City of Moreton Bay

City of Moreton Bay Queensland
Location within South East Queensland
Population	476,340 (2021 census)[1] (3rd) 469,465 (2019 Est.)[2]
• Density	233.27/km2 (604.17/sq mi)
Established	2008
Area	2,042 km2 (788.4 sq mi)[3]
Mayor	Peter Flannery
Council seat	Strathpine, Caboolture, Redcliffe
Region	South East Queensland
State electorate(s)	Bancroft, Ferny Grove, Kurwongbah, Morayfield, Glass House, Murrumba, Pumicestone, Redcliffe, Everton, Pine Rivers
Federal division(s)	Petrie, Dickson, Longman
Website	City of Moreton Bay
LGAs around City of Moreton Bay: Somerset Sunshine Coast Moreton Bay Somerset City of Moreton Bay Moreton Bay Somerset Brisbane Brisbane

The City of Moreton Bay, known until July 2023 as the Moreton Bay Region, is a local government area in the north of the Brisbane metropolitan city in South East Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it replaced three established local government areas, the City of Redcliffe and the Shires of Pine Rivers and Caboolture.

With an estimated operating budget of A$391 million and a 2018 population of 459,585,^[3] Moreton Bay is the third most populous local government area in Australia behind the City of Brisbane and City of Gold Coast,^[3] both of which are also amalgamated entities.

In the 2021 census, the City of Moreton Bay had a population of 476,340 people.^[1]

The original inhabitants, or Traditional Owners, of Moreton Bay are the Kabi Kabi, Jinibara and Turrbal Aboriginal people.

Duungidjawu (also known as Kabi Kabi, Cabbee, Carbi, Gabi Gabi) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Duungidjawu country. The Duungidjawu language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of Somerset Region and the City of Moreton Bay, particularly the towns of Caboolture, Kilcoy, Woodford and Moore.^[4]

At the time the Divisional Boards Act 1879 came into force on 11 November 1879, the present City of Morton Bay was entirely contained within the Caboolture Division, which also included the Sunshine Coast. By 1890, Caboolture Division had shrunk considerably with the separate incorporation of the Pine Division (21 January 1888), Redcliffe Division (5 April 1888) and Maroochy Division (5 July 1890).

With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, Caboolture, Pine and Redcliffe (as well as Maroochy) became Shires on 31 March 1903. Redcliffe was proclaimed a Town on 28 May 1921 and a City on 13 June 1959. A few weeks earlier, on 23 May 1959, Pine was renamed the Shire of Pine Rivers.

In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended the amalgamation of the three local government areas:^[5][6]

• the City of Redcliffe
• the Shire of Pine Rivers
• and the Shire of Caboolture

It argued that the area was part of the South East Queensland Regional Plan's Urban Footprint, and would attract 11% of the region's population and housing growth to 2006. A very strong community of interest was identified through the region's links and dependencies to Brisbane. The councils disagreed with the commission's plans although, with the exception of Redcliffe, did not oppose alternative amalgamation options. On 15 March 2008, the City and Shires formally ceased to exist and were amalgamated into a new local government area called the Moreton Bay Region. Elections were held on the same day to elect councillors and a mayor to the regional council. In 2012, following the election of the LNP state government, Redcliffe sought to enter a de-amalgamation process; however, a deadline to gather signatures on a petition by 29 August 2012 was missed. The Hills District sought in 2011 to transfer to Brisbane City Council, but the local government Change Commissioner declined the proposal on cost grounds.^{[citation needed]}

On 8 December 2021, the council unanimously voted to rename the council area to Moreton Bay City and to seek approval from the Local Government Change Commission for the renaming.^[7] The LGA was officially renamed the City of Moreton Bay on 21 July 2023.^[8]

In April 2023, the Queensland Government decided to reflect the growing population of the region by creating five new localities named Corymbia, Greenstone, Lilywood, Wagtail Grove, and Waraba by excising parts of the existing localities of Bellmere, Rocksberg, Upper Caboolture, and Wamuran.^[9][10][11]

In July 2023, the Moreton Bay Region was renamed the City of Moreton Bay.^[12]

The City of Moreton Bay is divided into 12 divisions, each of which elects one councillor. Additionally, the entire city elects a mayor. Allan Sutherland was elected as the first mayor at the 2008 elections, and Peter Flannery as the second Mayor in 2020.^{[citation needed]}

The current council, elected in 2024, is:^{[citation needed]}

No.	Portrait	Mayor	Party	Term start	Term end	Council control (term)
1		Allan Sutherland	Independent	15 March 2008	28 March 2020		Independents majority (2008–present)
2		Peter Flannery	Independent	28 March 2020	incumbent

No.	Portrait	Mayor	Party	Term start	Term end	Mayor
1		Greg Chippendale	Independent	2008	2013		Sutherland (Independent)
2		Mike Charlton	Independent	2013	2020
3		Denise Sims	Independent	2020	October 2021		Flannery (Independent)
4		Jodie Shipway	Independent	2021	October 2021

This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2024 Queensland local elections § Moreton Bay.[edit]

2024 Queensland local elections: Moreton Bay

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Independent		87,701	56.81		10
	Independent Labor		24,169	15.66		2
	Community Centred and Connected		16,715	10.83		0
	Independent LNP		10,274	6.65		0
	Greens		8,939	5.79		0
	Independent Democrat		3,322	2.15		0
	Animal Justice		3,240	2.10		0
Formal votes			154,360	92.42
Informal votes			12,664	7.58
Total			167,024	100.0

On 1 July 2010, Moreton Bay's water services (along with Sunshine Coast Regional Council's), moved over to the recently created water body, Unitywater. Unitywater was created by the Queensland Government as part of the State's takeover of South East Queensland's water facilities, dams and water supply networks. Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast Regional Council and Noosa Shire Council are joint owners of Unitywater.^{[citation needed]}

The City of Moreton Bay includes the following places:

• Redcliffe
• Clontarf
• Deception Bay
• Kippa-Ring
• Margate
• Newport
• Rothwell
• Scarborough
• Woody Point

Urban suburbs:

Rural localities:

The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008.^{[citation needed]} The 2011 census was the first for the amalgamated council.^{[citation needed]}

Selected historical census data for Moreton Bay local government area
Census year		2011[13]	2016[14]	2021[1]
Population	Estimated residents on census night	378,045	425,302	476,340
	LGA rank in terms of size within Queensland	3rd	3rd	3rd
	% of Queensland population	8.73%	9.04%	9.24%
	% of Australian population	1.76%	1.82%	1.87%
Dwelling structure
Dwelling type	Separate house	85.9%	83.0%	81.1%
	Semi-detached, terrace or townhouse	7.4%	11.0%	13.3%
	Flat or apartment	5.7%	5.0%	4.7%

The City of Moreton Bay operates libraries at Albany Creek, Arana Hills, Bongaree (Bribie Island), Burpengary, Caboolture, Deception Bay, North Lakes, Redcliffe, Strathpine, and Woodford.^[15] It also operates a mobile library service on a fortnightly basis serving the suburbs of Beachmere, Bray Park, Dayboro, Donnybrook, Lawnton, Mount Glorious, Mount Mee, Mount Nebo, Mount Samson Petrie, Samford, Toorbul and Warner.^[16]

The City of Moreton Bay maintains its local heritage register in two parts:^[17]

• List of sites, objects and buildings of significant historical and cultural value
• List of significant trees

• City of Moreton Bay
• Moreton City News

27°17′36″S 152°55′48″E / 27.29333°S 152.93000°E / -27.29333; 152.93000