Yarra Ranges Shire
Local government area in Victoria, Australia
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] [ 2] [ 1]
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
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
Yarra Ranges is divided into nine wards, each of which elects one councillor for a period of four years.[ 3]
Wards
Billanook Ward, named after the Wurundjeri name for the region and pioneered by explorer Robert Hoddle [ 5]
Chandler Ward, named after a pioneering family[ 5]
Chirnside Ward, named after George Chirnside, a Mooroolbark settler and owner of the Werribee Park Mansion [ 5]
Lyster Ward, named after William Saurin Lyster , an impresario who had a dairy farm in the area[ 5]
Melba Ward, named after opera singer Dame Nellie Melba [ 5]
O'Shannassy Ward, named after O'Shannassy River and reservoir, in turn named after John O'Shanassy (sic.) , Premier of Victoria in the mid-1800s[ 5]
Ryrie Ward, named after William Ryrie who planted the first vineyards in the area[ 5]
Streeton Ward, named after Sir Arthur Streeton , a painter who lived in Olinda [ 5]
Walling Ward, named after landscape designer Edna Walling [ 5]
Current composition
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
2024
Townships and localities
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
Pre-2010 Council logo Burwood Highway (State Route 26)Maroondah Highway (State Route 34 / B300)Warburton Highway (B380)
Notes
^ First elected to Shire of Lillydale before council amalgamations in 1994.
^ This number is inclusive of the total number of enrolled voters across all wards.
^ This number does not include enrolled voters from uncontested wards. It is the total turnout for contested wards only.
References
External links
Suburb of Melbourne Town Locality ^ -
Territory divided with another LGA
37°44′S 145°41′E / 37.733°S 145.683°E / -37.733; 145.683
