Weipa Town
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Weipa Town Queensland |
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Departure lounge, Weipa Airport, 2007
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 Weipa Town
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| Coordinates | 12°37′47″S 141°52′41″E / 12.6298°S 141.8781°ECoordinates: 12°37′47″S 141°52′41″E / 12.6298°S 141.8781°E | ||||||||||||
| Population | 3,334 (2011 census) | ||||||||||||
| Established | 1967 | ||||||||||||
| Mayor | Michael Rowland (chairman) | ||||||||||||
| Council seat | Weipa | ||||||||||||
| Region | Far North Queensland | ||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Cook | ||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Leichhardt | ||||||||||||
| Website | Weipa Town | ||||||||||||
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Weipa Town is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Australia. It covers the town of Weipa on the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula. It is an unusual local government area as it is not governed and managed by a council elected by residents but rather by the company Comalco (which operates a bauxite mine in the area) through a governing body called the Weipa Town Authority. In the 2011 census, Weipa Town had a population of 3,334 people.
In 1955, New Zealand geologist Harry Evans discovered bauxite (the raw material used to make aluminium) on the western coast of Cape York Peninsula while he was exploring for oil. Further surveys established it was the largest bauxite deposit in the world.
In November 1957, the Queensland Government approved a £50 million project of the British Australian Consolidated Zinc group to develop a bauxite mine on the Cape York Peninsula to be operated by its newly created subsidiary, Commonwealth Aluminium Corporation Pty. Limited (from 1960 known as Comalco). As part of the agreement, the government passed legislation to enable a town, harbour and treatment works to be established at the company's expense at Kumrunja (Rocky Point) on the south side of the Mission River. Under the Commonwealth Aluminium Corporation Pty. Limited Agreement Act (1957) the area for the town was excised from Shire of Cook and Comalco became the manager of the new town.
In 1964 the first housing was constructed in the new township of Weipa at Rocky Point. In 1967 the Township of Weipa was officially opened by the Queensland Premier Frank Nicklin.
In 1993, Comalco held elections to form a Citizens Advisory Committee to assist in the administration of the town. In 1997 the committee evolved into the present Weipa Town Authority.
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