History of Murrumbidgee Council

1. Our beginnings

Murrumbidgee Council was established in May 2016 after the merger Jerilderie Shire Council and Murrumbidgee Shire Council. The merger created a new Local Government Area of 6,680 sq km with a population of 4,047.

It encompassed the communities of Jerilderie, Coleambally and Darlington Point and was comprised of three wards: Jerilderie, Murrumbidgee East and Murrumbidgee.

The first General Manager was Mr Craig Moffitt and the Administrator was Mr Austin Evans.

Councillors from the two former councils continued their involvement in the Local Representation Committee leading up to an election in September 2017.

The first councillors were: Cr Ruth McRae (Mayor), Cr Faith Bryce, Cr Gaila Smith, Cr Robert Black (Deputy Mayor), Cr Christine Chirgwin, Cr Austin Evans, Cr Robert Curphey, Cr Gavin Gilbert and Cr Phillip Wells.

2. History of Jerilderie Shire Council

Jerilderie Shire Council was declared in 1918 after the amalgamation of the former Municipality of Jerilderie (1889 - 1918) and Wunnamurra Shire (1906 - 1918). It covered an area of 3,337.5 square kilometres and was the second smallest council in NSW.

Year  President Deputy President
 1919 CJ Flanagan  
 1920-1937 MD Horgan  
 1938-1942 JH Liddle  
 1943 RA O’Neil   
 1944 JH Liddle   
1945-1948  ED Ryan  
1949 ED Ryan/ AB Lawrence  
1950-1954 AB Lawrence  
1955-1963 F McPherson  
1964-1965 KF O’Neil   
 1966 F McPherson   
1967-1968 KF O’Neil
 
1969  KF O'Neill 

Thos Sleeman

1970 Thos Sleeman 

K Leonard

1971 PF Byrnes

KF O'Neill

1971-1972 KF O'Neill 

TN Hogan

 1972-1973  TN Hogan Julian Scott (till meeting 17/10/1972) PF Byrnes (from 21/11/1972)

1973-74

PF Byrnes KF O'Neill
 1974-75 KM O'Connell JD Evans
1975-76 JD Evans KF O'Neill 
1976-77  KF O'Neill JD Evans
1977-78 KM O'Connell TN Hogan
1978-79 TN Hogan  NJ McKinnon

1980-81

LJ Henery  

John Griffiths

1981-82  John Griffiths KF O'Neill
1982-83 KF O'Neill FA Ham 
1983-84  FA Ham RJ Fraser
1984-85 RJ Fraser  JB Ellwood
1985-86 JB Ellwood  KM O'Connell
1986-87 KM O'Connell TN Hogan 
1987-88 TN Hogan KF O'Neill 
1988-89  HR Hunt

NJ McKinnon

1991-92   HR Hunt JF Byrnes
   Mayor Deputy Mayor
 July 1993  JF Byrnes

NJ McKinnon

1993-94   JF Byrnes

NJ McKinnon

1994-95  LJ Henery  JF Byrnes 
1995-97  LJ Henery

HR Hunt

1997-98  KF O'Neill  I Sneddon
1998-2003  I Sneddon  HR Hunt
2004-2007   TN Hogan

LJ Henery

2007-2104  TN Hogan RE McRae
2104-2016 TN Hogan  LJ Henery 

3. History of Murrumbidgee Shire Council

Established in 1906, Murrumbidgee Shire Council covered an area of 3,508 square kilometres. The first elected Councillors were: William Kook, James McWilliams, John S Robertson, Alexander A White, Herman Kook (Snr) and Francis J Collins. The first Shire President was Herman Kook (Snr) who served from 1906-1910.

The first Shire Clerk was L G Markey who served from 1907-1910. The first meeting of Murrumbidgee Shire Council was held on 8 December 1906 at the Court House.