Shire of Johnstone Queensland
Johnstone Shire Hall, circa 1940
Location within Queensland
Population	18,256 (2006 census)[1]
• Density	11.1378/km2 (28.8468/sq mi)
Established	1881
Area	1,639.1 km2 (632.9 sq mi)
Council seat	Innisfail
Region	Far North Queensland
LGAs around Shire of Johnstone: Eacham Cairns Coral Sea Eacham Shire of Johnstone Coral Sea Herberton Cardwell Coral Sea

The Shire of Johnstone was a local government area of Queensland. It was located on the Coral Sea coast about 90 kilometres (56 mi) south of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Innisfail, covered an area of 1,639.1 square kilometres (632.9 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1881 until 2008, when it amalgamated with the Shire of Cardwell to form the Cassowary Coast Region.

The Mamu tribal group are the traditional owners of much of the land in the shire. 47% of the shire is in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.^[2]

History

The Hinchinbrook Division was created on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879. On 28 October 1881, the Johnstone Division split away from it.^[3]

With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Johnstone Division became the Shire of Johnstone on 31 March 1903.^[4]

On 22 November 1910 part of Johnstone Shire became Shire of Eacham.^[4]

In December 1932, the Johnstone Shire Hall was destroyed by fire. Despite the desire to build a replacement quickly, it was not until 1938 that the new building was completed. The 1938 Johnstone Shire Hall is now listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.^[5]

The election of councillors in May 1943 created a sensation with every elected councillor being a candidate of the Ratepayers Party, ousting 7 Labor Party councillors.^[6]

In February 2007, the Johnstone Shire Council was sacked by the Queensland Local Government Minister, Andrew Fraser, claiming the shire council had become ineffective due to internal conflict, inappropriate behaviour and financial problems.

On 8 February 2007 the Johnstone Shire Council was sacked by the Queensland Government's Local Government Minister, Andrew Fraser claiming the shire council had become ineffective due to internal conflict, inappropriate behaviour and financial problems,^[7] despite an issued show cause presented on 2 August 2006.^[8][9]

Among the perceived gross misconduct were the following incidences:^[spelling?]

• The purchase of a $250,000 Steinway Model D Piano with insurance money from Cyclone Larry.^[10]
• Former Deputy Mayor George Pervan was quoted on commercial radio during an interview during the aftermath of Cyclone Larry requesting Southern Queenslanders to:

"Send up a truckload of piss so we can all get fucking drunk" – George Pervan – 2006^[11]

While two councillors attempted to get the Queensland Government to revoke the decision Andrew Fraser stated that while the action was regrettable, it was indeed the correct decision.^[12]

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 Johnstone merged with the Shire of Cardwell to form the Cassowary Coast Region.^[4][13]

Towns and localities

The Shire of Cardwell included the following settlements:

¹ - shared with Cairns Region
² - shared with Tablelands Region
³ - shared with Cairns Region and Tablelands Region

Population

Chairmen

• 

  1883 F. E. Nash^[14]
• 1901: Henry Lawrence Gill
• 1903: Henry Lawrence Gill
• 1904: Timothy Dempsey^[15]
• 1907: Charles Edward Jodrell^[16]
• 1908: John Harvey Payne^[17]
• 1922—1923: Leontine Joseph Duffy^[18][19]
• 1927: Robert David Bliss^[20]
• 1929—1943: Clarence Stanley Kopsen Page^[6]
• 1950: Andrew John Murray Laurie^[21]

Other notable council members include:

• 1982—1985: Vicky Kippin, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Mourilyan^[22]