Jondaryan (Oakey) Council history

The first meeting of the Jondaryan Divisional Board was held on 3 February 1880, chaired by Hon. James Taylor M.L.A. The meeting was held at the Royal Hotel, Snell Street, Toowoomba and continued to be held in the same building for the next 80 years.

In 1903, the Jondaryan Divisional Board was renamed as a result of the new Local Government Act 1903. Ten years later, the Council's boundaries were reorganised which resulted in the shires of Drayton, Millmerran and Pittsworth being divided from the Jondaryan Shire Council.

In 1960, the Jondaryan Shire offices in Toowoomba were relocated to Oakey in order to meet the public requests.

In the Jondaryan local government 128-year history (1880 - 2008), there were only five shire clerks. The longest-serving was Charles Blake who served for 49 years, from 1898 until 1947. Keith Fox served for 24 years until 1988 and Noel Cass served for 20 years until 2008.

The longest-serving chairmen were Charles Campbell (1896 - 1919) and Peter Taylor (1985 - 2008), both serving 23 years. Cr Peter Taylor was elected in 2008 as the first Mayor of Toowoomba Regional Council.

Past Chairmen - Jondaryan Divisional Board

  • 1880 - 1891: James Taylor
  • 1892 - 1893: Francis Gore
  • 1894 - 1895: Gilbert Cory

Past Chairmen - Jondaryan Shire Council

  • 1896 - 1919: Charles Campbell
  • 1919 - 1945: William Kent
  • 1945 - 1955: Alan Paull
  • 1955 - 1959: Ernst Janetztki
  • 1959 - 1972: John Corfe
  • 1973 - 1985: Ian McIntyre

Past Mayor - Jondaryan Shire Council

  • 1985 - 2008 Peter Taylor

Notable Chairmen and Mayors - Jondaryan Shire Council

James Taylor

Hon. JAMES TAYLOR, was the first Chairman of the Jondaryan Divisional Board, holding office from 1880 until 1891.

He owned a number of properties in Toowoomba including Cecil Plains station and the Royal Hotel. He built his home known as Clifford House in 1859. For 10 years (1860-1870) he served as an MLA for Western Downs in the new Queensland Government. In 1871, he became a member of the Queensland Legislative Council, serving until 1893.

Taylor was elected Mayor of Toowoomba in 1890.

Charles Campbell

Charles Campbell was Chairman of the Jondaryan Divisional Board and later the Jondaryan Shire Council from 1896 until his death in 1919.

He served on the Board since its formation in 1880. During this period, he served as Mayor (1886) and Alderman (1887-89) of Toowoomba.

He operated a dairy farm and was partners with his brother in a butchery business.

Charles was involved in the following organisations:

  • Chairman of Toowoomba Permanent Building Society (1904-1919)
  • Chairman of the Toowoomba Gas Company
  • Served on the Queensland Legislative Council during WW1

William Kent

William (Bill "Boss") Kent was chairman of the Jondaryan Shire Council from 1919 to 1945.

He served on the Council from 1914. Born in 1885, he was the grandson of the William Kent who purchased Jondaryan Station in 1863. He attended Maryborough Grammar School and arrived in Jondaryan as an overseer in 1906. In 1945, he subdivided Jondaryan Station into farms. William Kent died at Jondaryan in 1952.

Ian McIntyre

Ian McIntyre was Chairman of Jondaryan Shire Council from 1973 to 1985.

He was a farmer and purchased a block of land that was part of Jondaryan Station. He was awarded Jondaryan Shire Citizen of the Year in 1986 and an OAM (Order of Australia Medal) in 1991 for 'Service to Local Government and the Community'.

Peter Taylor

Peter Taylor was Mayor of Jondaryan Shire Council from 1985 to 2008.

He served as the Chairman of the Local Transition Committee for the Toowoomba Regional Council. He was a farmer on a Jondaryan Station block and is involved in a number of community and local government activities.

Cr Peter Taylor was elected in 2008 as the first Mayor of Toowoomba Regional Council.

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