Shire of Moora

This article is about a local government area. For the town, see Moora, Western Australia.

The Shire of Moora is a local government area in the northern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, and generally lies between the Brand Highway and Great Northern Highway about 180 kilometres (112 mi) north of Perth, the state capital. The Shire covers an area of 3,767 square kilometres (1,454 sq mi) and its seat of government is the town of Moora.

Shire of Moora Western Australia
The state heritage listed Moora Town Hall and the Shire Office, 2016
Location in Western Australia
Population	2,292 (LGA 2021)^[1]
Established	1908
Area	3,766.9 km^2 (1,454.4 sq mi)
Shire President	Tracy Lefroy
Council seat	Moora
Region	Wheatbelt
State electorate(s)	Moore
Federal division(s)	Durack
Website	Shire of Moora
LGAs around Shire of Moora: Coorow Coorow Dalwallinu Dandaragan Shire of Moora Dalwallinu Gingin Victoria Plains Wongan-Ballidu

History

The Moora Road District was gazetted on 11 December 1908, created from part of the Victoria Plains Road District. The first election for the Moora Road Board was on 12 February 1909. Henry Lefroy was elected Chairman at the first meeting of the Road Board on 19 March 1909. Lefroy had previously been elected Chairman of the Victoria Plains Road Board in 1876.^[2][3][4]

On 1 July 1961, Moora became a Shire under the Local Government Act 1960, which reformed all remaining road districts into shires.^[5]

Wards

The shire is undivided and the nine councillors represent the entire shire.

Until 20 October 2007, the shire was divided into wards, most with 1 councillor each:

• Moora Town Ward (4 councillors)
• Bindi Bindi
• Coomberdale
• Koojan
• Miling
• Watheroo

Towns and localities

The towns and localities of the Shire of Moora with population and size figures based on the most recent Australian census:^[6][7]

Locality	Population	Area	Map
Barberton	16 (SAL 2021)^[8]	111.7 km^2 (43.1 sq mi)
Berkshire Valley	38 (SAL 2021)^[9]	238 km^2 (92 sq mi)
Bindi Bindi	59 (SAL 2021)^[10]	408 km^2 (158 sq mi)
Coomberdale	56 (SAL 2021)^[11]	275.5 km^2 (106.4 sq mi)
Gabalong	8 (SAL 2021)^[12]	76.1 km^2 (29.4 sq mi)
Koojan	40 (SAL 2021)^[13]	246.1 km^2 (95.0 sq mi)
Miling	101 (SAL 2021)^[14]	696.5 km^2 (268.9 sq mi)
Moora	1,755 (SAL 2021)^[15]	361 km^2 (139 sq mi)
Namban	35 (SAL 2021)^[16]	280.6 km^2 (108.3 sq mi)
Walebing	39 (SAL 2021)^[17]	285.3 km^2 (110.2 sq mi)
Watheroo	137 (SAL 2021)^[18]	783.4 km^2 (302.5 sq mi)

Population

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1911 1,921 —     1921 1,642 −1.56% 1933 2,088 +2.02% 1947 2,006 −0.29% 1954 2,896 +5.39% 1961 3,082 +0.89% 1966 2,981 −0.66% 1971 3,120 +0.92% 1976 3,040 −0.52%

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1981 3,102 +0.40% 1986 2,828 −1.83% 1991 2,654 −1.26% 1996 2,541 −0.87% 2001 2,557 +0.13% 2006 2,410 −1.18% 2011 2,476 +0.54% 2016 2,428 −0.39% 2021 2,292 −1.15%

Notable councillors

• Edgar Lewis, Moora Roads Board member 1936–1939; later a state MP
• Ray Jones, Moora Roads Board member 1948–1952; later a state MP

In popular culture

In January 2017, a video emblazoned with the seal of Shire of Moora was uploaded to YouTube. The video, showing a road being built, went viral, bringing unexpected attention to the area.^[19]

Heritage-listed places

Main article: List of State Register of Heritage Places in the Shire of Moora

As of 2023, 229 places are heritage-listed in the Shire of Moora,^[20] of which five are on the State Register of Heritage Places.^[21]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Moora (Local Government Area)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
2. "New Moora District Road Board First Election". The Midlands Advertiser. Moora, WA. 19 February 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
3. "Moora District Roads Board". The Midlands Advertiser. Moora, WA. 26 March 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
4. "Shire History". Shire of Moora. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
5. "Municipality Boundary Amendments Register" (PDF). Western Australian Electoral Distribution Commission. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
6. "SLIP Map". maps.slip.wa.gov.au. Landgate. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
7. "NationalMap". nationalmap.gov.au. Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
8. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Barberton (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
9. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Berkshire Valley (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
10. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Bindi Bindi (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
11. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Coomberdale (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
12. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Gabalong (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
13. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Koojan (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
14. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Miling (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
15. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Moora (WA) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
16. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Namban (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
17. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Walebing (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
18. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Watheroo (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
19. "Road building video is unlikely viral hit". MSN. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
20. "Shire of Moora Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
21. "Shire of Moora State Register of Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

External links

• Official website  
• Moora Cemetery

30°38′17″S 116°00′36″E / 30.638°S 116.010°E / -30.638; 116.010