Torres Shire
Australia's northernmost local government area, and the only one that adjoins an international border, the Shire of Torres covers large sections of the Torres Strait Islands and the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula north of 11°S latitude. It is administered from Thursday Island.
The Hann Division, one of the original seventy-four divisions created on 11 November 1879 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879, was split at the end of October 1885. The coastal islands were separated to create the Torres Division, which became the Shire of Torres on 31 March 1903. Thursday Island had a separate town council as far back as 1912.
In 1939, the Federal Government passed the Torres Strait Islanders Act, allowing for a form of local government on each island. On 27 January 1942, after the fall of Singapore during World War II, the Australian government gave the order to evacuate all civilians from Thursday Island, which now became a military base. In 1946, civilians started returning to the island. In 1952, the Council was dissolved and replaced by administrators.
On 9 May 1974, the Shire was established and gazetted by the Bjelke-Petersen government to gain leverage on a boundary dispute between the Australian and Papua New Guinea governments. However, elective government was not restored to the Shire until March 1991—along with the Shires of Mornington, Cook and Aurukun, it was administered by the Local Government Department's Far North regional office.
Areas under its jurisdiction include:
Albany Island
Dayman Island
Entrance Island
Friday Island (Gealug)
Goods Island (Palilug)
Horn Island (Narupai) and its airport
Little Adolphus Island
Mount Adolphus Island
Packe Island
Port Lihou Island
Possession Island
Prince of Wales Island (Muralug)
Thursday Island (Waibene)
Turtle Head Island
Wednesday Island (Mawai [alt spelling Muwai])
