The Rural City of Wangaratta is a local government area in the Hume region of Victoria, Australia, located in the north-east part of the state. It covers an area of 3,645 square kilometres (1,407 sq mi) and, in August 2021, had a population of 29,808.[1] It includes the towns of Cheshunt, Eldorado, Everton, Glenrowan, Greta, Greta West, Milawa, Moyhu, Oxley, Tarrawingee, Wangaratta and Whitfield. It was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the City of Wangaratta, Shire of Wangaratta, Shire of Oxley, and parts of the United Shire of Beechworth, Shire of Benalla and Shire of Yarrawonga. When formed the municipality was originally called the Shire of Milawa, but a few months later, was renamed to its current name.[2]
| Rural City of Wangaratta Victoria | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Location in Victoria | |||||||||||||||
| Population | 29,808 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 8.1778/km2 (21.180/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1994 | ||||||||||||||
| Gazetted | 18 November 1994[2] | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 3,645 km2 (1,407.3 sq mi)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Mayor | Dean Rees | ||||||||||||||
| Council seat | Wangaratta | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Hume | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Ovens Valley | ||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Indi | ||||||||||||||
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| Website | Rural City of Wangaratta | ||||||||||||||
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The Rural City is governed and administered by the Wangaratta Rural City Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Wangaratta. The Rural City is named after the main urban settlement located in the north of the LGA, that is Wangaratta, which is also the LGA's most populous urban centre with a population of around 18,500.[3]
Council
editCurrent composition
editThe council is composed of three wards and seven councillors, with four councillors elected to the City Ward and one councillor per remaining ward elected to represent each of the other wards.[4] As of July 2021, the seven councillors are:
| Ward | Councillor | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| City | Jack Herry | ||
| Ashlee Fitzpatrick | |||
| Dave Fuller | |||
| Dean Rees | Mayor (2018-current) | ||
| North | Harvey Benton | Deputy Mayor | |
| South | Harry Bussell | ||
| Warby | Irene Grant | ||
History
editThe election of Councillors in 2016 followed a three year period where the Council was governed by Administrators. Administrators had been appointed by an Act of Parliament, following the dismissal of the Councillors elected at the 2012 general election.[5] A panel of three administrators, by an Act of Parliament, was appointed to oversee the council until the 2016 municipal elections.[6][7]
Administration and governance
editThe councillors meet in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Wangaratta Government Centre, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at its administrative centre in Wangaratta.
Townships and localities
editThe 2021 census, the rural city had a population of 29,808 up from 28,310 in the 2016 census[8]
| Population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Bobinawarrah | 83 | 100 |
| Boorhaman | 129 | 135 |
| Boorhaman East | 17 | 13 |
| Boorhaman North | 49 | 53 |
| Boralma | 69 | 79 |
| Boweya^ | 41 | 51 |
| Bowmans Forest | 96 | 106 |
| Bowser | 47 | 44 |
| Byawatha | 155 | 160 |
| Carboor | 95 | 97 |
| Cheshunt | 231 | 213 |
| Cheshunt South | 0 | 0 |
| Docker | 120 | 106 |
| Dockers Plains | 54 | 59 |
| Population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| East Wangaratta | 80 | 66 |
| Edi | 75 | 60 |
| Edi Upper | 92 | 109 |
| Eldorado | 385 | 382 |
| Everton | 203 | 193 |
| Everton Upper | 158 | 154 |
| Glenrowan^ | 963 | 1,049 |
| Greta | 107 | 86 |
| Greta South | 132 | 131 |
| Greta West | 162 | 157 |
| Hansonville | 139 | 155 |
| Killawarra | 418 | 391 |
| King Valley | 101 | 87 |
| Laceby | 247 | 304 |
| Population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Londrigan | 127 | 159 |
| Markwood | 258 | 230 |
| Meadow Creek | 84 | 112 |
| Milawa | 587 | 588 |
| Moyhu | 445 | 437 |
| Murmungee | 57 | 69 |
| Myrrhee | 152 | 168 |
| North Wangaratta | 288 | 282 |
| Oxley | 631 | 710 |
| Oxley Flats | 55 | 49 |
| Peechelba^ | 184 | 177 |
| Peechelba East | 45 | 54 |
| Rose River | 26 | 26 |
| Population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Springhurst | 348 | 349 |
| Tarrawingee | 370 | 416 |
| Tolmie^ | 447 | 547 |
| Wabonga | 0 | 0 |
| Waldara | 618 | 677 |
| Wangandary | 227 | 217 |
| Wangaratta | 18,102 | 19,214 |
| Wangaratta South | 509 | 550 |
| Whitfield | 215 | 220 |
| Whitlands | 35 | 37 |
| Whorouly | 376 | 383 |
| Whorouly East | 82 | 92 |
| Whorouly South | 51 | 64 |
^ - Territory divided with another LGA
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Wangaratta (Local Government Area)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- ^ a b Victoria Government Gazette – Online Archive (1837–1997). "S87 of 1994: Order estg (Part 5) the Shire of Milawa". State Library of Victoria. State Government of Victoria (published 18 November 1994). p. 3. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- ^ Census QuickStats (2016). "Wangaratta (UCL) – UCL213017". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Government of Australia. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ Local Government in Victoria. "Wangaratta Rural City Council". Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure. State Government of Victoria. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- ^ "Wangaratta Council to be dismissed". Premier of Victoria. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
- ^ Parliament of Victoria (2013). "Local Government (Rural City of Wangaratta) Act 2013". Australasian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ^ Wangaratta Rural City Council (2013). "About Council – Councillors". Rural City of Wangaratta. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ^ "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.
