Shire of Murray


The Shire of Murray is a local government area of Western Australia. It has an area of and is located in the Peel Region about south of the Perth central business district.
The Shire extends across the Peel Inlet and the Swan Coastal Plain into the Darling Scarp, including about of State forests. Timber logging and agriculture were the traditional enterprises of the district. However, in recent decades, bauxite mining and a significant equine and tourism industry have emerged. The Murray River flows all year throughout the district. It offers premier country racing and trotting facilities, a golf course and an array of festivals and events.
The Shire is centred on the town of Pinjarra, one of the oldest towns in Western Australia where a number of 19th-century mud brick buildings are still in use today.

History

The area was first settled in 1834 by Sir Thomas Peel. On 7 November 1868, the Murray District Roads Committee had its first meeting in Pinjarra.
The Shire of Murray originated as the Murray Road District, which was gazetted on 25 January 1871. On 1 July 1961, it became the Shire of Murray following the passage of the Local Government Act 1960, which reformed all remaining road districts into shires.

Suburbs and towns

Population

As of 2020, 128 places are heritage-listed in the Shire of Murray, of which 13 are on the State Register of Heritage Places.