Shire of Esperance

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

Location in Western Australia
Population 14,242 (2013 est)[1]
 • Density 0.334736/km2 (0.866964/sq mi)
Established 1895
Area 42,546.9 km2 (16,427.4 sq mi)
Mayor Malcolm Heasman
Council seat Esperance
Region Goldfields-Esperance
State electorate(s) Eyre
Federal Division(s) O'Connor
Website Shire of Esperance
LGAs around Shire of Esperance:
Dundas Dundas Dundas
Ravensthorpe Shire of Esperance Dundas
Southern Ocean Southern Ocean Southern Ocean

The Shire of Esperance is a local government area in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, about 400 kilometres (250 mi) south of the town of Kalgoorlie and about 720 kilometres (450 mi) east-southeast of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of 42,547 square kilometres (16,427 sq mi), and its seat of government is the town of Esperance, where about three-quarters of the Shire's population resides.

History

The Esperance Road District was constituted and gazetted in 1895. A municipality covering the town of Esperance, gazetted the same year, was merged into the Road District in 1908. On 1 July 1961, it became a shire under the Local Government Act 1960.[2] On 11 July 1979, the American Skylab Space Station re-entered Earth's atmosphere headed for Western Australia and the Indian Ocean. It broke up during reentry and much of it landed in Esperance. In turn, the Shire issued a facetious $400 fine to the American government for littering. It remained outstanding until April 2009, when radio show host Scott Barley of Highway Radio raised the funds from his morning show listeners, and paid the fine on behalf of NASA.[3]

Wards

The shire is divided into two wards. Prior to the 2005 elections, a 13-councillor setup with North, West and East wards each with two councillors was in place. The shire president is elected from amongst the councillors.

Towns and localities

References

  1. ↑ "3218.0 Regional Population Growth, Australia. Table 5. Estimated Resident Population, Local Government Areas, Western Australia". 3 April 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  2. ↑ WA Electoral Commission, Municipality Boundary Amendments Register (release 3.0), 31 May 2007.
  3. ↑ Hannah Siemer. "" The Esperance Express, 17 April 2009.

Coordinates: 33°51′40″S 121°53′31″E / 33.861°S 121.892°E / -33.861; 121.892

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