The area now known as City of Hervey Bay first received local government with the Divisional Boards Act 1879, where on 11 November 1879, the
Antigua (population 1636) and
Burrum (population 1511) Divisions were created.[2][3][4][5]
A later division,
Howard, was split away from the Division of
Isis in 1900.[6]
With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, the Antigua, Burrum and Howard Divisions became the Shires of
Antigua,
Burrum and
Howard on 31 March 1903.[4][5][6][7][8][9]
an altered
Shire of Tiaro, losing part to Shire of Kilkivan, but gaining parts of the Shires of Granville, Kilkivan and
Widgee
an altered
Shire of Tinana, gaining parts of the Shires of Granville, Kilkivan and
Widgee
an altered
Shire of Widgee, losing part to Shire of Kilkivan, but gaining part of the Shire of Tiaro
an enlarged
Shire of Woocoo, losing part to the Shire of Kilkivan, but gaining parts of the Shires of Antigua and Howard
A coastal focus in the 1970s
By the 1920s the Hervey Bay area was rapidly expanding due to continuing growth in the primary industries such as sugar cane, citrus, pineapples, beef cattle and fishing, as well as investment in transport infrastructure. In the 1950s and 1960s, population and development increased, and the coastal settlements slowly merged into a single urban area.
On 20 December 1975, the Shire of Burrum was renamed the
Shire of Hervey Bay with effect from the local government elections of 27 March 1976. With the new focus on the coastal region, 1,086.4 km2 (419.5 sq mi) of its area, with an estimated population of 1,119, was annexed by the
City of Maryborough, while 1,269.0 km2 (490.0 sq mi) with an estimated population of 2,629 was annexed by the
Shire of Woocoo.
In September 1977, the Shire of Hervey Bay became the
Town of Hervey Bay, and on 18 February 1984 it became a City.