Shire of Murray

This article is about the Western Australian Shire of Murray. For the New South Wales shire, see Murray Shire.

Shire of Murray Western Australia
Location in Western Australia
Established	1868
Area	1,710.1 km2 (660.3 sq mi)
Shire President	David Bolt
Council seat	Pinjarra
Region	Peel region Outer Mandurah
State electorate(s)	Murray-Wellington
Federal division(s)	Canning
File:Shire of Murray logo.png
Website	Shire of Murray
LGAs around Shire of Murray: Rockingham Serpentine- Jarrahdale Wandering Mandurah Shire of Murray Boddington Waroona Waroona Boddington

The Shire of Murray is a local government area of Western Australia. It has an area of 1,710.1 square kilometres (660.3 sq mi) and is located in the Peel Region about 80 kilometres (50 mi) south of the Perth central business district.

The Shire extends across the Peel Inlet and the Swan Coastal Plain into the Darling Scarp, including about 77,000 hectares (190,000 acres) of State forests. Timber logging and agriculture were the traditional enterprises of the district. However, in recent decades, bauxite mining and a significant equine and tourism industry have emerged. The Murray River flows all year throughout the district. It offers premier country racing and trotting facilities, a golf course and an array of festivals and events.

The Shire is centred on the town of Pinjarra, one of the oldest towns in Western Australia where a number of 19th-century mud brick buildings are still in use today.

History

The area was first settled in 1834 by Sir Thomas Peel. On 7 November 1868, the Murray District Roads Committee had its first meeting in Pinjarra.

The Shire of Murray originated as the Murray Road District, which was gazetted on 25 January 1871. On 1 July 1961, it became the Shire of Murray following the passage of the Local Government Act 1960, which reformed all remaining road districts into shires.

Suburbs and towns

Banksiadale Barragup Blythewood Birchmont Carcoola Chadoora Coolup Dwellingup Etmilyn Fairbridge Furnissdale

Holyoake Inglehope Keralup Kooljerrenup Marrinup Meelon Myara Nambeelup Nirimba North Dandalup North Yunderup

Oakley Pinjarra (seat) Point Grey Ravenswood Solus South Yunderup Stake Hill Teesdale West Coolup West Pinjarra Whittaker

Population

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1911 2,199 —     1921 3,400 +4.45% 1933 4,060 +1.49% 1947 4,118 +0.10% 1954 3,897 −0.78% 1961 3,592 −1.16% 1966 3,329 −1.51% 1971 4,061 +4.06% 1976 5,035 +4.39%

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1981 6,306 +4.60% 1986 6,634 +1.02% 1991 8,157 +4.22% 1996 9,144 +2.31% 2001 10,035 +1.88% 2006 11,969 +3.59% 2011 14,149 +3.40% 2016 16,698 +3.37% 2021 18,068 +1.59%

• At the 1954 census, Mandurah, which had seceded from Murray, had a population of 1,687.

Notable councillors

• John McLarty, Murray Roads Board member 1870; later a state MP
• Edward McLarty, Murray Roads Board member 1875–1915; also a state MP
• William Paterson, Murray Roads Board member 1875–1895; also a state MP

Heritage-listed places

Main article: List of State Register of Heritage Places in the Shire of Murray

As of 2021, 130 places are heritage-listed in the Shire of Murray, of which 13 are on the State Register of Heritage Places.