Division of Darling Downs

The Division of Darling Downs was an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. It was one of the original 75 divisions for the first Australian election in 1901. It was named for the Darling Downs region of Queensland. It included the city of Toowoomba and surrounding rural areas.

Darling Downs
Australian House of Representatives Division
Created1901
Abolished1984
NamesakeDarling Downs

Members

Member Party Term
  William Henry Groom Protectionist 1901–1901
  (Sir) Littleton Groom Protectionist 1901–1909
  Commonwealth Liberal 1909–1917
  Nationalist 1917–1929
  Independent Nationalist 1929–1929
  Arthur Morgan Nationalist 1929–1931
  Sir Littleton Groom Independent 1931–1933
  United Australia 1933–1936
  Arthur Fadden Country 1936–1949
  (Sir) Reginald Swartz Liberal 1949–1972
  Tom McVeigh Country, National 1972-1984

Its famous members included Sir Littleton Groom, Cabinet minister and Speaker, and Arthur Fadden, Prime Minister of Australia in 1941.

The electorate's first member, William Henry Groom, died at the first Commonwealth Parliament meeting in Melbourne in 1901. His death led to Australia's first by-election, which was won by his son Littleton. The seat was abolished in 1984, largely being replaced by the Division of Groom.

Preceded by
Kooyong
Division represented by the Prime Minister
1941
Arthur Fadden
Succeeded by
Fremantle