Shire of Upper Gascoyne

The Shire of Upper Gascoyne is a local government area in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia, inland from Carnarvon and about 1000km north of the state capital, Perth. The Shire has an area of 57939km2, much of which is uninhabited land or sparsely vegetated sheep station country, and its seat of government is the small town of Gascoyne Junction. It has a population of 285 (ABS 2006), 46% of whom identify as Aboriginal.HistoryIn 1887, the Upper Gascoyne Road District was gazetted. On 1 July 1961, it became a Shire under the Local Government Act 1960. The original Road Board office is now a heritage-listed site.WardsThe shire is divided into 3 wards, each with two councillors: North Ward South Ward East WardTownsBurringurrah Gascoyne Junction Mount AugustusNotable councillors Everard Darlot, Upper Gascoyne Road Board member 1887; later a state MP Lionel Kelly, Upper Gascoyne Road Board member 1927–1928; later a state MP