Shire of Macedon Ranges
The Shire of Macedon Ranges is a region in Central Victoria, Australia, best known for its expansive native forests, iconic geographical attraction Hanging Rock, and thriving artisan food and wine industries. The region covers an area of 1,748 square kilometres (675 sq mi).[1] It is located in between the cities of Bendigo and Melbourne. In June 2018 the shire had a population of 49,388.[1] It includes the towns of Gisborne, Kyneton, Lancefield, Macedon, Malmsbury, Mount Macedon, New Gisborne, Riddells Creek, Romsey and Woodend.
Shire of Macedon Ranges Victoria | |||||||||||||||
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Location in Victoria | |||||||||||||||
Population | 49,388 (2018)[1][1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 28.254/km2 (73.178/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Established | 1995 | ||||||||||||||
Gazetted | 19 January 1995[2] | ||||||||||||||
Area | 1,748 km2 (674.9 sq mi)[1] | ||||||||||||||
Mayor | Cr Janet Pearce | ||||||||||||||
Council seat | Kyneton | ||||||||||||||
Region | Northern Victoria | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Macedon | ||||||||||||||
Federal Division(s) | |||||||||||||||
Website | Shire of Macedon Ranges | ||||||||||||||
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The Shire is named after the region's major geographical feature, the Macedon Ranges. It has become one of Victoria's most popular tourist attractions[3] and contains some of its most sought-after real estate.[4]
It is governed and administered by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Kyneton, it also has service centres located in Gisborne, Romsey and Woodend. .
Macedon Ranges was one of the highest-rated areas in Australia in the Quality of Life Index 2008. It was the highest rated in Victoria (outside Melbourne), and was 13th of 590 Australian local government areas.[5]
Council
Current composition
The Shire of Macedon Ranges was formed in 1995 from the amalgamation of the Shire of Romsey, Shire of Gisborne, Shire of Newham and Woodend, and most of the Shire of Kyneton.[2]
The council is composed of three wards and nine councillors, with three councillors per ward elected to represent each ward.[6]
Ward | Councillor | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
East | Henry Bleeck | ||
Natasha Gayfer | |||
Bill West | |||
South | Mandi Mees | Deputy Mayor | |
Helen Radnedge | |||
Andrew Twaits | |||
West | Jennifer Anderson | ||
Roger Jukes | |||
Janet Pearce | Mayor |
Administration and governance
The council meets in the council chambers at Gisborne, which is also the location of one of the council's administrative centres. It also provides customer services at both its administrative centre in Kyneton, and its service centres in Gisborne, Romsey and Woodend.
Education
Gisborne Secondary College, the largest Secondary School in the shire, is located in Gisborne and provides both academic and vocational programs for over 1000 students from across the Macedon Ranges. Kyneton Secondary College is Kyneton's state secondary school, along with Sacred Heart College (Catholic), and Braemar College east of Woodend (Ecumenical, co-educational) as the largest non-government secondary schools in the shire. Candlebark Primary School and Alice Miller High School (whose principal is John Marsden, renowned Australian author and educator) provide alternative education options.
Suburbs and Towns
- Ashbourne
- Baynton
- Baynton East
- Benloch
- Bolinda
- Bullengarook
- Bylands
- Cadello
- Carlsruhe
- Cherokee
- Chintin
- Clarkefield (Shared with the City of Hume)
- Cobaw
- Darraweit Guim
- Edgecombe
- Fern Hill
- Gisborne
- Gisborne South
- Goldie
- Greenhill
- Hesket
- Kerrie
- Kyneton
- Kyneton South
- Lancefield
- Lauriston
- Macedon
- Malmsbury
- Monegeetta
- Mount Macedon
- New Gisborne
- Newham
- Pastoria
- Pastoria East
- Pipers Creek
- Riddells Creek
- Rochford
- Romsey
- Sidonia
- Spring Hill
- Springfield
- Toolern Vale
- Trentham East
- Tylden
- Woodend
- Woodend North
References
- "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.
- Victoria Government Gazette – Online Archive (1837–1997). "S2 of 1995: Order estg (Part 8) the Shire of Macedon Ranges". State Library of Victoria. State Government of Victoria (published 19 January 1995). pp. 3–4. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- "Visit Macedon Ranges". Visit Macedon Ranges.
- de Silva, Christine (13 December 2017). "Mt Macedon's own legendary Camelot with links to Arthur Streeton hits the market". News.com.au. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
- "BankWest Quality of Life Index 2008" (PDF). BankWest Quality of Life Index 2008. BankWest. 20 August 2008. p. 8. Archived from the original (pdf) on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- Local Government in Victoria. "Macedon Ranges Shire Council". Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure. State Government of Victoria. Retrieved 10 January 2014.