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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Electoral District Of Barcoo

Barcoo was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland from 1885 to 1972.

It was created in 1885, by dividing the district of Mitchell, with Barcoo taking up its western area. It was named after the Barcoo River, and covered remote rural areas in Southwest Queensland.

Barcoo was mostly a safe seat for the Labor Party

The death of Frank Murphy created a by-election on 5 March 1892. A shearer, Tommy Ryan (not to be confused with Premier T. J. Ryan), became the first endorsed Labor candidate in Queensland, and won the seat against opponent William Henry Campbell, the editor and proprietor of the local newspaper, The Western Champion.

The seat was later held by the Premier, T. J. Ryan. Remarkably, his win in 1909 was the last time a member was elected for the seat at a general election. All subsequent members were the victors in by-elections.

The electorate was abolished in the redistribution preceding the 1972 state election.

Members for Barcoo

Member Party Term
  Frank Reid Murphy 1885–1892
  Tommy Ryan Labour 1892–1893
  George Kerr Ministerialist 1893–1909
  T. J. Ryan Labor 1909–1919
  Frank Bulcock Labor 1919–1942
  Ned Davis Labor 1943–1961
  Eugene O'Donnell Labor 1961–1972

Election results

See also