City of Greater Bendigo

City of Greater Bendigo
Local government area
Location in Victoria
CountryAustralia
StateVictoria
RegionLoddon Mallee
Established1994
Council seatBendigo
Government
 • MayorThomas Prince
 • State electorates
 • Federal division
Area
[3]
 • Total
3,000 km2 (1,200 sq mi)
Population
 • Total121,470 (2021)[1]
 • Density40/km2 (105/sq mi)
Gazetted7 April 1994[2]
WebsiteCity of Greater Bendigo
LGAs around City of Greater Bendigo
Loddon Campaspe Campaspe
Loddon City of Greater Bendigo Strathbogie
Mount Alexander Mount Alexander Mitchell

The City of Greater Bendigo is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central part of the state. It covers an area of 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 mi2) and, in August 2021, had a population of 121,470.[3] It includes the city of Bendigo and the towns of Axedale, Elmore, Heathcote, Marong, Raywood and Strathfieldsaye. It is the state's third largest economy base and is considered a service and infrastructure centre for north central Victoria. The city is surrounded by 40,000 hectares of regional, state and national parkland.[4]

The city is governed and administered by the Greater Bendigo City Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Bendigo, it also has service centres located in Heathcote, Huntly, Marong and a couple of other locations within Bendigo. The city is named after the main urban settlement lying in the centre-west of the LGA, that is Bendigo, which is also the LGA's most populous urban area with a population of 99,122.[5]

History

The City of Greater Bendigo was formed on 7 April 1994, initially from the amalgamation of the former City of Bendigo with the Borough of Eaglehawk, Shire of Strathfieldsaye, Shire of Huntly, and the Rural City of Marong.[2]

In November 1994, the City gained the Heathcote district and the Lake Eppalock hinterland from the Shire of McIvor.[6] In January 1995, the rural western flank of the City (part of the former Rural City of Marong) was moved into the new Shire of Loddon, while the City gained the Redesdale district from the Shire of Metcalfe.[7][8]

Council

See also: Wards of the City of Greater Bendigo

Current composition

The council is composed of nine single member wards.[9] The most recent election was held in October 2024.

Lockwood Ward has been vacant since 17 November 2025 when John McIlrath, who was elected at the 2024 election, resigned. He will be replaced in a by-election to be held in March 2026.[10][11]

The current council (elected in 2024)[12]
Ward Party Councillor Notes
Axedale   Independent Liberal Shivali Chatley
Eppalock   Independent Aaron Spong
Epsom   Independent Andrea Metcalf Mayor
Golden Square   Independent Karen Corr
Kennington   Independent Labor Abhishek Awasthi Deputy Mayor
Lake Weeroona   Independent Thomas Prince
Lockwood   N/A Vacant Resigned
Ravenswood   Independent Labor Damien Hurrell
Whipstick   Victorian Socialists Owen Cosgriff

List of mayors

Main article: List of mayors of Bendigo § City of Greater Bendigo (1996–present)

Administration and governance

The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Bendigo Town Hall offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at its administrative centre on Lyttleton Terrace in Bendigo and its service centres in Heathcote, Huntly and Marong and also on Hopetoun Street and St Andrews Avenue in Bendigo.

2023 Council Election Review

In the lead up to the 2024 Victorian local elections, The Victorian Electoral Commission conducted a review into the electoral structure of multiple Victorian councils, including the City of Greater Bendigo, The review found that the city should adopt nine single-councillor wards at the election, namely:

Towns, suburbs and localities

At the 2021 census, the city had a population of 121,470 up from 110,477 in the 2016 census[13]

Population
Locality 2016 2021
Argyle 215 272
Ascot 1,968 2,571
Avonmore 43 42
Axe Creek 352 452
Axedale 802 984
Bagshot 288 355
Bagshot North 30 39
Barnadown 17 12
Bendigo 5,512 5,652
Big Hill 261 281
California Gully 4,363 4,476
Costerfield 75 70
Derrinal 49 99
Drummartin 38 42
Eaglehawk 5,691 5,538
Eaglehawk North 5 13
East Bendigo 2,092 2,246
Elmore 776 847
Emu Creek 359 376
Population
Locality 2016 2021
Eppalock 685 746
Epsom 4,325 5,014
Flora Hill 3,955 3,989
Fosterville 63 57
Golden Gully 211 213
Golden Square 8,820 9,220
Goornong 654 718
Harcourt North^ 265 291
Heathcote 2,793 2,962
Hunter 44 23
Huntly 2,379 3,585
Huntly North 43 46
Ironbark 1,095 1,163
Jackass Flat 1,141 1,907
Junortoun 3,201 3,862
Kamarooka^ 92 89
Kangaroo Flat 10,394 11,328
Kennington 5,649 5,880
Kimbolton 73 96
Population
Locality 2016 2021
Knowsley 160 168
Ladys Pass 111 118
Leichardt^ 125 167
Lockwood 754 806
Lockwood South^ 961 1,052
Long Gully 3,383 3,420
Longlea 506 570
Maiden Gully 4,992 5,407
Mandurang 641 753
Mandurang South 247 280
Marong^ 1,416 2,005
Mia Mia^ 178 213
Mount Camel 106 136
Myers Flat 459 545
Myrtle Creek^ 67 68
Neilborough 290 379
North Bendigo 4,059 4,277
Population
Locality 2016 2021
Quarry Hill 2,339 2,365
Ravenswood^ 436 443
Raywood^ 318 329
Redcastle^ 68 67
Redesdale^ 240 299
Sailors Gully 711 743
Sebastian^ 217 251
Sedgwick 546 614
Shelbourne^ 452 423
Spring Gully 3,000 3,092
Strathdale 5,663 5,756
Strathfieldsaye 5,428 6,850
Toolleen^ 182 221
Wellsford 126 144
West Bendigo 375 378
Whipstick 10 18
White Hills 3,219 3,620
Wilsons Hill 77 88
Woodvale 449 556

^ – Territory divided with another LGA

See also

References

  1. ^ "2021 Greater Bendigo, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Order Constituting the Greater Bendigo City Council ..." Victoria Government Gazette (S12). State Government of Victoria: 1–5. 7 April 1994. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2021: Population Estimates by Local Government Area (ASGS 2021), 2021". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2021.
  4. ^ "About Greater Bendigo". City of Greater Bendigo.
  5. ^ "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18: Population Estimates by Significant Urban Area, 2008 to 2018". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
  6. ^ Office of the Minister for Local Government (18 November 1994). "Twelve councils for North East" (media release). Archived from the original on 22 July 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  7. ^ Office of the Minister for Local Government (19 January 1995). "North Central super shires get the green light" (media release). Archived from the original on 22 July 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  8. ^ Victoria Government Gazette – Online Archive (1837–1997). "S2 of 1995: Order estg (Part 7) the Shire of Loddon". State Library of Victoria. State Government of Victoria (published 19 January 1995). p. 3. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  9. ^ Local Government in Victoria. "Greater Bendigo City Council". Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure. State Government of Victoria. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  10. ^ O'Callaghan, Tom (18 November 2025). "10,000 people could wait months for new councillor after resignation". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 19 November 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ {cite web|url=https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/voting/current-elections/greater-bendigo-city-council-lockwood-ward-by-election%7Ctitle=Greater Bendigo City Council, Lockwood Ward by-election|publisher=Victorian Electoral Commission|access-date=31 December 2025}
  12. ^ VEC. "Results". Victorian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 11 January 2023.

36°45′S 144°17′E / 36.750°S 144.283°E / -36.750; 144.283

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