Shire of Burke

Shire of Burke Queensland
Location within Queensland
Population	554 (2010)
• Density	0.013806/km2 (0.03576/sq mi)
Established	1885
Area	40,126.8 km2 (15,493.0 sq mi)
Mayor	Ernie Camp
Council seat	Burketown
Region	North West Queensland
State electorate(s)	Mount Isa
Federal Division(s)	Kennedy
Website	Shire of Burke
LGAs around Shire of Burke: Gulf of Carpentaria Gulf of Carpentaria, Mornington Gulf of Carpentaria Roper Gulf (NT) Shire of Burke Carpentaria Barkly (NT) Mount Isa Cloncurry

The Shire of Burke is a local government area in North West Queensland, Australia. The shire lies on the south coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria and abuts the border with the Northern Territory. It covers an area of 40,126.8 square kilometres (15,493.0 sq mi), and has existed as a local government entity since 1885. The major town and administrative centre of the shire is Burketown. The shire and town and the Burke River passing through all are named in honour of ill-fated explorer Robert O'Hara Burke.

From the months of August to November, a rare meteorological phenomenon known as "Morning Glory" – long, tubular clouds, some up to 1000 km in length – are often observed in the skies above Burke Shire

The shire contains Boodjamulla National Park (formerly called Lawn Hill National Park) and the World Heritage Site Riversleigh fossil fields. The Aboriginal Shire of Doomadgee lies inside Burke Shire to the west of Burketown. It also includes Gregory Downs.

The Doonmunya Division was created on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 with a population of 396. However, the divisional board appeared to be completely inactive, perhaps because the division was so large (being the area surrounding the southern part of the Gulf of Carpentaria) and was very sparsely settled. Nonetheless some of the citizens were unhappy about this. Consequently, on 11 January 1883, the Doonmunya Division was abolished and a new Carpentaria Division was created to replace it.