporated into the new Emerald-based council area.[10][11] From a total of 1,000 people, 966 voted no to the proposal in a poll conducted by Bauhinia Shire Council in August 2007.[10][11]
Towns and localities
The Shire of Bauhinia included the following settlements:
^ ab"Sprinsure". The Morning Bulletin. 3 February 1904. p. 6. Retrieved 8 April 2024. Mr Gillespie was unanimously elected chairman
^"Springsure". The Morning Bulletin. 7 February 1905. p. 6. Mr Slatyer was elected chairman without opposition.
^"Springsure". The Morning Bulletin. 15 February 1906. p. 3. Retrieved 8 April 2024. ...for the position of Chairman... Mr Bean then proposed Mr McLaughlin. The amendment was seconded by Mr Robertson and unanimously carried.
^"Springsure". The Capricornian. 6 April 1907. p. 25. Retrieved 8 April 2024. Mr Donkin was unanimously elected...
^"Springsure". The Capricornian. 29 February 1908. Retrieved 8 April 2024. Mr McLaughlin was unanimously elected chairman for the year...
^"Bauhinia Shire Council". The Morning Bulletin. 16 February 1909. p. 3. Retrieved 7 April 2024. Mr. Wells was appointed chairman for the ensuing twelve months...
^"Springsure". The Capricornian. 18 February 1911. p. 29. Retrieved 7 April 2024. Mr. J. A. Milliken was then nominated and unanimously elected...
^"Bauhinia Shire Council". The Morning Bulletin. 22 February 1913. Retrieved 8 April 2024. Mr Gillespie was then declared duly elected.
^"Springsure". The Central Queensland Herald. 26 January 1939. p. 52. Retrieved 7 April 2024. Mr. M. M. Kavanagh, grazier, Vandyke, Springsure, resigned from the chairmanship of the Bauhinia Shire Council on January 1
^"Bauhinia Shire Council". The Central Queensland Herald. 26 January 1939. p. 57. Retrieved 7 April 2024. ...Cr. M. L. McLaughlin was appointed Chairman in place of Mr. M. M. Kavanagh
^"Bauhinia Shire Council". The Morning Bulletin. 20 April 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 7 April 2024. The first meeting of the newly elected Bauhinia Shire Council was held... There were present the Chairman (Mr. H. S. H. Wills)...
^"Bauhinia Shire Council". The Morning Bulletin. 10 June 1949. p. 5. Retrieved 7 April 2024. The newly elected Chairman (Mr. W. H. Hoch) occupied the chair
^"No change in aldermanic poll". The Morning Bulletin. 5 June 1952. p. 4. Retrieved 7 April 2024. The former Chairman of Bauhinia Shire Council (Mr. W. H. Hoch) did not seek re-election...The new Chairman of the council is Mr. M. L. McLaughlin
^"Award: 2011383". Australian Honours Search Facility. 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2024. Bauhinia Shire Council mayor/shire chair: 1985-1997
^"Gladstone mayor claims convincing win". ABC News. 27 March 2004. Retrieved 8 April 2024. Tim Stevenson is the new Mayor of the Bauhinia Shire after being elected unopposed to the position.
Further reading
Johnston, W. Ross (William Ross); Campbell, Betty; Bauhinia (Qld. : Shire). Council (1979), Bauhinia : one hundred years of local government, Bauhinia Shire Council, ISBN978-0-9595562-0-9