Early history Prior to European settlement, the
Nyawaygi Aboriginal people lived in the area around Thuringowa, Townsville and the Burdekin. The earliest European on record to live in Thuringowa was James Morrill whose boat washed ashore in 1846. On 16 January 1888, the
Ayr Division was created out of Subdivision 3 of the
Thuringowa Division in 1888 under the
Divisional Boards Act 1887. Considerable progress ensued over the following decades – by 1902, Thuringowa had 1,020 dwellings listed on its ratebooks. The period up to 1918 was one of consolidation and minor works, rather than major projects. In 2007, the state government engaged in a programme of local government reform centred on amalgamating LGAs across Queensland. The Local Government Advisory Committee recommended that the Cities of Thuringowa and Townsville should be amalgamated into a new
City of Townsville. Though it was the source of some controversy, the merger ultimately took place, with the City of Thuringowa ceasing to exist in March 2008.
Les Tyrell, Thuringowa's mayor of 17 years, won against Townsville's mayor, 19-year incumbent
Tony Mooney, in the mayoral election for the combined city. ==Demographics==