Rural City of Wangaratta

This article is about the local government area. For the city of Wangaratta, see Wangaratta.

Rural City of Wangaratta
Victoria
Location in Victoria
Population29,808 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density8.1778/km2 (21.180/sq mi)
Established1994
Gazetted18 November 1994[2]
Area3,645 km2 (1,407.3 sq mi)[1]
MayorDean Rees
Council seatWangaratta
RegionHume
State electorate(s)Ovens Valley
Federal division(s)Indi
WebsiteRural City of Wangaratta
LGAs around Rural City of Wangaratta:
Moira Indigo Indigo
Benalla Rural City of Wangaratta Alpine
Mansfield Mansfield Wellington
Council Offices and chambers

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]

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

Current composition

The 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

The 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

The 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

The 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

References

  1. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Wangaratta (Local Government Area)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 19 November 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Census QuickStats (2016). "Wangaratta (UCL) – UCL213017". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Government of Australia. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  4. ^ Local Government in Victoria. "Wangaratta Rural City Council". Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure. State Government of Victoria. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Wangaratta Council to be dismissed". Premier of Victoria. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  6. ^ Parliament of Victoria (2013). "Local Government (Rural City of Wangaratta) Act 2013". Australasian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  7. ^ Wangaratta Rural City Council (2013). "About Council – Councillors". Rural City of Wangaratta. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  8. ^ "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.

36°21′21″S 146°19′33″E / 36.35583°S 146.32583°E / -36.35583; 146.32583