Rural City of Horsham

The Rural City of Horsham is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the western part of the state. It covers an area of 4,267 square kilometres (1,647 sq mi) and in June 2018, had a population of 19,875.^[1] It includes the towns of Brimpaen, Dadswells Bridge, Dooen, Haven, Horsham, Laharum, Natimuk, Noradjuha and Pimpinio. It was formed in 1995 by the amalgamation of the City of Horsham, most of the Shire of Wimmera and Shire of Arapiles, and part of the Shire of Kowree.^[2]

Not to be confused with the former local government area, City of Horsham.

Rural City y of Horsham Victoria
Municipal offices in Horsham
Location in Victoria
Population	19,875 (2018)[1]
• Density	4.6578/km2 (12.0637/sq mi)
Established	1995
Gazetted	20 January 1995[2]
Area	4,267 km2 (1,647.5 sq mi)[1]
Mayor	Cr Robyn Gulline
Council seat	Horsham
Region	Grampians
State electorate(s)	Lowan
Federal division(s)	Mallee
Website	Rural City y of Horsham
LGAs around Rural City y of Horsham: Hindmarsh Hindmarsh Yarriambiack West Wimmera Rural City y of Horsham Northern Grampians Southern Grampians Southern Grampians Northern Grampians

The Rural City is governed and administered by the Horsham Rural City Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Horsham. The Rural City is named after the main urban settlement located in the north-east of the LGA, that is Horsham, which is also the LGA's most populous urban centre with a population of 16,514.^[3]

The city was winner of Australia's tidiest town in 2001. There is a shopping precinct that offers coffee shops and restaurants. Horsham is the capital of the region and hosts events from sport to cultural interests. The Horsham golf course is known as country Victoria's best, as awarded from the pro-am circuit. The region is the site of lakes and a Wimmera River system and in normal seasons is popular with fishing, boating, swimming and water enthusiasts.

Traditional owners

There are multiple traditional owners of this land, they are Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Jupagulk, Wergaia and Wotjobaluk people.^[4]

Council

Current composition

The council is composed of seven councillors elected to represent an unsubdivided municipality. The current councillors, in order of election at the 2020 election, are:^[5]

Ward	Party		Councillor	Notes
Unsubdivided		Independent	Penny Flynn
		Independent	Di Bell
		Independent	Robyn Gulline
		Independent	Leslie Power
		Independent	Ian Ross
		Independent	Claudia Haenel
		Independent	David Bowe

Administration and governance

The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Horsham Civic Centre, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at its administrative centre in Horsham.

Townships and localities

The 2021 census, the rural city had a population of 20,429 up from 19,642 in the 2016 census^[6]

Population
Locality	2016	2021
Arapiles	*	#
Blackheath	*	#
Brimpaen^	79	80
Bungalally	95	93
Clear Lake	78	57
Dadswells Bridge^	71	69
Dooen	240	250
Douglas^	65	74
Drung	147	119
Duchembegarra	38	47

Population
Locality	2016	2021
Grass Flat^	*	#
Haven	1,304	1,443
Horsham	14,543	15,134
Jilpander	*	#
Jung^	241	#
Kalkee	52	48
Kanagulk	18	28
Kewell^	48	57
Laharum^	196	162
Longerenong^	*	237

Population
Locality	2016	2021
Lower Norton	231	236
McKenzie Creek	136	140
Mitre^	69	66
Mockinya	33	30
Murra Warra^	72	63
Natimuk	514	548
Noradjuha	83	89
Nurrabiel	61	43
Pimpinio	184	191
Quantong	310	354

Population
Locality	2016	2021
Riverside	276	287
St Helens Plains	42	40
Telangatuk East	65	75
Tooan	19	23
Toolondo	59	74
Vectis	179	184
Wail	42	44
Wartook^	84	88
Wonwondah	103	114

^ - Territory divided with another LGA
* - Not noted in 2016 Census
# - Not noted in 2021 Census

See also

• List of places on the Victorian Heritage Register in the Rural City of Horsham
• Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagulk Peoples v Victoria

References

1. "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 Government Gazette – Online Archive (1837–1997). "S4 of 1995: Order estg (Part 9) the Rural City of Horsham". State Library of Victoria. State Government of Victoria (published 20 January 1995). p. 4. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
3. "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18: Population Estimates by Significant Urban Area, 2008 to 2018". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
4. "Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners". www.hrcc.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
5. "Horsham Rural City Council election results 2020". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
6. "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.

External links

• Horsham Rural City Council official website
• Official tourist website for Horsham
• Metlink local public transport map
• Link to Land Victoria interactive maps

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