Wikipedia

City of Greater Bendigo

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.[1] 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]

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

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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, the Shire of Strathfieldsaye, the Shire of Huntly and the Rural City of Marong.[3]

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]

The city's predecessor LGAs (green) as they were in 1994. The administrative centres of the former LGAs are marked by green dots.

Council

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Bendigo Town Hall

Current composition

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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 was succeeded by current councillor Donna Nicholas after a by-election 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
Golden Square   Independent Karen Corr Deputy Mayor
Kennington   Independent Labor Abhishek Awasthi
Lake Weeroona   Independent Thomas Prince Mayor
Lockwood   Independent Donna Nicholas
Ravenswood   Independent Labor Damien Hurrell
Whipstick   Victorian Socialists Owen Cosgriff

List of mayors

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Administration and governance

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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

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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

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

Population
Locality20162021
Argyle215272
Ascot1,9682,571
Avonmore4342
Axe Creek352452
Axedale802984
Bagshot288355
Bagshot North3039
Barnadown1712
Bendigo5,5125,652
Big Hill261281
California Gully4,3634,476
Costerfield7570
Derrinal4999
Drummartin3842
Eaglehawk5,6915,538
Eaglehawk North513
East Bendigo2,0922,246
Elmore776847
Emu Creek359376
Eppalock685746
Epsom4,3255,014
Flora Hill3,9553,989
Fosterville6357
Golden Gully211213
Golden Square8,8209,220
Goornong654718
Harcourt North^265291
Heathcote2,7932,962
Hunter4423
Huntly2,3793,585
Huntly North4346
Ironbark1,0951,163
Jackass Flat1,1411,907
Junortoun3,2013,862
Kamarooka^9289
Kangaroo Flat10,39411,328
Kennington5,6495,880
Kimbolton7396
Knowsley160168
Ladys Pass111118
Leichardt^125167
Lockwood754806
Lockwood South^9611,052
Long Gully3,3833,420
Longlea506570
Maiden Gully4,9925,407
Mandurang641753
Mandurang South247280
Marong^1,4162,005
Mia Mia^178213
Mount Camel106136
Myers Flat459545
Myrtle Creek^6768
Neilborough290379
North Bendigo4,0594,277
Quarry Hill2,3392,365
Ravenswood^436443
Raywood^318329
Redcastle^6867
Redesdale^240299
Sailors Gully711743
Sebastian^217251
Sedgwick546614
Shelbourne^452423
Spring Gully3,0003,092
Strathdale5,6635,756
Strathfieldsaye5,4286,850
Toolleen^182221
Wellsford126144
West Bendigo375378
Whipstick1018
White Hills3,2193,620
Wilsons Hill7788
Woodvale449556

^ – Territory divided with another LGA

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 "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.
  2. ↑ "2021 Greater Bendigo, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Order Constituting the Greater Bendigo City Council ..." Victoria Government Gazette (S12). State Government of Victoria: 1–5. 7 April 1994. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  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|title=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.
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