| The Shire of McKinlay is located in outback far north Queensland. It was named after the explorer John McKinlay who undertook the first trip from Adelaide to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the 1860s. McKinlay Shire's major industries include sheep and cattle grazing, as well as mining at the BHP Cannington site. The Shire covers an area of 41,000 square kilometres, the administrative centre of which is the town of Julia Creek. Other towns included in the Shire are McKinlay, Kyuna and Nelia. The Shire Council's mission is '[t]o continually improve our internal operations and provide effective public services and amenities that meet present and future needs of our community.' (McKinlay Shire Council, 'Mission Statement'). |
