Shire of Baw Baw
Victoria
Location in Victoria
Population52,015 (2018)[1]
 • Density12.9134/km2 (33.445/sq mi)
Established1994
Gazetted2 December 1994[2]
Area4,028 km2 (1,555.2 sq mi)[1]
MayorCr Michael Leaney
Council seatWarragul
RegionGippsland
State electorate(s)Narracan
Federal division(s)
WebsiteShire of Baw Baw
LGAs around Shire of Baw Baw:
Yarra Ranges Mansfield Wellington
Cardinia Shire of Baw Baw Latrobe
South Gippsland South Gippsland Latrobe
Thorpdale, one of the towns administered by the Shire of Baw Baw

The Shire of Baw Baw (/ˈbɔː ˈbɔː/) is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, in the eastern part of the state. It covers an area of 4,028 square kilometres (1,555 sq mi) and in June 2018 had a population of 52,015.[1]

It includes the towns of Drouin, Longwarry, Neerim South, Trafalgar, Warragul and Yarragon. It was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the Shire of Buln Buln, Shire of Narracan, Rural City of Warragul, and some parts of the Shire of Upper Yarra.[2]

The shire is governed and administered by the Baw Baw Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Drouin, and it has a service centre located in Warragul. The shire is named after the major geographical feature in the region, the Baw Baw Plateau with Mount Baw Baw being the second highest peak in the region. An unincorporated area, the Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort, is enclaved within the shire.

Location and geography

The more densely populated southern half of the shire consists of low rolling hills given over primarily to dairy farming and other agriculture. The northern half lies in the Great Dividing Range and its foothills, where forestry remains an important industry. Tourism is also important in the region, aided by its proximity to and easy access from Melbourne. The shire is known for its rural scenery and natural environment, as well as gourmet foods and wines. The historic gold-mining town of Walhalla is located in the northeast of the shire is a major tourist drawcard. The major electricity-producing region of the Latrobe Valley lies immediately to the shire's east and south.

Many of the shire's larger towns are located along the Princes Highway and main Gippsland Railway line, which cross the southern part of the shire. From west to east these include: Longwarry, Drouin, Warragul, Darnum, Yarragon, and Trafalgar. North of Warragul are Buln Buln, Neerim South, and Noojee, while south of Trafalgar in the Strzelecki Ranges lies the town of Thorpdale. The towns of Rawson, Erica, and Parkers Corner are located near Walhalla amongst the foothills of the Baw Baw Plateau. Aberfeldy is located in the far north east of the shire above the Thomson Dam, which supplies 50% of Melbourne's water.

Council

Composition up to November 2016

The council was composed of four wards and nine councillors, with three councillors elected to represent the Warragul Ward and two councillors per remaining ward elected to represent each of the other wards.[3]

WardPartyCouncillorNotes
Drouin   Independent Tricia Jones
  Independent Terry Williamson
Mount Worth   Independent Murray Cook Mayor 2012/2013 and 2013/2014
  Independent Peter Kostos
North   Independent David Balfour
  Independent Deborah Brown Mayor 2014/2015
Warragul   Independent Joe Gauci Mayor 2015/2016
  Independent Gerard Murphy
  Independent Mikaela Power

Composition November 2016 to November 2020

The council was changed to a three-ward structure with three councillors per ward, with the new council sworn in on 2 November 2016. The new wards are West [660sq km] (primarily Drouin with some rural areas north/south), Central [66sq km] (Warragul town) and East [3,302sq km] making up the balance of the shire.

WardPartyCouncillorNotes
West   Independent Tricia Jones
  Independent Keith Cook
  Independent Jessica O'Donnell
East   Independent Michael Leaney
  Independent Peter Kostos
  Independent Darren Wallace
Central   Independent Danny Goss Mayor 2019/2020
  Independent Mikaela Power Mayor 2018/19
  Independent Joe Gauci Mayor 2016/2017 and 2017/18

Current composition

The council's three-ward structure continued with three councillors per ward, with the new council sworn in on 18 November 2020. The wards are West [660sq km] (primarily Drouin with some rural areas north/south), Central [66sq km] (based on Warragul) and East [3,302sq km] making up the balance of the shire.

WardPartyCouncillorNotes
West   Independent Tricia Jones
  Independent Ben Lucas [resigned June 2021] replaced by Keith Cook
  Independent Annemarie McCabe
East   Independent Michael Leaney Mayor 2021/2022
  Independent Peter Kostos
  Independent Darren Wallace
Central   Independent Danny Goss Mayor 2020/2021
  Independent Jazmin Tauru
  Independent Joe Gauci

Administration and governance

The council meets fortnightly in the Fountain Room of the West Gippsland Arts Centre. The council's administrative activities are centred in Drouin in the former offices of the Buln Buln Shire. It also provides customer services at both Warragul and the council offices in Drouin. Service centres in Trafalgar and on Smith Street in Warragul were closed in 2015.[4]

Townships and localities

The 2021 census, the shire had a population of 57,626 up from 48,479 in the 2016 census[5]

Population
Locality20162021
Aberfeldy07
Ada00
Allambee1924
Allambee Reserve^9596
Allambee South7661
Amor04
Athlone122147
Baw Baw00
Bona Vista109107
Boola00
Brandy Creek10094
Bravington1714
Buln Buln548551
Buln Buln East164182
Caringal1916
Childers10691
Cloverlea192178
Coalville4955
Coopers Creek*#
Crossover158161
Darnum751759
Delburn^3237
Drouin12,34915,287
Drouin East182177
Drouin South335343
Drouin West330361
Ellinbank236229
Erica191184
Ferndale3748
Fumina1111
Fumina South6765
Gainsborough4561
Population
Locality20162021
Gentle Annie00
Hallora126136
Heath Hill^161189
Hill End166171
Icy Creek1128
Jacob Creek2328
Jericho00
Jindivick491584
Labertouche356386
Lardner117110
Lillico8694
Loch Valley00
Longwarry^2,0042,436
Longwarry North215230
Modella^148169
Moe^8,7789,375
Moe South^541529
Moondarra4649
Mountain View9085
Narracan^253262
Nayook7570
Neerim200218
Neerim East192196
Neerim Junction127139
Neerim North4241
Neerim South1,3051,599
Nilma342410
Nilma North319344
Noojee157177
Nyora^1,5271,644
Piedmont4652
Poowong East^8288
Population
Locality20162021
Poowong North^186202
Rawson296296
Ripplebrook221268
Rokeby180213
Seaview125140
Shady Creek180186
Strzelecki^89107
Tanjil00
Tanjil Bren147
Tanjil South^544540
Tetoora Road6693
Thalloo*#
Thomson00
Thorpdale471475
Thorpdale South^3027
Toombon00
Toongabbie^9891,085
Toorongo^00
Torwood5049
Trafalgar3,9124,349
Trafalgar East426401
Trafalgar South276305
Trida^6287
Vesper4250
Walhalla^2035
Warragul15,75719,856
Warragul South253280
Warragul West1933
Westbury157163
Willow Grove590654
Yallourn North^1,5451,511
Yarragon1,6501,893
Yarragon South164204

^ - Territory divided with another LGA
* - Not noted in 2016 Census
# - Not noted in 2021 Census

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "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. 1 2 Victoria Government Gazette – Online Archive (1837–1997). "S94 of 1994: Order estg (Part 3) the Shire of Baw Baw". State Library of Victoria. State Government of Victoria (published 2 December 1994). p. 2. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  3. ↑ Local Government in Victoria. "Baw Baw Shire Council". Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure. State Government of Victoria. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Customer Service Centre Locations". Baw Baw Shire. Baw baw Shire. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Baw Baw.

37°57′00″S 146°07′00″E / 37.95000°S 146.11667°E / -37.95000; 146.11667

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