{{Short description|Former local government area in New South Wales, Australia}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = lga | name = Palerang | state = nsw | image = Palerang LGA NSW.png | caption = Location in New South Wales | pop = 15306 | pop_year = 2013 est | pop_footnotes =<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/subscriber.nsf/log?openagent&32180ds0003_2003-13.xls&3218.0&Data%20Cubes&811CDB2C6F0319E3CA257CAE000ECBD6&0&2012-13&03.04.2014&Latest|title=3218.0 Regional Population Growth, Australia. Table 1. Estimated Resident Population, Local Government Areas, New South Wales|date=3 April 2014|access-date=11 September 2014}}</ref> | area = 5134 | est = {{start date|2004|02|11|df=y}} | abolished = {{end date|2016|05|12|df=y}} | coordinates = {{coord|35|15|S|149|27|E|region:AU-NSW_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}} | seat = Bungendore<ref name="dlg" >{{cite web |title=Palerang Council |publisher=Department of Local Government |url= http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_CouncilContactDetails.asp?slacode=6180 |access-date=12 November 2006}}</ref> | mayor = Pete Harrison | mayortitle = Last Mayor | region = Southern Tablelands | logo = | url = http://www.palerang.nsw.gov.au | fedgov = Eden-Monaro | stategov = Monaro | stategov2= Goulburn | near-nw = Yass Valley | near-w = Queanbeyan | near-sw = ACT | near-s = Cooma-Monaro | near-se = Eurobodalla | near-e = Shoalhaven | near-ne = Goulburn Mulwaree | near-n = Upper Lachlan}} The '''Palerang Council''' was a local government area located in the Southern Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. On 12 May 2016 the Minister for Local Government announced dissolution of the Palerang Council with immediate effect. Together with Queanbeyan City the combined council areas were merged to establish the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.<ref name=qprc/> Both councils had opposed the amalgamation. Elections for the new Council area were held in September 2017. The former mayor of Queanbeyan City Council was appointed by the New South Wales Government as administrator until that date.
The last mayor of the Palerang Council was Cr. Pete Harrison, an independent politician.
==Municipal history== Originally known as the Eastern Capital City Regional Council (Until 8 December), Palerang was proclaimed on 11 February 2004 when Tallaganda Shire was amalgamated with most of Yarrowlumla Shire and small parts of Cooma-Monaro Shire, Gunning Shire and Mulwaree Shire.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gazette.legislation.nsw.gov.au/so/download.w3p?id=Gaz_Gazette%20Split%202004_2004-198.pdf|title=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales Number 198|publisher=Government of New South Wales|date=December 2004}}</ref>
A 2015 review of local government boundaries recommended that the Palerang Council merge with adjoining councils. The New South Wales Government considered three options. The first two options were to merge parts of the Palerang Council with the Goulburn Mulwaree Council to form a new council with an area of {{convert|4748|km2}} and support a population of approximately {{formatnum:31000}};<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpc-olg-ss.s3.amazonaws.com/625d55dfc93bf7bf6c6fc71a6fc629d7/Goulburn-Mulwaree-Palerang.pdf |title=Merger proposal: Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Palerang Council (part) |publisher=Government of New South Wales |date=January 2016 |access-date=10 March 2016 |page=7 }}</ref> and to merge the remaining parts of Palerang with the City of Queanbeyan to form a new council with an area of {{convert|3791|km2}} and support a population of approximately {{formatnum:55000}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpc-olg-ss.s3.amazonaws.com/da6b4f3091e419393850651a0feb8312/Queanbeyan-Palerang.pdf |title=Merger proposal:Palerang Council (part), Queanbeyan City Council |publisher=Government of New South Wales |date=January 2016 |access-date=10 March 2016 |page=7 }}</ref> The alternative, proposed by Palerang Council on 29 January 2016, was for an amalgamation of the whole of Palerang with Queanbeyan City Council.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpc-olg-ss.s3.amazonaws.com/4fd95b5a46cdd9f08a0b3f748702fa0b/160129-Palerang-Queanbeyan-Full-Merger-Proposal.pdf |title=Palerang and Queanbeyan City councils Proposal |publisher=Government of New South Wales |date=29 January 2016 |access-date=10 March 2016 |author=Palerang Council }}</ref> On 12 May 2016 the Minister for Local Government announced dissolution of the Palerang Council with immediate effect. Together with Queanbeyan City the combined council areas were merged to establish the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.<ref name=qprc>{{cite web |url=https://www.strongercouncils.nsw.gov.au/new-councils/queanbeyan-palerang-regional-council/ |title=Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council |work=Stronger Councils |publisher=Government of New South Wales |date=12 May 2016 |access-date=20 May 2016 |archive-date=11 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611162700/https://www.strongercouncils.nsw.gov.au/new-councils/queanbeyan-palerang-regional-council/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Towns and localities== The former area was named after Mount Palerang, located close to the geographical centre, and one of the highest points in the former council's area. The area that was covered under administration extended to Lake George in the north, the Tallaganda State Forest in the south, Queanbeyan to the west and the Morton and Budawang National Parks to the east. The Kings Highway and the Sydney-Canberra railway pass through the former Palerang Council area.
Predominantly rural in nature, the Palerang Council area comprised the towns of Bungendore, Braidwood and Captains Flat, and the villages of Araluen, Majors Creek, Mongarlowe and Nerriga. It also encompasses the rural residential areas of Wamboin, Bywong, Burra, Urila, Hoskinstown, Rossi and parts of Carwoola, Royalla, and Sutton.
Around two-thirds of the Palerang population was concentrated in Bungendore and the rural residential areas adjacent to the Australian Capital Territory border, with many residents commuting daily to Canberra or Queanbeyan. Cattle grazing is the primary agricultural pursuit in the former area, with more recent development of niche rural industries such as vineyards, olive groves and alpaca breeding. About one quarter of the former Palerang Council area is managed for conservation, with significant areas of national park.{{citation needed|date=October 2012}}
== Council ==
===Current composition and election method=== Until its dissolution, Palerang Council was composed of nine councillors elected proportionally as one entire ward. All councillors were elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor was elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The most recent and last election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the former council was as follows:<ref name=EC>{{cite web |url=http://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/palerang-council/councillor |title=Palerang Council: Summary of First Preference Votes for each Candidate |work=Local Government Elections 2012 |publisher=Electoral Commission of New South Wales |date=13 September 2012 |access-date=7 October 2012}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2"|Party!!Councillors |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Independents and Unaligned | align=right | 8 |- | {{Australian party style|Labor}}| | Country Labor | align=right | 1 |- | | '''Total''' | align=right | '''9''' |}
The last council, elected in 2012 and dissolved in 2016, in order of election, was:<ref name=EC/>
{| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="2"|Councillor!!Party!!Notes |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Pete Harrison | Independent | Mayor<ref name=mayor>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-26/new-palerang-council/4281006 |title=New Palerang mayor to target roads |author=Mosley, Lisa |publisher=ABC News |location=Australia |date=26 September 2012 |access-date=7 October 2012}}</ref> |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Mark Schweikert | Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Belinda Hogarth-Boyd | Unaligned | Deputy Mayor |- | {{Australian party style|Labor}}| | Garth Morrison | Country Labor | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Keith France | Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Trevor Hicks | Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Paul Cockram | Independent | |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Peter Marshall | Unaligned | Member of The Greens |- | {{Australian party style|Independent}}| | Richard Graham | Independent | |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060507142906/http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_Regions.asp?regiontype=2&slacode=6180®ion=SE Map of council area] *[http://www.palerang.nsw.gov.au/ Palerang Council website] *[http://profile.id.com.au/palerang/about/ Palerang Community Profile] *[http://palerangbulletin.com.au/ The District Bulletin] *[http://www.braidwoodtimes.com.au/ The Braidwood Times Newspaper] *[http://www.bungendoremirror.com.au/ The Bungendore Mirror Newspaper]
{{LGAs Southern Tablelands}} {{NSW former LGAs}} {{NSW Local Government amalgamations 2016|state=collapsed}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Former local government areas of New South Wales Category:Southern Tablelands Category:2016 disestablishments in Australia