The Shire of Yarra Ranges, also known as Yarra Ranges Council, is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the outer eastern and northeastern suburbs of Melbourne extending into the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. It has an area of 2,468 square kilometres (953 sq mi),[1] of which 3% is classified as urban.[2] In June 2018, it had a population of 158,173.[1]

Shire of Yarra Ranges
Victoria
Location in Victoria
Location in Victoria
Map of Melbourne with Yarra Ranges Highlighted
Map of Melbourne with Yarra Ranges LGA highlighted.
Map
Population158,173 (2018)[1] (45th)
 • Density64.090/km2 (165.99/sq mi)
Established15 December 1994
Area2,468 km2 (952.9 sq mi)[1]
MayorNone
Council seatLilydale
RegionGreater Melbourne
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Casey
WebsiteShire of Yarra Ranges
LGAs around Shire of Yarra Ranges:
Nillumbik Manningham Murrindindi Mansfield
Maroondah Shire of Yarra Ranges Baw Baw
Knox Casey Cardinia

It was formed on 15 December 1994 by the merger of parts of the Shire of Sherbrooke, Shire of Lillydale, Shire of Healesville and Shire of Upper Yarra.[3]

History

edit

Prior to European settlement, the land within and beyond the Yarra Ranges was occupied by the Wurundjeri people.[4]

European settlement was established from the 1830s with settlers engaging in agriculture and gold mining.[4]

 
Shire Offices, Lilydale (building prior to 2010s-20s overhaul and extension)

Council

edit

Yarra Ranges is divided into nine wards, each of which elects one councillor for a period of four years.[3]

Wards

edit

Current composition

edit
Ward[6] Suburbs[6] Party Councillor[7] Elected
Billanook Lilydale, Mt Evelyn, Wandin North   Independent Tim Heenan 2016
Chandler Kalorama, Macclesfield, Monbulk, Seville, Silvan, Wandin, Olinda (part), Montrose (part), Mt Evelyn (part)   Independent Liberal Gareth Ward 2024
Chirnside Chirnside Park, Mooroolbark   Independent Richard Higgins 2016
Lyster Belgrave, Belgrave Heights, Belgrave South, Kallista, Lysterfield, Menzies Creek, Narre Warren East, Selby, Sherbrooke, Tecoma, The Patch   Independent Peter Mcillwain 2024
Melba Lilydale, Mooroolbark   Independent Liberal Mitch Mazzarella 2024
O'Shannassy Don Valley, Gladysdale, Hoddles Creek, Launching Place, McMahons Creek, Millgrove, Powelltown, Reefton, Warburton, Wesburn, Woori Yallock, Yarra Junction, Yellingbo   Independent National Jim Child 2012
Ryrie Badger Creek, Chum Creek, Coldstream, Dixon's Creek, Gruyere, Healesville, Steels Creek, Tarrawarra, Yarra Glen, Yering   Independent Fiona McAllister 2012
Streeton Ferny Creek, Montrose, Mt Dandenong, Olinda, Sassafras, Tremont, Upper Ferntree Gully, Upwey   Independent Jeff Marriott 2024
Walling Kilsyth, Mooroolbark, Montrose   Independent Len Cox 1982[a]

Election results

edit

2024

edit
2024 Victorian local elections: Yarra Ranges[8]
Party Votes % Swing Seats Change
  Independent 48,551 67.74 –9.31 6   2
  Independent Liberal 10,385 14.49 +7.44 2   2
  Independent Libertarian 5,127 7.15 +6.13 0  
  Independent National 4,360 6.08 –0.80 1  
  Greens 1,083 1.51 –0.44 0  
  Animal Justice 791 1.10 +1.10 0  
  Independent Labor 762 1.06 –3.73 0  
  Victorian Socialists 618 0.86 +0.86 0  
 Formal votes 71,677 95.97
 Informal votes 3,012 4.03
 Total 74,689 100.00 9  
 Registered voters / turnout 116,724[b] 83.02[c]

Townships and localities

edit

The shire had a population of 156,068 at the 2021 census, an increase from 149,537 recorded at the 2016 census.[9]

Population
Locality 2016 2021
Badger Creek 1,563 1,610
Beenak 25 17
Belgrave 3,929 3,894
Belgrave Heights 1,360 1,398
Belgrave South 1,645 1,670
Big Pats Creek 73 60
Cambarville 0 0
Chirnside Park 9,872 11,779
Chum Creek 983 981
Coldstream 2,164 2,199
Dixons Creek 334 344
Don Valley 576 586
East Warburton 864 906
Emerald^ 5,778 5,890
Fernshaw 0 0
Ferny Creek 1,518 1,524
Gilderoy 65 62
Gladysdale 444 423
Gruyere 946 966
Healesville 7,461 7,589
Hoddles Creek 627 676
Kallista 1,437 1,418
Kalorama 1,239 1,277
Kilsyth^ 10,891 11,699
Launching Place 2,394 2,495
Lilydale 16,531 17,348
Lysterfield^ 6,663 6,681
Macclesfield 851 878
Matlock^ 4 7
McMahons Creek 125 143
Menzies Creek^ 998 966
Millgrove 1,653 1,666
Monbulk 3,577 3,651
Montrose 6,761 6,900
Mooroolbark 21,967 23,059
Mount Dandenong 1,251 1,271
Mount Evelyn 9,702 9,799
Mount Toolebewong 140 119
Narre Warren East 419 434
Olinda 1,738 1,773
Powelltown 217 214
Reefton 59 102
Sassafras^ 1,061 970
Selby 1,652 1,626
Seville 2,378 2,559
Seville East 797 837
Sherbrooke 265 294
Silvan 1,246 1,323
Steels Creek 225 276
Tarrawarra 78 81
Tecoma 2,082 2,064
The Patch 1,065 1,046
Three Bridges 199 188
Toolangi^ 344 366
Toorongo^ 0 0
Tremont 77 69
Upper Ferntree Gully^ 3,416 3,417
Upwey 6,652 6,818
Wandin East 431 408
Wandin North 3,051 3,132
Warburton 2,012 2,020
Wesburn 1,019 1,052
Wonga Park^ 3,796 3,843
Woori Yallock 2,913 2,964
Yarra Glen 2,869 3,012
Yarra Junction 2,549 2,875
Yellingbo 534 582
Yering 115 138

^ - Territory divided with another LGA

Major thoroughfares

edit
 
Pre-2010 Council logo
  •   Burwood Highway (State Route 26)
  •    Canterbury Road/Swansea Road/Anderson Street (south) (State Route 32 / C401) (briefly merges with C415 before turning to SR32 (and SR22 respectively))
  •    Maroondah Highway (State Route 34 / B300)
  •   Belgrave-Hallam Road/Monbulk Road/Hereford Road (C404) (briefly merges with C406)
  •   Belgrave Road (State Route 26)
  •   Olinda-Monbulk Road/Emerald Monbulk Road
  •   Warburton Highway (B380)
  •   Healesville- Koo Wee Rup Road (C411)
  •    Mount Dandenong (Tourist) Road (State Route 22 / C415)

Notes

edit
  1. ^ First elected to Shire of Lillydale before council amalgamations in 1994.
  2. ^ This number is inclusive of the total number of enrolled voters across all wards.
  3. ^ This number does not include enrolled voters from uncontested wards. It is the total turnout for contested wards only.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "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. ^ "Demographic Profile". Yarra Ranges Council. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Our history". Yarra Ranges Council. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  4. ^ a b "About the region". Yarra Ranges Council. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i "About the region - Our history". Yarra Ranges Council. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Your councillors". Shire of Yarra Ranges. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Results for Yarra Ranges Shire Council Elections 2012". Victorian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  8. ^ VEC. "Results". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.
edit

37°44′S 145°41′E / 37.733°S 145.683°E / -37.733; 145.683