The Mount Alexander Shire (officially Shire of Mount Alexander) is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central part of the state. It covers an area of 1,530 square kilometres (590 sq mi) and, in August 2021, had a population of 20,253.[3] It includes the towns of Castlemaine, Chewton, Elphinstone, Maldon, Newstead, Harcourt, Taradale, Vaughan, Fryerstown and Campbells Creek. It was formed in 1995 from the amalgamation of the City of Castlemaine, Shire of Newstead, and most of the Shire of Maldon and Shire of Metcalfe.[2] The traditional owners of the land are Dja Dja Wurrung.[4]

Shire of Mount Alexander
Victoria
Location in Victoria
Population20,253 (2021)[1]
 • Density13.24/km2 (34.28/sq mi)
Established1995
Gazetted19 January 1995[2]
Area1,530 km2 (590.7 sq mi)[3]
MayorRosie Annear
Council seatCastlemaine
RegionLoddon Mallee
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Bendigo
WebsiteShire of Mount Alexander
LGAs around Shire of Mount Alexander:
Loddon Greater Bendigo Greater Bendigo
Central Goldfields Shire of Mount Alexander Mitchell
Hepburn Hepburn Macedon Ranges

The Shire is governed and administered by the Mount Alexander Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Castlemaine. It also has service centres located in Maldon and Newstead. The Shire is named after the first European settlers' name for the Castlemaine region and goldfields.

Council

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Current composition

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The council is composed of five wards and seven councillors, with three councillors elected to represent the Castlemaine Ward and one councillor per remaining ward elected to represent each of the other wards.[5]

Ward Councillor Notes
Calder   Tony Cordy
Castlemaine   Rosie Annear
  Bill Maltby
  Gary McClure
Coliban   Christine Henderson
Loddon   Matthew Driscoll
Tarrengower   Stephen Gardner

Administration and governance

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The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Castlemaine Municipal Offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at both its administrative centre in Castlemaine, and its service centres in Maldon and Newstead.

Townships and localities

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In the 2021 census, the shire had a population of 20,253, up from 18,761 in the 2016 census.[6]

Population
Locality 2016 2021
Barfold 88 82
Baringhup 205 185
Baringhup West 16 11
Barkers Creek 457 487
Bradford 9 12
Campbells Creek 1,786 2,071
Campbelltown^ 55 51
Carisbrook^ 1,115 1,192
Castlemaine 6,757 7,506
Chewton 1,313 763
Chewton Bushlands 45 50
Drummond North^ 187 203
Eastville^ 24 13
Eddington^ 96 113
Elphinstone 555 633
Population
Locality 2016 2021
Faraday 158 194
Franklinford^ 66 71
Fryerstown 228 232
Glenluce 20 17
Golden Point 2,107 2,217
Gower 45 45
Green Gully 62 71
Greenhill^ 54 60
Guildford^ 333 330
Harcourt 943 1,038
Harcourt North^ 265 291
Irishtown 15 16
Joyces Creek^ 12 20
Langley 40 52
Lockwood South^ 961 1,052
Population
Locality 2016 2021
Maldon 1,513 1,665
Malmsbury^ 831 905
McKenzie Hill 502 775
Metcalfe 185 190
Metcalfe East 29 25
Moolort^ 32 44
Moonlight Flat 77 85
Muckleford 405 426
Muckleford South 45 33
Myrtle Creek^ 67 68
Neereman 24 23
Newstead 754 820
Nuggetty 85 64
Ravenswood^ 436 443
Ravenswood South 78 76
Population
Locality 2016 2021
Redesdale^ 240 299
Sandon 81 89
Shelbourne^ 452 423
Strangways^ 87 101
Strathlea^ 24 33
Sutton Grange 132 160
Taradale^ 448 524
Tarilta^ 21 26
Tarrengower 64 56
Vaughan 64 55
Walmer 223 262
Welshmans Reef 233 210
Werona^ 46 43
Yandoit Hills 28 44
Yapeen 213 272

^ - Territory divided with another LGA

See also

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List of localities (Victoria)

References

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  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "2021 Community Profiles: Mount Alexander (Local Government Area)". 2021 Census of Population and Housing. Retrieved 8 May 2023.  
  2. ^ a b Victoria Government Gazette – Online Archive (1837–1997). "S2 of 1995: Order estg (Part 10) the Shire of Mount Alexander". State Library of Victoria. State Government of Victoria (published 19 January 1995). p. 4. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18: Population Estimates by Local Government Area (ASGS 2018), 2017 to 2018". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
  4. ^ Council, corporateName=Mount Alexander Shire. "Mount Alexander Shire Council - Our shire". Mount Alexander Shire Council. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  5. ^ Local Government in Victoria. "Mount Alexander Shire Council". Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure. State Government of Victoria. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  6. ^ "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.
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37°04′00″S 144°13′00″E / 37.06667°S 144.21667°E / -37.06667; 144.21667