Historic Noosa Council Minutes published online

More than a century after Noosa Shire Council held its first meeting, the original and beautifully handwritten Minute books have been digitised and preserved online.

The first stage of the project features Council Minutes from 1910 to 1921, which will be a boon for researchers and local historians.

The project is made possible through grant funding for the Noosa Library Service Noosa’s War Front project. 

“The inaugural Noosa Shire Council meeting was held on 11 May 1910 and the Minutes show that the first order of business was the appointment of a chairman. A J Duke was nominated and appointed,” says Noosa Library Service Heritage Librarian Jane Harding.

“Duke commenced his first address to his Council with a tribute to King Edward VII who had passed away the prior week.”

The library has been researching the Minutes to discover the ways in which Council supported the community, state and nation during war.

Ms Harding says the Minutes refer to incoming correspondence from organisations such as the Queensland War Council and Queensland Patriotic Fund seeking support from Council.

Many meetings include a motion to send letters of condolence to local families who had lost loved ones at war, and references to requests from residents for suspension of rates while their husbands, fathers or sons were away on active service.

Looking at the digitised Minutes with Ms Harding, Noosa Mayor Noel Playford said: “This is a valuable part of our history. The Minutes show how much things have changed over 100 years.”

Cr Playford was interested to see how much of the early council work was focused on infrastructure for the community such as roads and bridges.

“Whereas today, roads and bridges are among a wide variety of topics Council discusses.”

The library hopes to continue the project to digitise the Minute books to make all historic Council Minutes available online.

This project is proudly supported by the Queensland Government.

Website:  www.libraries.noosa.qld.gov.au/council-minutes

11 May 2015