The Shire of Glenelg is a local government area in the Barwon South West region of Victoria, Australia, located in the south-western part of the state. It covers an area of 6,219 square kilometres (2,401 sq mi) and in June 2018 had a population of 19,665.[1] It includes the towns of Casterton, Heywood, Merino and Portland. Although a shire of the same name existed before the amalgamations of the mid-1990s, the current Shire was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the former Shire of Glenelg with the Shire of Heywood and City of Portland.[2][3]

Shire of Glenelg
Victoria
Municipal offices in Portland
Location in Victoria
Population19,665 (2018)[1]
 • Density3.1621/km2 (8.1898/sq mi)
Established1994
Gazetted23 September 1994[2]
Area6,219 km2 (2,401.2 sq mi)[1]
MayorCr Anita Rank
Council seatPortland
RegionBarwon South West
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Wannon
WebsiteShire of Glenelg
LGAs around Shire of Glenelg:
Wattle Range (SA) West Wimmera Southern Grampians
Grant (SA) Shire of Glenelg Moyne
Grant (SA) Southern Ocean Southern Ocean

The Shire is governed and administered by the Glenelg Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Portland, it also has service centres located in Casterton and Heywood. The Shire is named after the Glenelg River, a major geographical feature that meanders through the Shire.

At the 2001 Census, the population of the Shire was distributed in the following way: Portland: 49.7%, Casterton: 8.7%, Heywood: 6.3%, Dartmoor: 1.3%, Merino: 1.1%, Narrawong: 0.9% and Rural Balance: 32%.

Service industries, timber production, grazing and manufacturing are the Shire's main economic activities.[4]

Traditional ownership

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The formally recognised traditional owners for the area in which Glenelg Shire sits are the Gunditjmara People[5] who are represented by the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.[6]

Council

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Current composition

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The council is composed of seven councillors elected to represent an unsubdivided municipality. The current councillors, in order of election at the 2020 election, are:[7]

Ward Party Councilor Notes
Unsubdivided   Labor Gilbert Wilson
  Nationals Anita Rank
  Independent Karen Stephens
  Independent Martin Scott
  Independent Michael Carr
  Independent Chrissy Hawker
  Independent Jayden Smith

2024 election results

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2024 Victorian local elections: Glenelg[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Karen Stephens (elected 1) 2,008 16.03 +4.14
Independent Michael Carr (elected 2) 1,969 15.72 +7.91
Independent John Pepper (elected 3) 1,332 10.63 +10.63
Independent Mike Noske (elected 4) 1,238 9.88 +9.88
Independent Robyn McDonald (elected 5) 1,099 8.77 +1.74
Independent Duane Angelino (elected 7) 851 6.79 +6.79
Independent Matt Jowett (elected 6) 847 6.76 +6.76
Independent Mary Picard 714 5.70 +5.70
Independent Gary Humm 655 5.23 +5.23
Independent Scott Martin 537 4.29 –6.73
Independent Trever Boyd 462 3.69 +3.69
Independent Alistair James McDonald 433 3.46 –0.02
Independent Andrew Stephenson 383 3.06 +3.06
Total formal votes 12,528 95.14 +0.98
Informal votes 640 4.86 –0.98
Turnout 13,168 83.36 –0.62

Administration and governance

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

Townships and localities

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The 2021 census, the shire had a population of 20,152 up from 19,557 in the 2016 census[10]

Population
Locality 2016 2021
Allestree 128 168
Bahgallah 35 56
Bessiebelle^ 98 113
Bolwarra 601 647
Branxholme^ 351 304
Breakaway Creek^ 50 39
Brimboal 4 11
Byaduk^ 123 129
Cape Bridgewater 150 151
Carapook^ 70 67
Cashmore 228 197
Casterton 1,668 1,673
Chetwynd^ 86 85
Clover Flat^ 17 15
Condah 121 104
Corndale 33 27
Population
Locality 2016 2021
Dartmoor 322 299
Dergholm^ 43 57
Digby 124 122
Drik Drik 47 46
Drumborg 152 160
Dunrobin 73 70
Dutton Way 116 91
Gorae 188 236
Gorae West 227 237
Grassdale 18 54
Greenwald 51 58
Heathmere 237 238
Henty 60 75
Heywood 1,726 1,815
Homerton 23 36
Hotspur 45 34
Population
Locality 2016 2021
Killara 8 9
Lake Condah^ 6 9
Lake Mundi 29 37
Lindsay 7 9
Lyons 29 31
Merino 253 249
Milltown 63 46
Mount Richmond 43 42
Mumbannar 111 100
Muntham^ 31 29
Myamyn 73 64
Nangeela 14 17
Nareen^ 93 79
Narrawong 387 462
Nelson 190 191
Population
Locality 2016 2021
Paschendale 30 33
Portland 9,712 10,016
Portland North 625 708
Portland West 569 619
Sandford 144 130
Strathdownie 183 176
Tahara^ 36 30
Tahara Bridge 20 20
Tahara West 21 17
Tyrendarra^ 212 198
Wallacedale^ 113 94
Wando Bridge 48 41
Wando Vale^ 104 96
Warrock 28 46
Winnap 20 14

^ - Territory divided with another LGA

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "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.
  2. ^ a b "Part 6—Shire of Glenelg". Victoria Government Gazette (1837-1997). 1994 (S63 ed.). Melbourne: Government of Victoria: 5. 23 September 1994. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  3. ^ "Part 7—Glenelg Shire". Victoria Government Gazette (1837–1997). 1994 (S4 ed.). Melbourne: Government of Victoria: 4. 20 January 1995. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Glenelg Shire". Know Your Council. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Map of formally recognised traditional owners". Aboriginal Victoria. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal". Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Glenelg Shire Council election results 2020". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Glenelg Shire Council election candidates". VEC. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Glenelg Shire Council results". VEC. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.
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38°00′00″S 141°40′00″E / 38.00000°S 141.66667°E / -38.00000; 141.66667