The region is noted for agriculture, principally wheat, sheep (wool and meat), beef cattle, wine, canola and olives. Silviculture, especially plantations of Tasmanian blue gums (Eucalyptus globulus), was a major industry in the shire although some recent silviculture enterprises (Great Southern Plantations and Timbercorp)[3] have gone into receivership.
Local tourist attractions include the Porongurup Range and Stirling Range, a museum based within the original police station, as well as other pioneer structures such as St Werburgh's Chapel.
History
The Plantagenet Road District was gazetted on 24 January 1871 as one of 18 elected boards to manage roads and services in Western Australia, and initially included a reasonably large section of the Great Southern region. On 1 July 1961, it became the Shire of Plantagenet following the enactment of the Local Government Act 1960, which reformed all remaining road districts into shires.[4]
Indigenous people
The Shire of Plantagenet is located on the traditional land of the Minang people of the Noongar nation.[5][6][7][8]
Wards
The Shire was redivided into five wards in 2001. The shire president is elected from amongst the councillors.
( * indicates locality is only partially located within this shire)
( ‡ indicates boundaries of national park and locality are not identical)
Infrastructure
The shire has ownership and responsibility of the Great Southern Saleyards, a state-of-the-art facility that was built following the closure of the Mount Barker Saleyards and the Albany Town Saleyards, and joint development by both councils around 2002.[23] Due to cost issues, the City of Albany sought to dispose of its share of the facility, and an agreement was made to transfer full ownership and responsibility to the Shire of Plantagenet.[24]
The Mount Barker Power Company Pty Ltd has constructed slightly to the north of the township a three Enercon turbine 73m high windfarm costing $8.3 million.[25] The turbines are on private land and this development is a private energy generation selling power into the state grid. The windfarm is one of the very few to have been completed to service a local community's power needs since the government of Western Australia set a renewable energy target. The site is on private property and is projected to generate about 8,400 megawatt hours of electricity each year from three 800 kilowatt turbines.[26][27]
Services
The Shire of Plantagenet provides the usual services that Western Australian local governments would supply. Rubbish collection is provided by Warren Blackwood Waste. A rubbish tip is located on O'Neill Road south of Mount Barker and transfer stations are at Kendenup, Porongurup and Narrikup.
Ranger Services and a Community Emergency Services Manager (CESM) are based in the Shire Office in Mount Barker. The CESM assists the local bushfire brigades and State Emergency Service unit. The bushfire brigades are located at Porongurup, Porongurup South, Narrikup, Narpyn, Kendenup, Woogenellup, Rocky Gully, Perrilup, Denbarker, Forest Hill and Middle Ward. South Stirling's brigade works closely with the Plantagenet Shire but is registered with Albany City Council.
A Local Emergency Management Committee and a Roadwise Committee are just two examples of how the Shire engages with the community.
^"Shire of Plantagenet". www.plantagenet.wa.gov.au. Shire of Plantagenet. Retrieved 14 October 2024. The Shire of Plantagenet acknowledges the traditional custodians of our area and their continuing connection to the land and community. We pay our respects to all members of the Menang Noongar community ...
Glover, Rhoda; et al. (1979). Plantagenet: A History of the Shire of Plantagenet, Western Australia. Nedlands, WA: Published for the Shire of Plantagenet by the University of Western Australia Press. ISBN0855641754.
^* This LGA holds city status under the Local Government Act 1995, ^† This LGA holds town status under the Local Government Act 1995, ^# Western Australian law applies to the Indian Ocean Territories under the Territories Law Reform Act 1992
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