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 | |
|---|---|
| Created | 1901 |
| Abolished | 1984 |
| Namesake | Darling 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 |