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Council history

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Learn about Council’s beginnings, Brisbane’s official symbols and the Keys to the City.

Historical photo with sepia tones of Brisbane City with Brisbane City Hall as focal point.

Council’s history – at a glance

Brisbane was declared a municipality (a city with its own local government) in 1859. The first election for the Municipality of Brisbane was held on 13 October 1859, where 37 candidates contested 9 council positions. John Petrie, a builder and stonemason, was elected as the first Brisbane mayor. 

When the City of Brisbane Act was passed in 1924, the first citywide council was established. This brought together 20 local authorities and joint boards in the Brisbane area. In March 1925, the first Greater Brisbane Council elections were held. Brisbane’s first Lord Mayor, William Jolly, took office. 

Brisbane City Hall, so named to reflect the newly combined council, opened in April 1930. 

Oval portrait of John Petrie, 1859-66.

City of Brisbane Act

In 1924, Queensland Parliament passed the City of Brisbane Act to establish a single local government authority in Brisbane. It’s one of the most significant Acts in Brisbane history.

Acts relating to local government have been, and continue to be, reviewed and updated. Today, Brisbane City Council operates under the City of Brisbane Act 2010.

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Did you know?

Brisbane was named after Sir Thomas Brisbane. He was a noted astronomer and the Governor of New South Wales at the time the region was first explored by Surveyor General John Oxley.

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Brisbane City Archives

Local heritage places

What's on in Brisbane

Brisbane’s Lord Mayors

Lord Mayors are elected by residents across the Brisbane Local Government Area. The title of Lord Mayor was first bestowed on Mayor William Jolly in March 1930.

Name Term as Lord Mayor
William Alfred Jolly 1925-1931
Archibald Watson 1931-1931
John William Greene 1931-1934
Alfred James Jones 1934-1940
John Beals Chandler 1940-1952
Frank Edward Roberts 1952-1955
Sir Thomas Reginald Groom 1955-1961
Clem Jones 1961-1975
Bryan Vincent Walsh 1975-1976
Frank Northey Sleeman 1976-1982
William Charles Roy Harvey 1982-1985
Sallyanne Atkinson 1985-1991
James Gerard (Jim) Soorley 1991-2003
Kieran Owen Timothy (Tim) Quinn 2003-2004
Campbell Newman 2004-2011
Graham Quirk 2011-2019
Adrian Schrinner 2019-current

Official symbols of Brisbane

Council uses unique official symbols to represent our great city, including a coat of arms, flag, and faunal and floral emblems. 

Coat of arms

Brisbane’s coat of arms features two gryphons supporting the city shield. Brisbane’s colours, blue and gold, are reflected in the wreath at the top.

Gryphons are mythological creatures that were chosen to represent the city for their spirited nature. The shield’s design is a tribute to Sir Thomas Brisbane. The symbols represent commercial activity and peace, and the motto ‘Meliora Sequimur’ means 'We aim for the best'.

Brisbane Coat of arms
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Note

Brisbane’s coat of arms may only be used with permission from Council. Email Council to request permission.

Brisbane flag

Our flag is based on the coat of arms and is proudly flown every day in King George Square. It features gold caducei (winged staffs entwined and serpents), which symbolise commerce and peace, and Stafford knots and stars as a tribute to astronomer Sir Thomas Brisbane.

Brisbane City Council flag

Brisbane City Council corporate logo

Our logo features the historic Brisbane City Hall in yellow on a blue background. City Hall is seen by many Brisbane locals as our city’s community and cultural centre.

Brisbane City Council logo with tagline, 'Dedicated to a better Brisbane'
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Note

Council's corporate logo may only be used with our permission. Make a request to use the Brisbane City Council logo.

Brisbane animal emblems

Brisbane’s animal emblems are the iconic koala and the graceful tree frog, which represent the local environment and wildlife.

Koalas live in open forest and woodland communities throughout Brisbane and can be spotted in parks and backyards.

Tree frogs are known for their beautiful colours and distinctive 'rain song'. This song can be heard from backyards and outdoor spaces across Brisbane.

Koala asleep in the fork of a tree at Brisbane Koala Bushlands.

Brisbane floral emblems

In 1930, the red poinsettia was chosen as Brisbane’s floral emblem. Although native to Mexico, the poinsettia grows perfectly in Brisbane, bringing a splash of red to winter gardens.  

Following community consultation in 2023, the native Brisbane wattle was selected as an additional floral emblem.

The Brisbane wattle flowers from mid-winter to early spring. It has masses of yellow, perfumed and fluffy ball-shaped flowers that attract birds, butterflies and bees.

Red poinsettia flower

Keys to the City of Brisbane

The Keys to the City of Brisbane is a symbolic presentation given by the Lord Mayor at a Civic Reception. It honours an individual’s or an organisation’s outstanding achievement or contribution to our city.

It may also be awarded to a Brisbane resident for an outstanding achievement in sport, community or humanitarian work. This can be at an international or national level.

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Did you know?

The Keys to the City tradition dates back to medieval times, when cities were enclosed by wall fortifications. The keys to the city gates were presented to a new ruler to signify that the city was in their hands.

Keys to the City recipients

Keys to the City of Brisbane recipients include individuals, sports teams and community groups. 

Name Date keys received
Mr Keith Payne 24 September 1969
Dame Joan Sutherland 1983
Mr Leroy Loggins 1992
Her Excellency Leneen Forde AC 24 June 1997
Uncle Herb Bligh 12 February 1998
Dr Clem & Mrs Sylvia Jones 19 February 1998
Mr Pat Rafter 18 December 1998
Mr Mick Doohan 18 December 1998
Ms Vicki Wilson OAM 5 October 1999
Major General Peter Cosgrove 16 March 2000
Mr Steven Bradbury 21 March 2002
Mr John Knox 8 November 2006
The Very Reverend Father Gregory Sakellariou MBE 31 March 2008
Mr Leigh Matthews 24 November 2008
Ms Jude Munro AO 10 June 2010
Mr Darren Lockyer  4 September 2011
Mr Jeff Horn 6 July 2017
Mr Cameron Smith 22 November 2022
Mr Li Cunxin AO and Mrs Mary Li 18 September 2023

Name Date keys received
2004 Qld Olympic Athletes 3 September 2004
2006 Qld Commonwealth Games Team 29 March 2006
2006 Qld Winter Olympic Athletes 29 March 2006
Qld Members of the 2008 Australian Olympic Team 19 September 2008
Qld Members of the 2008 Australian Paralympic Team 29 September 2008

Name Date keys received
Brisbane Bullets 1985
Brisbane Broncos 30 September 1992
Queensland Bulls 27 March 2000
Brisbane Lions 1 October 2001
Brisbane Roar 15 March 2011
Firebirds Queensland Netball Team 25 May 2011
St George Queensland Reds 11 July 2011
2012 Olympic Team 24 August 2012
2012 Paralympic Team 14 September 2012
Brisbane Heat 22 January 2013
Brisbane Bandits 16 February 2016
2016 Olympic Team 2 September 2016
2016 Paralympic Team 11 October 2016
2018 Australian Commonwealth Games Team 27 April 2018
Women’s Brisbane Broncos  5 October 2018
Women’s Brisbane Heat 6 February 2019
Women’s Brisbane Lions 24 April 2021
Australian Olympic Team October 2021
Australian Paralympic Team October 2021
Australian National Women's Football Team 20 August 2023
Australian Olympic Team September 2024
Australian Paralympic Team September 2024

Name Date keys received
Bee Gees 1989
Savage Garden 6 February 1998
Australian Wallabies 19 November 1999
Powderfinger 29 November 2003
Queensland Police Pipes & Drums 23 August 2008

Name Date keys received
Scouting Queensland 4 August 2007
Girl Guides Queensland 11 November 2010
Queensland Police Service 28 February 2014
Red Frogs 13 December 2019
Bushfire Relief Heroes 7 March 2020
Stete Emergecy Heros 25 November 2022

Helpful links

Brisbane City Archives

Discover records from Brisbane's history, including surveys and building registers.

Explore archives
Historical map of central Brisbane including Brisbane River in circa 1844.

Brisbane images

View more than 25,000 images, maps and documents dating from the 1850s.

Learn more
Historical photo of a group of passengers catching a Tarragindi-bound 80 bus from George Street, Brisbane City.

Frequently asked questions

The Keys to the City is the highest honour that a city can give to a person or an organisation. It recognises exceptional contributions to our city or achievements in a particular field. 

Brisbane is represented by multiple unique symbols, not one singular logo. Learn about the flag, coat of arms and other official symbols of Brisbane.