Shire of Nillumbik

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Shire of Nillumbik
Local government area
Aerial view of Diamond Creek in Shire of Nillumbik
Aerial view of Diamond Creek in Shire of Nillumbik
CountryAustralia
StateVictoria
RegionGreater Melbourne
Established1994
Council seatGreensborough
Government
 • MayorCr John Dumaresq
 • State electorates
 • Federal divisions
Area
[1]
 • Total
432 km2 (167 sq mi)
Population
 • Total62,895 (2021)[1]
 • Density145.59/km2 (377.1/sq mi)
WebsiteShire of Nillumbik
LGAs around Shire of Nillumbik
Whittlesea Murrindindi Murrindindi
Whittlesea Shire of Nillumbik Yarra Ranges
Banyule Manningham Yarra Ranges

The Shire of Nillumbik (/ˈnɪləmbɪk/ NILL-əm-bik) is a local government area in Victoria, Australia. It contains Melbourne's outer north-eastern suburbs, including the major centres of Eltham and Diamond Creek, as well as numerous rural localities beyond the urban area. It has an area of 432 square kilometres and at the 2021 census, the Shire had a population of 62,895.[1] The Shire uses the tag-line The Green Wedge Shire. The Nillumbik Council offices are located in Civic Drive, Greensborough.[2]

The shire's name is derived from the Parish of Nillumbik, which was named in the 1830s, the term nyilum bik meaning "bad earth" or "red earth" in the local Aboriginal language Woiwurrung.[3]

Nillumbik was rated third of 590 Australian local government areas in the Bankwest Quality of Life Index 2008.[4]

History

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Formation

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In the early 1980s, a group known as the "Rural Shire Action Committee" pushed for the creation of a "Green Wedge" shire in the area. This was to have had similar boundaries to modern Nillumbik, but would have excluded the non-Green Wedge-zoned areas of Yarrambat and North Warrandyte and the built-up areas of Diamond Creek, Eltham and Research.[5] The proposal was investigated and reported on by the State Government's Local Government Commission, but ultimately no action was taken.[6]

The concept of the Green Wedge shire re-emerged during the major overhaul of local government in the early 1990s. This time, the proposed boundaries included a sufficient urban population base to sustain key municipal services such as libraries and a pool. In 1994, the Shire of Nillumbik was formed[7] from the merger of:

The name "Nillumbik" for the new shire was suggested by the Shire of Diamond Valley; other proposed names included "Shire of Montsalvat" (the government review board's initial proposal) and "Shire of McCubbin" (also put forward by Diamond Valley).

A map of Nillumbik Shire showing the predecessor LGAs that overlapped the area before the 1994 local government amalgamations
🞲 The extreme north-west corner of the former Shire of Diamond Valley was transferred from Nillumbik to the City of Whittlesea in 1999[9]

As a council

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On 13 October 1998, the five councillors of Nillumbik Council were suspended by then Local Government minister Rob Maclellan, with the state government declaring that infighting was affecting the ability of the council to function.[10] The number of councillors was subsequently increased to seven.

Council

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Map
2020 and 2024 ward boundaries. Expand the map and click on a ward to see the ward name

The current council was elected in October 2024 for a four-year term.[11]

Ward Party Councillors Notes
Blue Lake   Independent Grant Brooker
Bunjil   Independent Labor Naomi Joiner Deputy Mayor
Edendale   Independent Kelly Joy
Ellis   Independent Peter Perkins
Sugarloaf   Independent Kim Cope
Swipers Gully   Greens Kate McKay
Wingrove   Independent John Dumaresq Mayor

Townships and localities

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The 2021 census recorded the shire population at 62,895, up from 61,273 in the 2016 census.[12]

Population
Locality 2016 2021
Arthurs Creek 496 478
Bend of Islands 295 267
Christmas Hills 355 365
Cottles Bridge 601 609
Diamond Creek 11,733 12,503
Doreen^ 21,298 27,122
Eltham 18,314 18,847
Eltham North^ 6,805 6,830
Greensborough^ 20,821 21,070
Hurstbridge 3,450 3,554
Kangaroo Ground 1,095 1,208
Kinglake^ 1,536 1,662
Kinglake West^ 1,166 1,305
North Warrandyte 2,956 3,027
Nutfield 152 158
Panton Hill 1,062 1,063
Plenty 2,364 2,575
Research 2,649 2,695
Smiths Gully 369 356
St Andrews 1,226 1,186
Strathewen 178 198
Watsons Creek 51 58
Wattle Glen 1,961 1,911
Yan Yean^ 252 246
Yarrambat 1,588 1,602

^ - Territory divided with another LGA

Facilities

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Nillumbik's oldest public building is the Eltham courthouse which was restored in 2022.[13]

Eltham Library and Diamond Valley Library located in Greensborough are operated by Yarra Plenty Regional Library A mobile library service is also operated by Yarra Plenty Regional Library serving the locations of Doreen, Panton Hill, St Andrews, Hurstbridge, North Warrandye, Kangaroo Ground, Diamond Creek and Christmas Hills.[14]

Nillumbikk U3A provides a wide range of courses open to all retired and semi-retired people[15]

NillumBUG is a bicycle user group for the Nillumbik Shire.[16]

Books on the Shire of Nillumbik

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Marshall, Marguerite, Nillumbik Now and Then Research, Vic. MPrint Publications, 2008 ISBN 9780646491226

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "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. ^ Victoria, Local Government (15 August 2015). "Nillumbik Shire". knowyourcouncil.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  3. ^ Nillumbik Shire – eMelbourne
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ Lambert, Mardie (13 March 1984). "Is there a need for a new rural Shire?". Mountain Views. Healesville – via Healesville Library.
  6. ^ "Greens resist anschluss" (PDF). Warrandyte Diary. No. 170. July 1986.
  7. ^ "Victoria Government Gazette online archive 1836-1997". Victoria Government Gazette S97: 1. 15 December 1994.
  8. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (1 August 1995). Victorian local government amalgamations 1994-1995: Changes to the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia. p. 9,10. ISBN 0-642-23117-6. Retrieved 5 January 2008.
  9. ^ "Minor alteration to the municipal boundaries of Whittlesea City Council and Nillumbik Shire Council" (PDF). Victoria Government Gazette. Victorian Government Printer. 19 January 1999. p. 1999:115.
  10. ^ "#33 – The council conundrum". The Age. Fairfax News Store. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  11. ^ "Nillumbik Shire Council election results".
  12. ^ "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Historic Eltham Courthouse reopens following major restoration". www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Yarra Plenty Regional Library".
  15. ^ "Nillumbik U3A (University of the Third Age)". nillumbiku3a.org.au. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  16. ^ "nillumBUG - Nillumbik Bicycle User Group". nillumBUG - Nillumbik Bicycle User Group. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
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37°38′S 145°14′E / 37.633°S 145.233°E / -37.633; 145.233