 With the passage of the "Local Authorities Act 1902", Balonne Division became Shire of Balonne on 31 March 1903.Most of the islands were unincorporated until the 1970s, but Thursday Island had a town council going back to 1912.In 1939, the "Torres Strait Islanders Act" was passed by the Federal Government, allowing for a form of local government on each island.