Community & Business
4 August, 2025
Another de-amalgamation attempt
A new group, acting on concerns of rural ratepayers, is planning another attempt to have a new shire council created to place its focus on the needs of rural towns and landholders without the added burden of the large urban population in Toowoomba.
The new bid will use the case prepared by proponents of the original Darling Downs Shire plan as a basis for the new study.
That plan was put forward by the Darling Downs Shire Steering Committee but failed to gain the acceptance of Local Government Ministers over several years (including now State Premier David Crisafulli), and Toowoomba Regional Council which had the opportunity to support the idea but, in 2016 voted against it.
The new group includes four members who had served as local government councillors on the Clifton, Pittsworth and Millmerran Shires, three of them also having served on the Toowoomba Regional Council.
The group will also draw on the expertise of experienced senior local government personnel.
The move to make another attempt at splitting the Region comes because of ongoing complaints from ratepayers in rural towns and districts.
Two members of the group who will initially act as spokespersons are former Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio and well known Pittsworth district farmer and developer Mark Droney.
They, along with other members of the group say they are regularly hearing adverse comments about the way in which areas away from Toowoomba are being treated.
The group puts the blame squarely on the shoulders of a former State Labor Government led by then Premier Peter Beattie.
Mr Beattie stepped down and left incoming Premier Anna Bligh to put the changes into effect.
In most cases there were mergers of two or three councils into one however on the Darling Downs, seven shires and Toowoomba City Council were forced to combine.
At the time there was widespread criticism because of what was seen as a distinct lack of common interest between a growing urban population in and around the city and a rural population in towns where residents had strong links to agricultural pursuits.
Even today, the “them and us” attitude is very evident across rural towns.
Proposed boundaries for a new council are still being considered by the new group but it appears most likely that the area to be covered will be somewhat similar to that proposed in the previous case study.
This takes in the whole of the former Clifton, Pittsworth and Millmerran shires and rural portions of the former Jondaryan and Cambooya shires, which aligns with the central Condamine catchment.
Whether any areas around Jondaryan and Bowenville north of the Warrego Highway are likely to be included is among factors that are still under consideration.
It is not proposed to include Oakey in the new shire because of its proximity to Toowoomba and its role
as a dormitory centre for the city.
The group believes other dormitory centres such as Westbrook, Wyreema and Cambooya should also remain in the Toowoomba-based Council area.
