Search
Fraser Coast Regional Council
Queensland’s famous Fraser Coast now has a new Regional Council overseeing the management and development of the region.
In 2007 the Queensland Government decided to reduce the number of Councils within the state from 157 to 73. As a consequence the four Councils on the Fraser Coast - Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Woocoo and Tiaro - were amalgamated into the Fraser Coast Regional Council on 15 March 2008.
Ten Councillors and a Mayor sit on the Council governing a region that includes the popular beachside tourist destination Hervey Bay, the inland riverside heritage city of Maryborough and country areas Woocoo and Tiaro.
Also included in the region is World Heritage listed Fraser Island and the unique ocean passage between the island and the mainland – the Great Sandy Strait, a boatie’s paradise and a RAMSAR site of international importance for its environmental significance. Several coastal communities lie along the mainland shore adding charm and variety to a region already rich in cultural and environmental assets.
The Fraser Coast Regional Council’s main administration centres are in Hervey Bay and Maryborough with smaller centres servicing Woocoo and Tiaro. The organisation’s staff of just under 800 serves a population of about 89,000 in an area of 7,125 km2 (from the Gunalda Range to the south, past Howard on the Bruce Highway to the north, east to Fraser Island and west to Biggenden).
Challenges for the new Council include development associated with a burgeoning population driven by a northerly drift from the southern states and the region’s growing popularity as a tourist destination.
The region is well serviced by transport with a jet-capable airport at Hervey Bay, second airport at Maryborough and main trunk rail and road infrastructure through the region. Cruise liners occasionally visit the Great Sandy Strait anchoring off eco-friendly Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island.
The Fraser Coast Regional Council is the region’s largest employer and the 13th largest local government authority in Queensland.
