Local Council Members

• Ballarat City Council


• Banyule City Council


• Baw Baw Shire Council


• Bayside City Council


• Benalla Rural City Council


• Boroondara City Council


• Brimbank City Council


• Cardinia Shire Council


• Casey City Council


• Darebin City Council


• Frankston City Council


• Greater Bendigo City Council


• Greater Dandenong City Council


• Greater Geelong City Council


• Hepburn Shire Council


• Hobson's Bay City Council


• Hume City Council


• Kingston City Council


• Knox City Council


• Latrobe City Council


• Macedon Ranges Shire Council


• Manningham City Council


• Mansfield Shire Council


• Maribyrnong City Council


• Melbourne City Council


• Mitchell Shire Council


• Monash City Council


• Moonee Valley City Council


• Moorabool Shire Council


• Moreland City Council


• Mount Alexander Shire Council


• Moyne Shire Council


• Murrindindi Shire Council


• Nillumbik Shire Council


• Port Phillip City Council


• Pyrenees Shire Council


• Stonnington City Council


• Strathbogie Shire Council


• Surf Coast Shire Council


• Towong Shire Council


• Wangaratta Rural City Council


• Wellington Shire Council


• Whittlesea City Council


• Wodonga City Council


• Wyndham City Council


• Yarra City Council


• Yarra Ranges Shire Council

Ballarat is one of the largest inland cities in Australia, with a population of over 84,000.
Located in the Central Highlands Region of Victoria, Ballarat is approximately 110km north-west of Melbourne.
The urban settlement patterns offer a diversity of living environments, including small villages and country towns, as well as the main cityscape of central Ballarat, which includes heritage architecture of national significance and international interest.

Banyule is located between 7 and 22 kilometres north-east of central Melbourne and includes the suburbs of Bundoora, Greensborough, St Helena, Eltham North, Watsonia, Watsonia North, Yallambie, Montmorency, Briar Hill, Lower Plenty, Macleod, Rosanna, Viewbank, Heidelberg West, Heidelberg Heights, Ivanhoe, Bellfield, Heidelberg, East Ivanhoe and Eaglemont.

Baw Baw Shire is located in West Gippsland, just over an hour's drive from Melbourne. The shire is made up of over 100 localities spread over 3,855 square kilometres of rolling green hills, towns, mountains and agricultural land.

Warragul is the shire's largest town with a population of over 10,000 people. Drouin is the second largest town with a population of just under 6,000 people.

The City of Bayside is located in Melbourne's southern bayside suburbs between 9 and 20 kilometres south of the Melbourne GPO. The City is bounded by the Cities of Port Phillip and Glen Eira to the North and the City of Kingston to the East. The City includes the suburbs of Beaumaris, Black Rock, Brighton, Brighton East, Cheltenham (part), Hampton, Hampton East, Highett (part) and Sandringham. Bayside covers an area of 36.40 square kilometres and has a population density of 24.8 people per hectare.

Benalla Rural City is located approximately 180kms north east of Melbourne, and has an area of 2,354 square kilometres. The Council was formed on 28 October 2002, following the deamalgamation of Delatite Shire Council into Benalla Rural City and Mansfield Shire Council. Benalla has a population of approximately 14,000.

The major urban area is Benalla with a population of approximately 8,500 persons. The site of Benalla is based on the “Crossing Place”, at the junction of the Sydney-Melbourne Road and the Broken River. Benalla represented a reduction of the aboriginal name rendered phonetically as “Bhenallar”, the aboriginal tribe that inhabited the right bank of the river.

The City of Boroondara is close to Melbourne, with Boroondara's nearest boundary, the Yarra River, about five kilometres east of central Melbourne. Boroondara is bordered on the north by the Eastern Freeway, the Yarra River and Koonung Creek, on the west by the Yarra and the South-Eastern Freeway, on the south by Gardiners Creek and on the east by Warrigal Road and some roads to the north of it. Boroondara covers an area of 6,038 hectares, including 418 hectares of parkland. Waterways and parklands make up the borders for almost two-thirds of the City.

The City of Brimbank was formed on the 15th December 1994, as a result of Victorian Local Government Boundary Restructuring. It covers a large area of Melbourne's West, including the suburbs of St Albans, Sunshine, Keilor, and Deer Park.
The Brimbank area has a distinct cultural and natural landscape including important grasslands, wetlands, rock faces, basalt escarpments and the incised valleys of its two major waterways - the Maribyrnong River and the Kororoit Creek.

Brimbank is a young, culturally diverse community and is home to people from a wide variety of backgrounds. More than 40% of Brimbank's population comes from a non-English speaking background. The major cultural groups are Vietnamese, Maltese, Italian, Croatian, Macedonian, Filipino Greek and Polish. With a population of approximately 150,000 people, and approximately 123 square kilometres in area, Brimbank is the third largest municipality in Melbourne and the largest in the Western Region.

The Shire of Cardinia is at the ‘front’ of Melbourne's south-east growth corridor. Cardinia combines a unique mix of residential and rural land areas of special environmental significance. To the north are the picturesque Dandenong Ranges, to the south, the prime agricultural lands of the Koo Wee Rup district and Westernport Bay. To the east, the rural towns of Drouin and Warragul and the magnificent Strzelecki Ranges and to the west, the urban areas of Berwick and Cranbourne.

Cardinia is a growing and young community. An extremely high proportion of its population is under 19 years of age. Over 73% of households are owned or are being purchased; and 93% are separate houses. A high proportion of the local workforce relies on a private motor vehicle to travel to work.

Casey is one of Victoria's fastest growing municipalities which stretches from the foothills of the Dandenong ranges to Western Port in what is termed the south-east growth corridor and accounts for much of Melbourne's total population growth, an average of 35 families move into Casey each week. This trend is to continue and Casey is expected to be Victoria's biggest municipality just after the turn of the century. The people who live and work in Casey are mainly young, about 70% of residents are aged under 40,
and the City has by far the state's highest proportion of pre-schoolers.

The City of Darebin is located 3km north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District and is around 54 sq km in area, stretching from Heidelberg Rd in the south to Mahoney's Rd in the north, the Merri Creek in the west and Darebin Creek in the east. The City includes the suburbs of Northcote, Fairfield, Alphington, Thornbury, Preston, Kingsbury, Oakhill and Reservoir. Darebin's immediate neighbours are Brunswick, Fitzroy, Kew, Ivanhoe, Heidelberg, Whittlesea, Broadmeadows and Coburg. The north-eastern corner of the city includes LaTrobe University.

Frankston City is a vibrant and exciting City on the Bay with its premium location at the heart of Port Phillip and golden beaches along 10km of beautiful coastline. Frankston has a full calendar of events throughout the year, bringing the City alive with music, entertainment, culture, colour and performance, especially during the Frankston Guitar Festival. There are also many entertainment venues to choose from.

The City of Greater Bendigo is one of Victoria’s largest and most progressive regional municipalities with a population of over 92,000 people. Located in the exact geographic centre of Victoria, only 90 minutes from Melbourne, Bendigo is a modern, thriving city with a bustling local economy featuring a mild climate. Outside Melbourne, Bendigo is the third largest urban centre in the State, and the major regional centre for north central Victoria. A number of small towns including Heathcote, Elmore, Goornong, Marong, Redesdale and Axedale are also located within the municipality.

The City of Greater Dandenong, Melbourne’s 2nd City, is located thirty kilometres south-east of Melbourne. The City is home to more than 133,000 people - fifty-two per cent of the population was born overseas and 140 nations are represented. This cultural diversity, and the wealth of faith, language, cuisines,skills and knowledge associated with it, is seen as a source of vitality and strength for the City and its economy.

Geelong boasts one of the best lifestyles in Australia. Victoria's second largest city with a population of 180,000. Geelong sits on spectacular Corio Bay and the beautiful Barwon River, is only minutes away from the Bellarine Peninsula holiday playground and is less than an hour from the centre of the capital city, Melbourne. It is also the gateway to the famous Great Ocean Road and some of the best surf beaches in the world.

The Shire of Hepburn is located in central Victoria just 90 minutes from Melbourne. Ballarat adjoins to the west and Bendigo is nearby to the north. The area of the Shire is 1,470 square kilometres. Hepburn's population is around 14,320 (Est. 2000). It is growing above rural Victoria's average at a healthy rate of 0.54% per annum and is projected to reach 16-17,000 by 2021. The Shire's main towns are Daylesford/Hepburn Springs with 3,500 residents, Creswick with 2,480 residents, Clunes with 920 residents and Trentham with 710 residents, Small Towns and Rural Areas 6,710.

The City of Hobsons Bay is situated on Port Phillip Bay some 10 kilometres west of central Melbourne. It covers an area of approximately 66 square kilometres and includes the suburbs of Altona, Altona Meadows, Brooklyn (part), Laverton, Laverton South, Newport, Seaholme, South Kingsville, Spotswood and Williamstown. The city was created on 22 June 1994 when the former cities of Williamstown and Altona were merged, together with parts of the former cities of Footscray, Sunshine and Werribee.

Hume area is 503 square kilometres and its population is around 124,000. Hume's electoral model comprises eight single member wards. The City has good access to Melbourne (20 kilometres), rural Victoria, interstate and international markets. It is the gateway to metropolitan Melbourne by virtue of Melbourne Airport and the Hume Highway, the Tullamarine Freeway and the Western Ring Road.

The City of Kingston is a dynamic and diverse municipality. It combines substantial residential areas with significant open space and a strong industrial sector including one of Victoria’s most important manufacturing regions. Covering 91 square kilometres our municipality includes the suburbs of Moorabbin, Highett, Cheltenham, Clarinda, Oakleigh South, Braeside, Mentone, Clayton South, Dingley Village, Heatherton, Parkdale, Mordialloc, Aspendale, Aspendale Gardens, Edithvale, Chelsea, Chelsea Heights, Bonbeach, Carrum and Patterson Lakes.

The municipality is located approximately 25 kilometres east of Melbourne’s CBD, at the foothills of the picturesque Dandenong Ranges. It is one of the most populous municipalities in Victoria, with over 137,000 people residing within the City’s boundaries. Over the years Knox has been able to balance the demands of modern development with the protection of its natural environment; the result is a green, leafy, urban city. There are many parks, reserves, sporting facilities, entertainment venues and meeting facilities throughout Knox, which have helped make it an exciting community. The City has also been recognised for its strong focus and commitment to art in public places.

Latrobe City, the population and service capital of Gippsland is located within some of the most beautiful and diverse areas of southern Australia. With a population of over 70,000, the Shire is made up of four large town centres, Moe, Morwell, Traralgon and Churchill which are complemented by further seven smaller village communities. La Trobe Shire is less than 2 hours by duplicated highway from the centre of Melbourne, is home to some of Australia's largest companies, and provides a rich blend of employment and lifestyle opportunities.

Located within an hour's drive of Melbourne, the Macedon Ranges Shire is renowned for its semi-rural lifestyle, unique natural features such as Hanging Rock, and local heritage townships.

Manningham is essentially residential in character with a population of around 111,000. The geography of the City incorporates significant areas of public open space combined with rural environments. Characteristics of Manningham include the views of the Dandenongs to the east and Kinglake Escarpment to the north with views of Melbourne’s Central Business District to the west. Manningham has one of the most extensive open space networks in the metropolitan area.

Mansfield Shire is located approximately 180km north-east of Melbourne and has an area of 3,892 square kilometres. The Shire has a resident population of approximately 6,600 with the major urban centre being Mansfield. Mansfield Shire was first proclaimed in 1866. It was amalgamated with the City and Shire of Benalla in 1994 to form the Delatite Shire. After the re-amalgamation of the Delatite Shire in October 2002, Mansfield once again became its own Shire.

Maribyrnong is a major cultural, business and retail centre of Melbourne's western region covering an area of 3000 hectares and a population of 62.000. Being close to the centre of Melbourne the area has traditionally being one of Victoria's major manufacturing centres. 20% of land is zoned for industrial use, and there are over 600 industries.

Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria, Australia.
Covering an area of 7,280 sq. kilometres, it is home to 3.2 million people from diverse backgrounds and interests. Melbourne's economic and political centre is located within the municipal boundaries of the City of Melbourne, an area of 36.5 sq. kilometres which encompasses the Central Business District, some of Melbourne's most historic suburbs, the Southbank precinct - site of new residential development and a casino - as well as most of Melbourne's famous sporting venues and its world famous parks and gardens.

Mitchell Shire extends from Melbourne's northern fringe to the farming country of north-central Victoria. Our region is on the doorstep to Melbourne, one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Our towns include Beveridge, Wallan, Kilmore, Wandong, Heathcote Junction, Broadford, Seymour, Pyalong, Tooborac, Puckapunyal and Tallarook.

The City of Monash, with 160,862 residents, is Melbourne's most populous municipality. It is also close to the demographic centre of Melbourne, lying 20 km south east of the CBD in Melbourne's fastest growing population corridor. It is a cosmopolitan city with 37% of its residents coming from more than 30 countries. It has a highly skilled and well educated workforce, with 13% having a degree or higher education.

Its residents also enjoy a level of home ownership that is considerably higher than the Melbourne average.
Monash has some of Melbourne's best known landmarks within its 82 square kilometres, including Monash University, Waverley Park, the Monash Medical Centre, the Victoria Police Academy and Jells Park.

The City of Moonee Valley is one of the most diverse locations in Victoria. Over 120 languages are spoken in the municipality ensuring a rich cultural mix. In addition the City provides a variety of lifestyle options from heritage laden inner suburbs on the CBD fringe to the north-west growth corridor including Avondale Heights and East Keilor. Beautiful parklands and rivers, excellent sporting facilities, transport options and a growing regional business centre means Moonee Valley is a great place to live and work.

Moorabool Shire is a semi-rural municipality, covering a geographical area of 2,112 square kilometres, located immediately to the west of the Melbourne metropolitan area. The Shire is the third fastest growing non-metropolitan municipality in the State and is predicted to be the second fastest by the year 2000. It is traversed by a nationally significant transport route and is within easy access to Melbourne and the two major regional centres of Ballarat and Geelong. Over twenty distinct communities constitute the Shire. This includes the majority of the population centred in and around Bacchus Marsh. Each community displays a high level of local identity and self-determination.

Moreland is a city of contrasts and diversity. It features one of the great tram rides of the world along Sydney Road, displaying a culture of amazing variety. It has a diverse population drawn from all four corners of the world. Moreland contains some of the oldest parts of Melbourne and its urban fringe. It is a cross section of Melbourne from the tightly housed inner city of Brunswick to the housing estates of Glenroy and Fawkner.

The Mount Alexander Shire, home to Castlemaine and Maldon, is situated just 120 kilometres north- west of Melbourne, less than an hour from the Melbourne airport via the Calder Freeway/Highway. The Shire includes bushland, farm land, gracious buildings, stunning gardens, great schools, art galleries, strong industries, a skilled labour force, transport, towns and cities, restaurants, cafes and accomodation.

Moyne Shire is located on Victoria’s south west coast, about four hours’ drive from Melbourne and just to the west of Warrnambool. The shire is predominantly rural based, with a focus on grazing, dairying and grain production. The main industries include agriculture, dairy product manufacturing, and tourism. The Shire has offices in Port Fairy, Mortlake and Macarthur.

Murrindindi covers an area of 3,881 square kilometres to the north-east of Melbourne, including the towns of Alexandra, Eildon, Marysville, Flowerdale, Kinglake and Yea. The major industries of the Shire include broad acre and intensive agriculture, forestry, tourism, light manufacturing, and the services sector. The Southern boundary of the Shire borders the outer Melbourne metropolitan municipalities of Yarra Ranges, Nillumbik and Whittlesea, and as a consequence, represents the highest population growth areas of the Shire.

Located just 15 kilometres from the GPO, the Shire of Nillumbik extends 29 kilometres to Kinglake National Park in the north, west to the Plenty and Yarrambat townships, and east to Christmas Hills. The Shire covers a total of 433 square kilometres. Nillumbik's population of 54,000 live in close-knit communities which
range from typical urban settings to remote and tranquil bush properties.

Located along part of Port Phillip Bay, the City of Port Phillip is one of Melbourne's urban treasures. From Port Melbourne in the west to Elwood in the east, the city takes in a diversity of urban villages close to some of Melbourne's most popular beaches. The city's population of around 70,000 residents lives in an area of 15 square kilometres with the city taking in another 5 square kilometres of unpopulated land. As a popular Melbourne playground, the city attracts large numbers of visitors particularly during the summer months. The foreshore, restaurants, shops, hotels and nightlife attract visitors from other parts of Melbourne, Victoria, interstate and overseas.

Pyranees Shire is located in the Central West of Victoria. It sits naturally between Ballarat and Ararat and Maryborough and St. Arnaud. The Shire is serviced by the Western, Sunraysia, Pyrenees and Glenelg Highways and is a comfortable drive just two hours from Melbourne. Passenger train services will soon be reintroduced with the reopening of the Ballarat to Beaufort and Ararat rail lines. The weather is Mediterranean with cool crisp winters and sunny warm summers which are ideal for the burgeoning wine industry.

The City of Stonnington is truly a vibrant and exciting place. It embraces the suburbs of Windsor, Prahran, South Yarra, Toorak, Malvern, Glen Iris, Kooyong, Armadale and Malvern East. It is unique for its thriving urban villages, abundance of beautiful and historic parks and gardens, a range of sporting facilities, a myriad of restaurants and cafes, fresh food outlets, art galleries, entertainment venues and innovative retail outlets which all contribute to providing our community with a wide range of lifestyle opportunities.

Strathbogie Shire is a rural municipality supporting a diverse rural community served by townships such as Euroa, Nagambie, Violet Town, Avenel, Ruffy and Strathbogie. The Shire is represented by seven Councilors, who are elected representing their particular ward.

Victoria's Surf Coast with its spectacular coastline, scenic rainforests and magnificent beaches, is one of the tourist drawcards of Australia. The main population centres include Torquay, well known for its surf related industries and Bells Beach, Winchelsea, gateway to the fertile Western District, Anglesea and the beautiful resort town of Lorne. The Surf Coast Shire, formed in 1994, has worked to enhance this environment while encouraging appropriate new development to the area.

During November 1994, the State Government as part of its review of Victorian Local Government, created the Towong Shire which comprises the former Shires of Tallangatta and Upper Murray. The Shire is generally mountainous and sparsely settled. The major towns, and Corryong and Tallangatta are linked by good roads, primarily via the Murray Valley Highway. The major area of economic production within the municipality, is from grazing and dairying in the fertile valleys and foothills between the Mitta Mitta and Murray. The municipality is heavily timbered and logging, agri-forestry and milling all make a significant contribution to the economy for the area. The emergence of vineyards is seeing the Shire expand its diverse agricultural pursuits ever further. The population of the municipality is approximately 6622. It occupies an area of approximately 6,635 square kilometres.

The Rural City of Wangaratta is located 235 kilometres north-east of Melbourne and 647 km south of Sydney. The Rural City of Wangaratta is widely recognised as a municipality that offers a premier provincial lifestyle. The region is famous for world class wine and gourmet food. It is the gateway to Victoria's major ski fields. With its spectacular scenery, the region is viewed by tourists as the 'hub' from which to explore North East Victoria and Southern New South Wales.

The Shire of Wellington was created on 2nd December 1994. It was formed from the merger of the former Shires of Alberton, Avon and Maffra, the former City of Sale and the majority of the former Shire of Rosedale. Wellington is the third largest local government area in Victoria at 10,923.7 sq. km.The Shire is home to a diverse industry base with many owner-operator enterprises in agriculture, retailing, professional and service industries, and also many major companies represented. Many of the Shire's towns are served by diverse retail shopping centres, while Sale is the major regional centre of commerce and services.

The City of Whittlesea and surroundings offer a unique blend of city comfort and country hospitality. Only 14 km from the heart of Melbourne at its nearest point, the 500 sq km region embraces the northern aspects of the city and encompasses the rolling hills and natural attractions of the Plenty Valley and Ranges. It has a population of 110,00, projected to rise to 140,00 by 2011. The City is diverse in its demographic structure, urban and rural land use and its blend of historic, established and newly developing areas.

The municipality offers a strategic location in its proximity to major retailing and business areas, including the Melbourne CBD, airports and docks, and to tertiary education institutions. It has well-defined transport infrastructure, a wide range of housing styles and excellent facilities for recreation.

Wodonga is strategically placed between Melbourne and Sydney on the Hume Highway. It is located on the picturesque Murray River and close to the wine regions of North East Victoria.

Wodonga has enjoyed unprecedented growth during the past 25 years and now boasts a residential base in excess of 35,000 people.

The City of Wyndham is a designated growth area of Melbourne. Its growth in population is matched by its economic growth. Wyndham is currently rated as the fifth fastest growing local economy in Victoria. The current population exceeds 80,000 and is expected to reach 120,000 by the year 2011. Population growth currently exceeds 3% per annum. Spanning 542 square kilometres
on a coastal plain on the western fringe of Melbourne, the City is home to a diversity of sectors: strong industrial and technology districts, two major retail precincts, intensive vegetable growing areas and grazing lands. Key tourism and open space attractions such as the Werribee Park Mansion, Victoria’s Open Range Zoo at Werribee, the State Equestrian Centre, the Point Cook Homestead and the Point Cook RAAF Museum surround the expansive urban area.

The municipal boundaries that make up the City of Yarra are drawn around some of Melbourne's oldest communities. Much of the City of Yarra has working class origins and was once dominated by industrial manufacturing. The streets are now peppered with a mix of Victorian mansions, workers' cottages, townhouses, high rise estates, rooming houses and, more recently, residential redevelopment of warehouses. (Area: Abbotsford, Burnley, Collingwood, Fitzroy, Alphington, Clifton Hill, Fairfield, North Carlton, Richmond.

The Shire of Yarra Ranges is located on metropolitan Melbourne’s eastern fringe. With an area of almost 2,500 sq. kilometres the Shire is the largest of any metropolitan or fringe Council in the State. The Shire has a population currently estimated to be 139,315 people. Approximately 80% of the Shire’s population lives in the 10% of the Shire that is classed as urban, while the remaining population is unevenly dispersed throughout the remaining area within some 50 plus townships, small communities and rural areas.

The Shire, which forms part of the Wurundjeri-Balluk territory, has a significant and active Aboriginal population. They, along with other ethnic communities, contribute to the cultural diversity of the Shire. The Shire is one of only two Victorian Councils that employ an Aboriginal Community Development Officer.