Barcaldine Region

The Barcaldine Region is a local government area in Central West Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it was preceded by three previous local government areas which had existed for over a century.

It has an estimated operating budget of A$21.6 million.

In the 2021 census, the Barcaldine Region had a population of 2,849 people.

Barcaldine Region includes the traditional tribal lands of the Iningai. Iningai (also known as Yiningay, Muttaburra, Tateburra, Yinangay, Yinangi) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Iningai people. The Iningai language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Longreach Region and Barcaldine Region, particularly the towns of Longreach, Barcaldine, Muttaburra and Aramac as well as the properties of Bowen Downs and catchments of Cornish Creek and Alice River.

Kuungkari (also known as Kungkari and Koonkerri) is a language of Western Queensland. The Kuungkari language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of Longreach Shire Council and Blackall-Tambo Shire Council.

Jirandali (also known as Yirandali, Warungu, Yirandhali) is an Australian Aboriginal language of North-West Queensland, particularly the Hughenden area. The language region includes the local government area of the Shire of Flinders, including Dutton River, Flinders River, Mount Sturgeon, Caledonia (in the Barcaldine Region), Richmond, Corfield, Winton, Torrens, Tower Hill, Landsborough Creek, Lammermoor Station, Hughenden, and Tangorin.

Prior to the 2008 amalgamation, the Barcaldine Region existed as three distinct local government areas:

When the Divisional Boards Act 1879 was proclaimed on 11 November 1879, what is now the Barcaldine Region was part of the Barcaldine, Aramac, Kargoolnah and Bauhinia divisions. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902, all four became Shires on 31 March 1903. A number of boundary changes took place thereafter, but by the establishment of the Shire of Jericho on 1 January 1916, the boundaries were to remain unchanged for 92 years.